NW Kids Magazine December 2018

L I V E • PLAY • DO

magazine

Holiday Lights and Performances Hanukkah Events Teen Gift Ideas nwkidsmagazine.com

DECEMBER 2018

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Editor’s Note The holidays are enchanting all around the world, but it seems that Portland got an extra helping of magic when it comes to celebrating the holiday season. From awardwinning live theater and musical productions to awe-inspiring light displays and everything in between, our biggest problem is finding enough time to take in everything that we wish to experience. My kids have been putting in their holiday requests for weeks and I love hearing what and how they remember certain foods and traditions that have become a part of our family’s celebration of the season. However your family chooses to celebrate the winter holidays, we at NW Kids hope that your season is filled with joy, happiness, good health, full bellies and fuller hearts.

Cheers,

Mary

Cover and contents photography by OMSI

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Contents DECEMBER 2018 10 Holiday Lights for Magical Nights 13 December Holiday Events & Performances 18 Hanukkah Events 20 The PJA Perspective 21 Teen & Tween Gifts 29 The Nutcracker: A Child Star Grows Up

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magazine Publisher Michelle Snell michelle@nwkidsmagazine.com Editor Mary Brady mary@nwkidsmagazine.com Connect With Us: • Phone: 503.282.2711 • email: contact@nwkidsmagazine.com • Facebook: facebook.com/nwkids • Instagram: @nwkidsmagazine • Twitter: @nwkids • Pinterest: pinterest.com/nwkids NW Kids is published monthly by Miche Media, LLC.

Advertising Director Laurel Carrasco laurel@nwkidsmagazine.com Graphic Designer Robyn Barbon robyn@folkloremedia.com Advertising Inquiries: 503-282-2711, ext. 1 sales@nwkidsmagazine.com

Every effort is made to ensure accuracy; sometimes we make errors. Please let us know when we do and accept our apologies. Printed locally; Please recycle.

Listings All Families Surrogacy...........................17

Oregon Ballet Theater............................23

Portland Spirit........................................12

Art World School......................................7

Nothing Bundt Cakes...............................9

Portland Trampolines.............................26

Bennett Suzuki.......................................23

OMSI.......................................................24

Pottery Fun...............................................8

Circle of Life Surrogacy, LLC...................23

Oregon Episcopal School.........................9

Presents of Mind....................................25

Engineering For Kids................................7

Oregon Historical Society ......................17

Spielwerk Toys........................................28

Friends of Tryon Creek..............................9

Oregon Zoo ..............................................2

The Kids’ Backyard Store........................26

Grasshopper...........................................25

Owl and the Dove....................................8

Thinker Toys............................................27

Hammer and Jacks...............................27

Play Fit Fun.............................................28

Victorian Belle..........................................7

Imago Theatre........................................17

Portland Children’s Museum.................17

Washington Square Mall.......................32

Little Fruit Farm........................................8

Portland Creative Performing Arts........23

NWCT.......................................................3

Portland Revels......................................12

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Holiday Lights for Magical Nights! by GESSE STARK-SMITH

Is there anything more memory-making than bundling up, putting on mittens, and heading out for a chilly evening walk to see the lights?

Check out our list of holiday light displays and go find some magic!

ZooLights Experience the zoo in a whole new way--ablaze with more than 1.5 million lights!

Attendees will also experience a lighted train or carousel ride and a visit with Santa.

Nov 21-Jan 5. $12.95 for Youth 3-11, $17.95 for 11 and up, oregonzoo.org/visit/zoolights

Christmas Festival of Lights at the Grotto Enjoy indoor concerts in the Grotto’s chapel and family entertainments from puppet shows to petting zoos in the plaza.

Holiday treats and gifts will be available for purchase. See website for concert schedule. Nov 23-Dec 30. $3 for children 3-12, $6 for 12 and up, thegrotto.org/ christmas-festival-of-lights

Christmas in the Garden in Silverton Enjoy an immersive holiday event based on a traditional European-style Christmas Market, where you can experience the sights, sounds and smells of the season.

Stroll through the forest and our one 10 | NW Kids Magazine

million lights, while sipping a warm, spicy gluhwein. Nov 23-Dec 31.

