Held right here at Grants Pass High School is a joyful, festive fundraising event on Dec. 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The clubs formed by Grants Pass students and local artisans host booths in all three buildings. This event invites people from all over Grants Pass to support the community. Booths will be selling festive crafts, homemade goodies, gifts, and assortments. Not only do citizens get to buy gifts from our local clubs and crafters, but the word is also spread about certain needs in our community. For example, The Paws For A Cause Club bakes delicious treats, where all the money raised goes straight to the Josephine County Humane Society. Last year, they collected an impressive five hundred dollars, which were donated to the local animal shelter. Also, many positive interactions and connections are made by spreading the spirit of Christmas. Anyone who is interested in supporting Grants Pass High School's clubs and buying fantastic homemade gifts should stop by! For more information on this event, check the website What To Do Southern Oregon, which has more details. 

A local practice known as special to our Grants Pass citizens is the Christmas parade. Grants Pass has always been involved with festive traditions, in creating fun holiday events that bring the community together. The Christmas parade this year takes place on Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. on scenic downtown 6th Street. The town's Christmas tree is ablaze. Nutcracker statues and snowflake lights also add to the ambiance. People line up along the side of the streets with their families and friends cozied up in their winter attire. Different Grants Pass companies work together to build and design a variety of Christmas floats. Decorated carriages are led by beautiful draft horses. Also, holiday figures visit the town, like the Grinch and Santa. The Grants Pass Christmas Parades official website says both figures will be located at “ Casablanca at 6 pm… Also 2k cups of free hot cocoa and popcorn for everyone!” 

A seasonal donation act that has been persistent throughout the Holiday years across communities in the United States is the Angel Tree Gift program, highlighting the real reason of Christmas-- to give to those less fortunate and put others before self. The Salvation Army founded this program in 1979, in a small Virginia town. The concept is that families who are unable to afford gifts admit their children into the program, where they have the opportunity to receive gifts from a person in the community. Cards are hung on Christmas trees, with the information of the child and the top wishes they have for that Christmas. People then pick a card from the tree and buy the desired gifts for the child. This program has such an impact on families and children, making them feel seen and appreciated during the holiday seasons. It also teaches children about the donor's family, which can emphasize the value of giving to others and being grateful for what they have. Every child is deserving of their Christmas wishes getting fulfilled, and it is inspiring to see the community come together to make those wishes come true. 

One of the seasonal favorite plays-- The Nutcracker-- is being shown in Grants Pass High School's Performance Art Center Building during the holiday season. The production is put on by StillPoint Dance Studio, a local ballet company that has put on this production since 1991, making it a Grants Pass holiday tradition. There are about 86 people in the cast and 170 altogether, including costuming, lobby staff, production stage, and backstage technicians. Quinn Louise Wilson, a sophomore at Grants Pass High School, was chosen thoughtfully to play Clara (the lead role). Wilson reported in a Scroll interview: “I’ve been in The Nutcracker every year since I was seven and I’ve been roles like the mini mouse queen, bon bon present, reed flute, lead reed flute, snowflake, ballerina doll and the dewdrop fairy.” Wilson's dedication to this play over the years is paying off, as she has been involved in The Nutcracker for a long time. Her passion for dance, hard work, and flourishing skills are the perfect combination for the role of Clara. Not only does Wilson work extremely hard, but the whole cast and production team also puts in many hours. To anyone interested: do not dare to attend the show if scared of getting into the holiday spirit and admiring beautiful local dancers/actors. 

Hanukkah, a tradition that Jewish people celebrate in winter for eight days, commemorates the reclamation of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem from the Greeks. When the Holy Temple was back in the hands of the Jews, they went to light the Temple’s menorah (seven-branched candle) to rededicate it to God. A slight drip of olive oil leftover from their rivalry Greeks was used to light the Menorah. Miraculously, this small supply burned through eight nights. That is why Hanukkah lasts for eight days. On the first night of Hanukkah, one flame is lit on the menorah, and so on until the eighth flame. Chabad, a Jewish-based website, explains, “A menorah is lit in every household and placed in a doorway or window.” Recently, larger menorahs have been lit outside of homes-- in malls and legislative offices, for example. Some of the popular foods enjoyed during this holiday include foods fried with oil, representing the phenomenon. The main treats appreciated during the holiday include latkes, fried potato pancakes (usually topped with apple sauce or sour cream) and jelly-filled doughnuts, referred to as sufganya. Similar to Christmas, gifts are exchanged between families-- specifically, Chanukah gelt. Children are rewarded with money due to their positive attitudes and dedication to the Torah. The children usually play the dreidel, a famous game involving a special toy top. Many elementary schools teach children this popular game representing this Jewish tradition. A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top that has the shape of an acorn, with Hebrew words inscribed on all four sides. There is usually a jackpot filled with coins, nuts, and candy that participants can win, depending on what side the dreidel lands on. Hanukkah and its beloved traditions still burn brightly to this day, involving and bringing together Jewish people across the globe to celebrate the victory and miracle of lighting the menorah.