Sean C. Morgan
Christmas plans are well under way in Sweet Home, with a calendar of events being created to help local residents keep track of the opportunities on the schedule.
The season will kick off Nov. 8 with the distribution of name tags by Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District Sharing Tree organizers to community members who have committed to buy gifts for needy children. It will continue with the preparation of giant Christmas cards produced by a committee formed last year to organize a display of the 4×8-foot hand-painted cards around town.
That will be followed by the majority of the schedule, which will kick off on Dec. 6 with a new caroling event and the lighting of the Christmas Tree and Christmas cards.
The Christmas card display was the brainchild of a committee formed last year, including Arlene Paschen, Brian Hoffman, Patty Holk, Ben Dahlenburg and Alice Grovom. The Christmas cards were displayed at East Linn Museum and across the street in front of Beth Lambert’s State Farm office. Hoffman has stepped down, and Phyllis Osborn-Smith has joined the committee.
The cards were created by local artists, Paschen said. Each one was sponsored by a local business or individual. This year, the number of cards is expected to nearly triple – from 16 to 39.
In addition, the committee has developed a calendar of events, Paschen said. “The event calendar was my brainstorm last year.”
The idea was to get everybody involved and on the same page, combining everything into one place and making sure everyone’s schedules work with everything else, avoiding events on the same nights, Paschen said. It also includes all of the bazaars the committee could find. The calendar is available at locations throughout Sweet Home.
“The comments we had last year, we wanted something we could pin up on the refrigerator,” Paschen said. Questions may be directed to the Chamber of Commerce at (541) 367-6186.
Paschen said there are a lot of people and businesses to thank preparing for the Christmas season.
“I think the only way we’re going to succeed is by keeping the community involved,” Paschen said.
The pace will intensify on Dec. 6, with a new caroling event and the lighting of the Christmas Tree and Christmas cards.
Carolers, carrying candles and wearing red scarves, will meet at the Chamber of Commerce at 5 p.m. The mayor will say a few words, followed by the lighting of the tree and music by the high school jazz band. The carolers will follow the lighting of business windows and Christmas cards as they walk to East Linn Museum and then to Clover Memorial Park.
Everyone is invited to join the caroling, Paschen said, but they should contact the chamber at (541) 367-6186 so the committee can get a head count and know how many candles are needed.
Nancy Patton has been working with business owners on window decorations to be lit during the caroling, Paschen said, in preparation for the Rocking Around the Christmas Tree event sponsored by downtown businesses on Dec. 7, the same day as the parade and the Alumni Association Christmas tree auction.
Proceeds from the Rocking Around the Christmas Tree event will go to the sharing trees at the Fire Hall and Police Department.
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., shoppers can get passports stamped and vote on window decorations, followed by a party at 7:45 p.m. at the Vet’s Club, with live music, passport drawings for cash prizes and contests.
The Singing Christmas Tree will perform Dec. 6-8.
With all of the downtown businesses getting involved during the first weekend of December, there shouldn’t be any need to leave town for Christmas shopping, Paschen said.
A living Nativity will be featured the following two weekends, Paschen said. Looking forward to next year already, the committee is seeking costumes and props, which are being borrowed this year. Paschen is also looking for anyone who can build donkeys and camels from plywood to round out the Nativity decorations.
A shopping cart will be available nearby to collect cans for Sweet Home Emergency Ministries, she said.
Paschen said she heard from a woman who saw the Nativity last year, and she asked how she could get involved.
“That’s why we do this,” Paschen said. “When people come up and want to get involved, that’s where it’s all at.”
Paschen and volunteers spent the weekend refurbishing the aging downtown wreath decorations, and artists are busy preparing the Christmas cards right now.
“The museum is going all out decorating this year,” she said, and the cards will be centered there again this year. They’ll also go up at other locations throughout town.
“They aren’t going to be hard to spot,” Paschen said.
“If our weather shouldn’t be in our favor, please don’t let it dampen our spirits,” Paschen said. “Show you are a true Oregonian. Come out and enjoy the events. I think it’s going to be pretty cool. I’m excited.