☃️ The 6 must-dos of our 2021 holiday bucket list

Plus, Schitt's Creek comes to Seattle and we want to know: what’s gotten you through this year?

By Hannah Myrick

It's Friday!

Is anybody else crossing their fingers for snowfall? When it happens, some of us will be cozying up indoors, others will be dreading the road conditions, and the rest of you may be ready to hit the slopes or maybe even...snow camp?

Lucky for us, one of our past directors, Caitlin Moran, has a guide to get us started (and remind you it’s really not as dreadful as it sounds). She walks us through where to go, what to expect, and all the gear we’ll need in her recent article for the Seattle Times.

Camping in the snow not your cup of tea? Don’t worry, we have several not-so-rugged options for the weekend coming your way.

Alright, now let’s take a peek at today’s headlines.

We put together a list of a few of our fav holiday traditions. What are yours? Head over to Instagram to tell us about your seasonal must-dos.

What Seattle is talking about

🏨 It’s time to bring back an unofficial local favorite of the holiday seasons — a recreation of the Rosebud Motel from “Schitt’s Creek”. A resident in Queen Anne recreated the motel from the hit television series last December, and now it’s back on display. Most everything has been handmade — he measured, cut, and painted for weeks to make it look as realistic as possible. (King5)

📰 Two homeless encampments in North Seattle were swept this week. The Ballard Commons encampment was cleared on Tuesday for the third year in a row. Meanwhile, the Bitter Lake encampment, which sits between a playfield and school ground, is in the final process of being cleared this week. With these two removals, Seattle Parks and Recreation are trying a new approach: Instead of just posting notices saying encampment residents must leave within days, outreach workers are aiming to work individually with people to move them into shelter and/or housing. It’s not clear how well this approach will work and if it will continue. (Seattle Times)

🏈 What’s in the Seattle Seahawks’ future? The team won big last Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers in an almost unbelievable turn of events, ending their three-game losing streak. Now that the team’s odds look a little more hopeful, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll talks about what’s changed and what he thinks will happen next. 👉 (KOMO News)

🌲 If you weren’t able to find your dream Christmas tree this year, you’re not alone. Due to changes in soil, the heat dome, a rising water table, and more, the amount and kinds of trees that many farms have available have gone down. You will probably find shorter trees (the seven-foot-tall and above sell fast) and ones that don’t hold their needles quite as long. Don’t wait too long to give your perfect tree a home. (KNKX)

*Oops! We made a mistake in the outro of yesterday’s newsletter. The Big Blues Mix Up concert is happening Sunday night at Cafe Con Leche in Sodo, NOT Cafe Con Todo in Fremont.*

📅 We planned your weekend!

We really did plan your weekend.

It’s a perk usually reserved only for our Evergrey Extra members but it’s the giving season, and well, we think you’d really enjoy this lineup of fun activities too.

We've packed today's itinerary with a wide range of things to do. Pull out your ugly sweater, your reading glasses, and your ORCA card, cause we’re taking you to all sorts of places (literal and imaginative). Here we go!

📖 Read: Seattle is known for its writing talent, but we had no idea it was so packed with both author and illustrator talent. Check out these 11 Seattle graphic novels and comics that cover everything from the fantastical world of a witch and the story of Japanese American resistance to wartime incarceration and the comic that supposedly inspired Bojack Horseman. There’s something on this list for everyone.

🎧 Listen: Learn the story of the person who’s saving indigenous language and helping the younger generation do the same — Rachel Lam has been learning Cherokee for the past few years and is now writing a children’s book to pass on what she’s learned. Once finished with that story, read more about the RadioActive Youth Media project, a group of young people that are producing public radio journalism and releasing stories on our local NPR station KUOW.

🎼 Visit: This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, head to Benaroya Hall for a musical performance of holiday tunes. Conductor Stuart Chafetz and Broadway star N’Kenge are joining forces to create the sounds of Holiday Pops. There will be traditional carols, holiday favorites, and plenty of yuletide spirit to get you in the holiday mood. A night of opera, soul, pop, and Broadway is just what you need. You can buy tickets here.

🛍 Go: 🎶 ”There’s no Christmas like troll Christmas” 🎶 Wait no... that’s not right. But we are getting in the holiday mood this weekend by checking out the Trollstice Holiday Market. It’s in Fremont this Saturday from 12 to 5 p.m. Shop over 65 makers and vintage curators while dancing alongside a DJ, enjoying food trucks, and more. It’s a great place to get lost and finish your holiday shopping!

🍺 Drink: Need a reason to break out your ugliest holiday sweater? Join The Woods Tasting Room for the combo celebration of their 14th Anniversary + Ugly Sweater Party. Not only will there be horrible holiday fashion, but also, a new beer release (a Hazy DIPA called “Ugly Ugly Sweater”), Dog Santa photos, a pop-up from Route Line (which makes specialized adventure vehicles), and live music! Sounds like this is where the party’s at. Check it out Saturday from 12 to 10 p.m.

Want a curated itinerary every Friday? We'd be happy to make you one. Just head here to become an Evergrey Extra member. You can spend either $8/month or $80 for the year. Hey, it’d make for a great Christmas present too — hint, hint. 😉

Things to do

Submit your events to our calendar.

Today

🎟 Watch Ginger Minj, star of RuPaul's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 6, team up with her bestie, Gidget Galore in this non-denominational, musical romp through the holidays (Capitol Hill)

🖼 Peruse local galleries, shops, and art studios and meet local artists at the Belltown Art Walk (Belltown)

🎭 Take an unexpected journey to explore the many forms 'ghosts' can take in our lives via these five original one-act plays by The Shattered Glass Project (Online)

Tomorrow

🎅 Put on your best Santa costume and paint the town red and white at this year's Seattle SantaCon (Downtown)

🎁 Shop unique gifts for your loved ones at Africatown’s Soul Holiday Market (Downtown)

Sunday

🎶 Come to the "Big Blues Mix Up" — an inaugural benefit concert for theBlues in the Schools program (SoDo/Industrial & Online)

🍷 Eat oysters, enjoy a wine flight, and shop for holiday gifts from local artisans at The Local 104 Holiday Market (Lake Forest Park)

🎁Treat yourself and your loved ones this holiday season at Africatown’s Soul Holiday Market! Featuring dozens of black-owned businesses selling amazing locally produced gifts and products, along with food trucks, music, and more (Downtown)

Tuesday

🧵 Imagine you're somewhere warm while you learn embroidery and stitch up tropical plants (Ballard)

Wednesday

🗣Join Crosscut for a conversation with the head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (Online)

🍸 Learn about Seattle's dive bars, taverns, and psychedelic experiences of the past with author Brad Holden (Downtown)

One last thing before you go….

We know 2021 has been a whirlwind (so was 2020 🙁), but it’s hard to believe it’s already wrapping up. Before it’s all over, we want to know — what’s something that got you through this yea? Was it a pandemic puppy? The return of an art show? Comfort food from a favorite local spot? Good friends?

We want to hear all about it, and then share your answers out to all Evergrey subscribers one day next week, with the hope of wrapping up the year with some good cheer. Sound like a plan? We thought so. Reply to this email with your bright spots of 2021, and make our day, why don’t you?