Holidays in OregonCelebrate the season with lights, music, and merriment

Magic at the Mill will shine through Saturday, Dec. 23

Five acres of historical buildings once again become Salem's own winter wonderland on Dec. 19 at Magic at the Mill.
Since 2000, the Willamette Heritage Center has brought the season to life with thousands of lights, Santa, music and other activities.

Activities include

• Kids: Create wool Christmas trees, make "reindeer food," a postcard for Santa and owl ornaments, plus see if you can complete a scavenger hunt.
• Shopping in the Spinning Room: Vendors will sell a variety of products including baked goods, toys, soaps, lotions, clothing, dog treats, clothing and jewelry.
• Demonstrations: Blacksmithing, weaving, lacemaking and spinning demos will happen daily. The art studio will be open Friday, Dec. 22.
• Tours: Talk with living history characters throughout buildings on the property, including the 1841 Jason Lee House and Methodist Parsonage, 1847 John Boon House, 1858 Pleasant Grove Church and 1895 Thomas Kay Woolen Mill.

The lights of Magic at the Mill will shine through Saturday, Dec. 23, and there is plenty to discover.

Experience a dazzling display of more than 1.5 million lights with your family and friends.

ZooLights runs from Nov. 19, 2023 to Jan. 7, 2024, excluding Dec. 25

For more than 30 years, the Oregon Zoo’s ZooLights has transformed its space into a sparkly winter wonderland with colorful animal silhouettes and other cheery scenes created from 1.5 million lights. Marvel at the spectacle on foot or by zoo train Nov. 29- Jan. 5 and make sure to stop for hot cocoa and light-up cotton candy (or beer and wine) at any of the cafes on site.

• All ZooLights tickets must be purchased in advance online. All visitors, including infants, must have a ticket/reservation.
• Additional tickets, including infant comps, will not be available for purchase on-site.
• At least one named adult cardholder must show a valid photo ID with ticket, and the entire party must be present for entry to ZooLights.

The Oregon Zoo, originally the Portland Zoo and later the Washington Park Zoo, is a zoo located in Washington Park, Portland, Oregon, approximately 2 miles southwest of downtown Portland. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi River.

Book your ZooLights tickets.

A Northwest tradition

At 66 years running, the Christmas Ship Parade along the Columbia and Willamette rivers is one of Portland’s most beloved traditions.

This year, the events run from December 1st to 17th.

Check the schedules for the times and best locations for viewing.

Have a spot of tea.

Grab your reservation now for holiday tea at the stunning Headwaters PDX restaurant at the Heathman Hotel.
Acclaimed Chef Vitaly Paley serves up a grand prix-fixe menu of authentic sweet and savory Russian tea favorites, including pierogi, Kiev tortes, smoked and kippered fish and open-face rye sandwiches.
Call for reservations.

Take a stroll along Peacock Lane.

This enduring tradition has continued for decades, as the residents of Peacock Lane in Southeast Portland go all out with their dazzling nativity scenes, rotating Christmas trees and life-like replicas of Santa and Frosty.

Visit during the evenings from Dec. 15-31, or for a special experience Dec. 15-17 during their pedestrian-only nights.

Tis the season to find the perfect holiday gift

Show your love to local businesses, and Portland is absolutely bursting with independent retailers selling lovely handmade clothing, home goods, accessories and vintage goods by local designers.
Shops all over the city participate in Little Boxes, Portland’s alternative to big-box shopping that takes place the weekend after Thanksgiving, but you can give these stores love well into December and beyond.
For a non-traditional mall experience, head to Lloyd Center for Lloyd Local, featuring 100+ small businesses and brands.

Lace up the ice skates

• Take a spin on the Lloyd Center ice rink, which is open seven days a week for public skating, or register for lessons, which are available for all ages and abilities.
• Relish disco night and other public skate sessions at Sherwood Ice Arena.
• Or take a spin where the semi-pros play at Winterhawks Skating Center in Beaverton.

There’s nothing quite like dressing up for a live show during the holidays.

• Take the family to see George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, which runs Dec. 7-26 at Keller Auditorium, with performances by the Oregon Ballet Theater.
• Or introduce the kids to Charles Dickens’ classic ghost story, A Christmas Carol, at Portland Playhouse, Dec. 1-30.
• For the adults, there is Miss: Bennet: A Christmas at Pemberley, a clever sequel to Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” running from Nov. 30-Dec. 29.

Get spirited on Distillery Row.

Consider it your gift-buying research. A handful of innovative distilleries in Portland’s Southeast Industrial District make artisan whiskey, vodka, gin, brandy and more — and host frequent cocktail crawls and and tasting hours. This season, try Mud Puddle Bitter Chocolate Vodka from New Deal Distillery or the Holiday Spiced Liqueur from Eastside Distilling.