For those hoping to get into the holiday spirit, deciding which of Portland’s many Yuletide events to attend can be a daunting decision—especially when so many of them concern religion. (YUCK!) However, a few of these events—even the religious ones (YUCK!)—are actually the perfect remedy for those who lack the proper holiday spirit. That’s why we’ve chosen five of the most supremely underrated seasonal events that even the grinchiest among us will enjoy. (Plus we’ve thrown in one criminally overrated happening that you should avoid at all cost—can you guess which one it is?) Happy holidays from all of your pals at the Mercury!
Branded as a place of “peace, prayer, and natural beauty,” the Grotto is not a destination I’d normally frequent, simply because I don’t subscribe to any particular religion. (However, I will celebrate Christmas for its Pagan rituals and traditions of gift-giving, excessive time spent on light displays, and unspeakable amounts of food.) But on a dry day, with a caramel apple cider in hand, the Grotto’s Christmas Festival of Lights is a perfect casual walk and (surprisingly) even a sweet destination for a date.
As my male accomplice and I arrived at the Grotto’s Festival of Lights, hordes of noisy children were leaving—always a good sign. Upon entering we passed a bunch of towering wooden religious plaques, each with a pre-recorded voice booming unneeded Biblical information. Fortunately, those didn’t last long, after which we enjoyed a nice—and thankfully QUIET—walk (other than the occasional choral group or outdoor puppet show) through the festival grounds, which were packed with dazzling lights.