Feature

SittingDownwithSanta

Sitting on Santa’s lap is something of an annual tradition—that is, unless there’s a protracted global pandemic. To get kids (OK, adults, too) in the spirit, the folks at the Tower Theatre alerted us to the upcoming Santa sighting starting Dec. 20 in downtown Bend. Then, we managed to track down the big guy himself to find out what’s in store.

Source Weekly: Tell us what you’re planning over at the Tower Theatre.

Santa: From Monday to Wednesday, December 20 to 22, I just wanted to go out and see the folks that are there in the Bend area doing Christmas shopping. You know, I love Bend, when I get a chance to get away from North Pole and hang out there. It’s a beautiful place and you know, just I like to see people. I like to tell them that they’re doing well and I give him a little bit of cheer, a little bit of hope, little bit of peace this year. A little bit of joy amid all of the other stuff going on.

SW: How are you going to be set up?

Santa: It’s going to be a little unique. The Tower roof is flat, so I’m able to land the reindeer right on it. And then, the marquee is flat as well. They do have a harness for me, which is a really good thing, because in my old age, I’m losing my balance sometimes, but I’m going to be up there and I will be able to see all the people there at Wall Street—be able look out actually really across this way to where the Birkenstock shop is and see Plankers and just kind of catch people’s eye there. I will be on the west side of the street. Should be a good time to see a lot of people there.

SW: What are you going to say to the kids who see you up there and want to sit on your lap?

Santa: The kiddos cannot get up there unless they have their own set of reindeer and sleigh. But it’s OK—I’ll be able to interact with them a little bit. I could see the ones that are the good little boys and girls, and I’ll be able to call out some people—I may even have a list of the naughty and the nice with me, and maybe call people out. It’ll be good just to remind them of what the season is all about. Encourage them to be good boys and girls this year to be able to get outside of themselves. So, to love other people to give to other people and to just make the holiday bright.

SW: We’re journalists here at the Source—so I have to know, who’s going to be on the naughty list among the local characters?

Santa: Well, you know, I know that you’re a journalist and that’s an important thing to do, but it’s like, if you publish the list, those people may not ever have a chance to get back on the nice list. And so, other people might not give them a chance. I would think that anybody on the naughty list is going to be somebody who is just selfish this year. If people are out there being Scrooge, and not really feeling the spirit, if they’re not looking after other people’s interests and loving on their community, they’re going to end up on the naughty list.

SW: Will people be able to leave their lists with you?

Santa: I hadn’t thought of that, but boy, that’s a great idea, Nicole. And I think that that might have landed you more on the nice list.

SW: Oh shoot. I was in danger of being on the naughty list?!

The big guy is slated to make an appearance in Bend, high above the entrance to the Tower Theatre. We checked in with him to find out what he’s up to.

By Nicole Vulcan

Courtesy Jill Wellington/Pixabay

Santa blows a cool yule next to another downtown Bend fixture.

Santa: Well, yeah, you know, but with good ideas like that… helping Santa is always a great thing to do, especially this time of year, you know, just in case.

SW: OK, good to know. We’ll keep that in mind, Santa.

Look for Santa atop the marquee at the Tower Theatre in downtown Bend Dec. 20 to 22 from 4pm to 5:30pm each night. Plus, kids can send their letters to Santa by taging #TowerSanta on Social Media.

Gatherings, Back on the Table

Locals Compare the 2021 holiday with memories of 2020

The holidays usually involve friends and family coming together to share a meal, gifts and good tidings. Last year, with a pandemic raging with no vaccine or end in sight, a lot of people adapted to a distanced Christmas. Now two COVID-Christmases down, people are easing back into their holiday traditions, though often with extra steps.

Traveling again for the holidays

Adam Duquette moved to Redmond eight years ago after his wife got a job in the area and they fell in love with Central Oregon. Typically for the holidays he’d celebrate Christmas Day in town, but travel to visit family and friends in Portland at some point.

“For us in Central Oregon, it had become, especially now that we have a child who’s just started elementary school recently, we had gotten used to just staying here on Christmas Day, but we’d always at some point around Christmas itself, travel back up to Portland to just hang out with friends and family, or sometimes they come down to us,” Duquette said.

