Christmas in Portland, Oregon

People in Christmas clothes at Pioneer Courthouse Square in 2013

There are many ways in which the Christian holiday of Christmas is celebrated in the American city of Portland, Oregon. Annual traditions include the Christmas Ships Parade, Peacock Lane, the Pioneer Courthouse Square Christmas tree, and the art installation Santa Clones. The city hosts many other displays, concerts, and other performances related to Christmas annually.

In 2023, Portland ranked number 21 in WalletHub's list of the top 100 cities in the U.S. for celebrating Christmas. The city tied in first place in the Christmas tree category, ranked fifth for having the most gift shops, and was among cities with the most Christmas tree farms per capita.[1]

Events and other traditions

The White Stag Sign at night in 2010, with a simulated "red nose" (of neon) in imitation of the character Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

The day when a "red nose" is placed on the White Stag sign as an imitation of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has become known as "Nose Day" and "is how most Portlanders know that the Christmas season has arrived", according to The Oregonian.[1] Historically, the Meier & Frank Holiday Parade (originally the Fairy Tale Parade and later Macy's Holiday Parade) signified the arrival of Santa Claus, prompting some Portlanders to refer to the event as "the Christmas parade".[2] Among annual events are the Christmas Ships Parade (established in 1954) and the lighting of the Pioneer Courthouse Square Christmas tree.

The Portland Expo Center has hosted "America's Largest Christmas Bazaar" since 1982.[3] Annual Christmas displays are hosted at the Benson Hotel[4] and many other hotels,[5] as well as Pittock Mansion.[6] The lobby bar of Hotel Vintage, called Bacchus Bar, has hosted the Christmas-themed pop-up bar Miracle.[7] Some churches in Portland have offered Blue Christmas services.[8] The Winter Market has hosted a Christmas in July event at the Goat Blocks.[9]

Santaland, Macy's, 2008

Santaland was a feature of the Meier & Frank (later Macy's) store in downtown Portland's Meier & Frank Building for over forty years,[10] starting in the 1950s. It took place on the sixth floor and later the tenth floor, and featured a monorail.[11][12][13] Following the store's closure, some items from Santaland were donated to the Oregon Historical Society (OHS)[14][15] and the Portland Business Alliance. OHS has continued to display the nostalgia, which includes animatronic elves, a mechanical Rudolph, a model of Santaland's original monorail, a Cinnamon Bear costume, and a chair used for Santa Claus greetings.[16][17]

According to The Oregonian, "The Cinnamon Bear story, as told in [a] 1937 radio production, was broadcast on radio stations across the country, but it became a particular local tradition when Portland-based Lipman's department store adopted Cinnamon Bear as its Christmas mascot. Along with Santa Claus, children could meet the bear at Lipman's flagship store (which is today home to the Royal Sonesta hotel). The tradition continued after Lipman's was sold and became Frederick & Nelson in 1979... But Frederick & Nelson closed its downtown store in 1986, and the company’s last Oregon location, at Washington Square mall, closed in 1991. Though versions of Cinnamon Bear made a few community appearances in the early 1990s, he began to fade from Portlanders' collective Christmas memories."[18]

Concerts and other performances

Tuba Christmas concert and the Pioneer Courthouse Square Christmas tree in 2016

Portland hosts many Christmas-related concerts and other performances,[19][20] including the annual Tuba Christmas.[21][22] The Oregon Symphony hosts Gospel Christmas at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall each year.[6] Portland's Singing Christmas Tree has been held for approximately sixty years.[23][24] The city has seen "alternatives" and other versions of Tchaikovsky's Christmas-centric ballet The Nutcracker (1892) presented by various arts organizations.[25] Oregon Ballet Theatre performs George Balanchine's The Nutcracker (1954) annually.[26][27]

Light displays

In addition to the Christmas Ships Parade and the Pioneer Courthouse Square Christmas tree, light displays are found at Peacock Lane in southeast Portland's Sunnyside neighborhood, at the Oregon Zoo in Washington Park for the ZooLights event, and at The Grotto in northeast Portland's Madison South neighborhood for the Festival of Lights. According to Portland Monthly, The Grotto's Christmas festival bills itself as "one of the world's largest Christmas choral festivals" and has indoor concerts with choirs representing many churches and schools.[28] Established in 1993,[29] the annual Winter Wonderland event at the Portland International Raceway has been described as the "largest holiday light show west of the Mississippi"[30] and the largest holiday light show in the Pacific Northwest.[31] The 2024 event had 250 displays, some of which were animated.[32]

Santa Claus and alternatives

Santa Claus greeting at the shopping mall Pioneer Place in 2013

In addition to Santa greetings at Santaland, Portland has seen Black Santa[33] and Hipster Santa greetings.[34][35] Mayor Bud Clark dressed as Santa in 1991.[10]

The city has hosted an annual SantaCon pub crawl,[36][37] sometimes called Stumptown Santacon.[38][39] Since the early 2010s, Chris Willis has installed a display of Santa statues called Santa Clones throughout the city.[40]

Since 2010, the Krampus parade called Krampus Lauf has been held on Hawthorne Boulevard in southeast Portland. Portland has also had Krampus greetings[41] (as an alternative to Santa greetings) and Fear PDX has hosted a Krampus-themed haunted house in December.[42]

A Santa-themed flash mob dance was held in downtown Portland in 2024.[43][44]

Christmas trees

See also: Pioneer Courthouse Square Christmas tree

A Christmas tree is installed in downtown Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square annually.[45] A Christmas tree lot has operated in southeast Portland's Woodstock neighborhood since 2004.[46] One local organization gives away Christmas trees to families in need each year. CJ McCollum partnered with the group when he played for the Portland Trail Blazers.[47][48]

Media and business operations

A Christmas bazaar in 2013

The radio stations KFIS and KKCW, which serve the Portland metropolitan area, play Christmas music.[49][50][51] In 2024, KFIS started playing Christmas music on Election Day "as a way to provide a space of upliftment and positivity to combat the stress the Election Day brings", according to KGW.[52] KGW has broadcast an hour-long special of the lighting ceremony for the Pioneer Courthouse Square Christmas tree, featuring a sing-along led by Pink Martini.[53][54]

Many notable restaurants and other businesses have operated on Christmas, including East India Co. Grill and Bar, Excellent Cuisine, Doug Fir Lounge, Jake's Famous Crawfish, Jake's Grill, Laurelhurst Theater,[55] Master Kong,[56] The Original Dinerant, Portland City Grill,[57] Radio Room, Shandong, Swiss Hibiscus,[58] and Urban Farmer.[59]

See also

References

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  3. ^ "'Christmas Bazaar' canceled; vendors lose registration fees". KOIN.com. 2020-12-16. Archived from the original on 2021-04-11. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
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  8. ^ "'Blue Christmas' Services Offer Refuge From Holiday Cheer". NPR. Archived from the original on 2024-07-08. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
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