Someone’s coming. Every December, they swoop in from far away. Jolly, spreading cheer, toting sacks filled to the brim, appearing magically inside the house as if they came down the chimney.
No, not Santa. They’re your relatives, and they’re coming for the holidays. Sure, it’ll be fun to catch up, put family recipes to the test under the watchful guidance of the master and spend time with the people that matter most. But if they’re staying for more than a weekend (or you think they might decide to), the question of how to entertain these folks will – sooner or later – arise. Fret not. There is plenty to get them in the spirit of the season and out of the house.
See Christmas in Alaska circa 1915 as the Oscar Anderson House Museum opens for the first two weekends in December. The Swedish Christmas Tour mixes old world holiday traditions into a little house packed with a lot of Anchorage history December 3-11.
That’s just the start; there are simply TONS of bazaars and craft fairs to pick from this time of year. So help your relatives find a piece of Alaska they can take back with them. Or pick one of the holiday-flavored concerts. Musical performances go beyond silver bells and choirs, ranging from TubaChristmas to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Find details on them all at www.Anchorage.net/events.
Put a new twist on an old favorite. Skip the TV broadcast of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and head over to Cyrano’s Playhouse. The theatre does up the classic tale of George Bailey as a live 1940s radio broadcast. Top with ingenious sound effects and commercial breaks, and you’ve got a performance straight from the Golden Age of radio. Find showtimes at www.cyranos.org.
Nor does our winter wonderland need a holiday to make it special. It’s not too late to cruise glaciers. Lazy Otter Charters operates through the month of December, perfect for groups of eight to 20 people. Cruise out of Whittier and past Beloit and Blackstone glaciers, then step ashore for a beach walk and a hot drink.
If all the snow, proximity to Santa’s workshop and general magic of Alaska has so far failed, send them to a holiday show where the eggnog is spiked with Spam. Mr. Whitekeys and the gang return for Christmas in Spenard at Tap Root. Grab dinner, give ‘em an Alaska brew and settle in for a “spectacular multi-media presentation in Hi Def, and approximately three minutes of sentimental holiday fluff.” It may not spread holiday cheer, but it should give you a more than a few laughs with the family.
By Jack Bonney, Visit Anchorage, for Coast Magazine, December 2011 issue.
