Direct Line

Jaclyn Travis, NAS Sigonella MWR Marketing Director

Happy holidays, Sigonella! As we approach the holiday season, we want you to know that MWR is bringing you as many festive events as possible. We all know that 2020 has been a difficult year, and while many of our celebrations will look different than in the past, we are committed to spreading holiday cheer!

Keeping our community safe is our foremost priority, so all of our events will either be virtual or involve social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand sanitization.

If running prior to your delicious dinner is your Thanksgiving tradition, we invite you to join our #SigTurkeyTrot, which is a virtual 5k that you can participate in with any route you choose. Just submit a photo of yourself and your time to Fitness_ Sigonella@eu.navy.mil, and we encourage you to share your run on the MWR Sigonella Facebook page too.

December kicks off our annual Sig’s the Season, and we’ve worked hard to make sure that everyone onboard NAS Sigonella can have something to look forward to. Throughout the month of December, a Holiday Selfie Station will be set up in Midtown for you to take photos at your leisure. Additionally, we’ll have Holiday Take and Make Craft Kits available for pickup at the Library all month long. These projects, which will include snow globes, key chains, coasters, decoupage, and miniature canvas art, are fun for kids and adults of any age! In addition, be on the lookout for more details on our Gingerbread Cookie Crafting Kit; supplies are limited and registration will be required. This year, the Bowling Alley wants in on the creative fun too, so you can pick up an old bowling pin and take it home to decorate however you like. All submissions will be displayed for all to see, and the public will vote to determine the winners.

Our annual Tree Lighting Ceremony is going virtual this year, so you can tune in on December 4th to watch the Sigonella Community Schools Choir assist in this beloved tradition. We are also excited to bring a Santa Parade to Marinai on December 11. Come see Mrs. Claus, Santa Claus, Rudolph, the Grinch and lots of elves hand out candy canes.

Those aren’t our only family-friendly Christmas activities! After writing a letter to Santa, children can drop them off in a special mailbox located at Midtown from December 7-18 and Santa’s helpers will make sure they receive a letter back. Mrs. Claus will also get in on the fun, reading some holiday stories which will posted to our MWR Sigonella Facebook page on December 10, 17, and 24.

We’ve got plenty of cheer for our adults and single Sailors too! The Liberty Center will be hosting many activities, including Cocoa on the Go (December 2 and 16), Taste of Home to Go (December 3, in partnership with the USO) and a Christmas Movie Marathon (December 25). The USO, Liberty Center, and the Children and Youth Programs are also joining forces for Operation Santa Claus to deliver Christmas goody bags/stockings to all barracks residents on December 24.

This year, the Liberty Center is also excited to present the Twelve Working Days of Christmas. This scavenger hunt will start on December 9 with twelve winners possible, then eleven winners on December 10, and so on for every working day until Christmas. Clues will be split between the two bases to allow active duty members to participate on both bases.

But that’s not all, folks! We’ve got more prizes to give out, but you need to get moving to win them. During the Twelve Days of Christmas Virtual Fitness Challenge from December 9-24, the MWR Facebook page will post a new challenge every day, and every time you post your time or score, you’ll be entered to win a prize. You can also try to win during our Virtual Jingle Bell Jog, which will be hosted December 18- 20. For every mile you run, you’ll be entered to win a prize. And if you’re more of an e-sports competitor, we’ll also be hosting a PS5 Madden tournament in the Midtown Theater (date forthcoming).

As we’ve seen many times this year, circumstances can change at a moment’s notice. We are excited to celebrate Sig’s the Season with you, and we look forward to bringing you high quality events no matter what happens.