I love the week between Christmas and New Year’s – it seems so low key compared to the busy weeks leading up to Christmas.  It is a perfect time for some fun family activities. 

Bowling always seems to be on our families To Do list for the holidays.  There are lots of great bowling alleys in the Portland Metro area. 

Check out this website for a list of Oregon bowling alleys or just google it!

If you have little ones with you be sure and ask for an alley with bumpers – makes for a much more enjoyable experience, even for some of us adults.  Another great perk of bowling is you get to wear those cute, stylish shoes!!!

Not only is the bowling fun but many of the bowling alleys have food too – nothing better than bowling alley french fries!

On the westside of Portland you will find:

Sunset Lanes in Beaverton  

Tigard Bowl

Four Seasons Bowling Center in Hillsboro

Valley Lanes in Beaverton

And on the eastside:

Hollywood Bowl

Grand Central in SE Portland

Milwaukie Bowl

Happy Bowling!!

The Grotto is a 62 acre Catholic shrine and botanical garden located at NE 85th and Sandy Boulevard in Portland and each year hosts an annual Christmas Festival of Lights.  This will be their 22nd year.

The Festival of Lights runs from Nov.27 through Dec. 30th from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and the gates close at 10 p.m.  There is an admission fee of $7.50 for adults, children ages 3-12 are $3 with children 2 and under free.

For more information or a group rate check out their website.

The Festival of Lights features over 1/2 a million lights as well as a petting zoo, puppet shows, Grotto Carolers and outdoor theatrical performances.  They are also the host to the largest Choral festival in the Pacific Northwest with over 140 indoor holiday music concerts.  Local choral groups perform nightly in the beautiful Chapel of Mary which has amazing acoustics!

We’ll be there Dec.10th when the Westvew High School choir will be singing at 9 p.m.!

If you have never visited the Grotto at the holidays it is definitely worth the trip and a great way to get in the holiday spirit!

There is nothing more “traditional” than watching the Nutcracker during the holidays. 

There are 3 holiday ballets available in the Portland area to see during the holiday season.

The Portland Ballet will present La Boutique Fantasque or “The Enchanted Toyshop” along with the PSU Symphony Orchestra.  This ballet will be performed downtown at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts in the Newmark Theater the weekend after Thanksgiving – Nov. 27 & 29, 111 SW Broadway. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster for $10-40.00.

Similar in storyline to The Nutcracker, La Boutique takes place in a toyshop and is a shorter version which makes it easier on the little ones.

The Oregonian had this to say about La Boutique Fantasque:

“…a family tradition in the making, a break from the ‘Nutcracker’ mold of holiday ballets …a simple, fantasy-laced story, an energetic and youthful ensemble and a classic score to keep even grown-ups engaged.” -The Oregonian

Portland Festival Ballet will be performing their version of The Nutcracker Dec 11-13th at Portland Community College, Sylvania Campus, 12000 SW 49th Ave., Portland, OR 97219.
Tickets are $20-24.00.   Call 503-245-5369  for tickets or visit The Portland Festival Ballet website.  

Oregon Ballet Theater  (OBT) will perform the George Balanchine’s version of the traditional Nutcracker Ballet.  Performances runs Dec. 12-24th downtown at the Keller Auditorium.

For tickets  call 503.2.BALLET (503.222.5538) or 888.922.5538 for reduced handling charges or contact ticketmaster.