Last year Duquette opted for a distanced Christmas, but still managed to hang onto his family’s traditions.

“The one thing we’d always do is make gingerbread houses, you’d go get the pre bought stuff at the store, but you throw them together, and you’d maybe try to turn it into something that wasn’t displayed and turn it into maybe an ice hockey rink or something. And we tried to keep that tradition going. But we did it over Zoom,” Duquette said. “It wasn’t exactly the same, but we kept it alive.”

Duquette said he knew last year would be different, but this year they could get closer to normal.

“We’re trying to find a new normal now, it’s going to be things like, before we travel, we’re going to take a COVID test to make sure that we’re negative. We’re also all fully vaccinated in my

family, and so are the family and friends that we go to visit. So, ensuring that we’re doing stuff like that if we are going to go visit people,” Duquette said.

Courtesy Trevor Bradford Courtesy Trevor Bradford

A band of Santas, a Hello Kitty, some penguins and a snowman watch over this brightly lit home in Bend.

The Holiday Meal

David Bishop moved to Bend eight years ago, at the age of 15, and for many years had a typical Christmas experience.

“For the majority of my life, Christmas was pretty basic, we just gather the immediate family, watch movies and whatnot the night before, spend all day making dinner while we’re doing that, making a proper feast,” Bishop said.

He also usually ended up with some sort of building project to do the day of, often accommodating guests by building booster seats or cradles for visiting kids. Bishop spent last Christmas in a motel while struggling to find a place to live. This year he’s looking forward to having a bigger kitchen to make his holiday meal — right now, he’s thinking chicken, mashed potatoes and mac and cheese.

“No big traditions on my own yet, I am keeping up cooking a big meal that starts early in the morning every year,” Bishop said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do for a building project. I might just resort back to the basic gingerbread house, though.”

Christmas with the parents

Bendite and avid back-country skier Mallory Duncan typically goes to Los Angeles to visit family during the holidays, but due to COVID, Duncan has been gathering in smaller numbers with only immediate family members.

“We didn’t gather in 2021 because my family in L.A. wasn’t comfortable assembling,” Duncan said. “I went to my parents’ house in California last year, and will again this year,” he added. “Hopefully, next year we go back to LA.”

When traveling for the holidays, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting fully vaccinated, wearing a mask indoors and on all public transportation services. Plus, the CDC encourages travelers to self-test before joining indoor gatherings with people not a part of your household.

Scaling Back the Snowboard Trip

Celebrating the holidays for Makena Mehringer usually involves visiting family in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, shredding up the mountains on her snowboard. Mehringers’ family views COVID a little more casually, yet still see the risk.

“We still have to live our lives,” said Mehringer.

For this year, and last year’s Christmas, Mehringer opted out of traveling to Idaho. Instead, she visited with her dad and his girlfriend at the girlfriend's house here in Bend.

When staying local for the holidays, the CDC recommends hosting outdoor get togethers, avoiding crowds and staying home if you are sick or are showing symptoms related to COVID.

Courtesy Trevor Bradford

Snoopy is ready to take flight and Baby Yoda is ready for a huge snack at this extravagant Christmas display mash-up.

Courtesy Trevor Bradford

The Christmas chopper with Santa on the sticks is ready to depart for this year’s gifting adventure!

Celebrating a Parade

Bend Oregon Raider Nation’s Aaron Chambers likes to spend the holidays celebrating with family and friends. Similar to Mehringer, Chambers also views COVID on a lighter note. Chambers’ Christmas last year was slightly tarnished due to the cancellation of the annual Bend Christmas Parade, which the BORN organization builds a float for. Though the parade was cancelled, Chambers still gathered with family last Christmas and plans to do the same this year. Still representing the Raiders until death, the Dec. 26, game against the Broncos is also on the schedule for Chambers' holiday happenings.

“(BORN) is meeting after Christmas day to watch the game and sing holiday songs,” chuckled Chambers.

—Compiled by Trevor Bradford

Courtesy Trevor Bradford

Tons of joy and a couple familiar Frozen characters highlight this snow-speckled yard. All photos, minus the photo at far left, were taken in the neighborhood near Ferguson and Ladera roads in Southeast Bend.