While offices and clubs plan their group Christmas parties, Tonasket and Oroville got the party started with two great events – Winterfest and Tree Lighting, last Friday and Saturday.

And, surprisingly enough, the weather came with just a light rain – no gail storm winds, below freezing temperatures, or my favorite from several years back, freezing rain.

I didn’t make it down to Tonasket this year even though I really want to see Quill and Barley Hyde’s A Cavallo at Winterfest. It’s not that Brent’s pictures don’t do it justice, it just looks like something that needs to be seen in person to get the full affect.

Tonasket Chamber of Commerce deserves a tip of the hat for organizing the Winterfest event each year. It is a great reason to head downtown, enjoy the festivities and then maybe stay and shop at some of the local businesses and bazaars.

The lighted tractor parade wasn’t any longer this year than last – except for the addition of Oroville Transit’s decorated semi-tractor – but it seemed much more lit up this year than last. The Lighted Tractor Parade was a great addition and will hopefully grow with each coming year. It was a big hit with the kids, especially when Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus showed up pulled behind one of the tractors. It was fantastic having part of the Okanagan International Choir lead the caroling as well. The Oroville Chamber of Commerce also deserves a lot of credit for this holiday warm up.

These kinds of events and the fact that my household has grown, as has have the Christmas tree and decorations, have got me in the Christmas spirit and driven away the grumps I was having when the Christmas commercials started coming on before Halloween.

For those that will be attending Christmas parties in the upcoming days have fun and remember to drive safe and watch out for reindeer on the road.