See website for pricing and tickets, christmasinthegarden.com

Christmas Ship Parade The Christmas Ship Parade started in 1954 with one lone sailboat from Portland Yacht Club. Bows of green with some ribbon where tied along the rails and it paraded on the rivers. The next year the parade started to grow. Today, The Christmas Ship Fleet averages about 55 to 60 boats between the Columbia and Willamette River fleets. Things have changed from the first lone ship. Now the displays are brightly lit and can be seen from bank to bank on each river. Dec 1-20 Free, christmasships.org

The Miracle of a Million Lights at Victorian Belle Explore 2.5 acres of holiday lights! Then come indoors to tour the themed rooms and enjoy hot chocolate and other holiday refreshments. Children will also have the chance to visit with santa and to watch a nightly outdoor movie! Dec 8-23. Free for children under 3, $5 for youth 4-17 and $8 for adults, victorianbelle.com/the-miracleof-a-million-lights.html

Lighting of Maddax Woods Enjoy a magical walk down a lighted, accessible path through the Woods and to the viewing platform on the Willamette River. Search for creatures of the Woods, see Dorothy Maddax’s garden and view new Maddax’s boat history. Nov 17-Dec 31. Free, westlinnoregon.gov/parksrec/ lighting-maddax-woods

Wenzel Farm: Christmas Fantasy Trail Come down to Oregon City to explore the many delights of the Christmas Fantasy Trail lighted with thousands of holiday lights. Families will also enjoy exploring the 40 foot castle full of Christmas scenes and exploring the onsite maze. Dec 1-29. $6 children 12 and under, $7 for 12 and up, fantasytrail.com/xmastrail.htm

Peacock Lane This Portland holiday tradition is popular for a reason! Due to the potentially heavy traffic, visitors are encouraged to explore on foot if possible. Dec 15-31 Free, peacocklane.org

WINTER WONDERLAND AT PIR

Winter Wonderland at Portland International Raceway Recognized throughout the Pacific Northwest as the “Largest Holiday Light Show West of the Mississippi”, the 26th annual Safeway Winter Wonderland powered by Advantis Credit Union, will grab your attention with glimmers and glows around every corner. Nov 23-Dec 26. $18-$50, winterwonderlandportland.com CHRISTMAS SHIP PARADE NW Kids Magazine | 11

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Enjoy the Magic of the Season!

Holiday Performances & Events for the Whole Family OBT

by GESSE STARK-SMITH

As we get further into December, the Portland area is full of ways to be part of winter festivities! In addition to your regular traditions, try adding something new this year. Whether you want to be blown away by ballet, enjoy pantomime or take part in a free Kwanzaa celebration—we’ve got you covered!

FEATURED EVENT Dec 22,23, 29 and 30 Portland Panto Players’ “Wizard of Oz” The 2018 Panto is a retelling of the classic Wizard of Oz. Be ready for boisterous, family-friendly theater filled with slapstick, witty dialogue and a few wink-wink jokes for the adults. The show includes popular songs and outrageous characters who will get both kids and adults shouting, laughing, and having a wonderful time. Pantos are wildly popular in England because they are truly an all-ages holiday show. You will be hard-pressed to decide if it is a kid’s show that also appeals to adults, or the other way around.

Bring your loudest cheering voices and with your help, Dorothy may make it to the Wizard and discover her heart’s desire. Performances at 12 and 4pm. Adults $18 Kids $12 - use discount code: NWKID. Siren Theater, 312 NW Davis St Portland. Tickets at PortlandPantoPlayers.com

Performances Dec 1-29

Dec 2-16

A Christmas Carol at Portland Playhouse

Black Nativity

Portland Playhouse provides a wonderful opportunity to introduce young people to this Christmas classic.

This fun musical adaption will be a hit with the whole family! $19-$39. portlandplayhouse.org/acc11

Come enjoy the classic Nativity Story in true gospel style presented by a majority African American cast.

People from all backgrounds will enjoy this vibrant play! $10-$25. passinart.org/index.php/shows/ 40-black-nativity-2018 NW Kids Magazine | 13

Dec 7-Jan 6 ZooZoo at Imago Theatre

PORTLAND YOUTH PHILHARMONIC

Imago is bringing back to Portland its globe-trotting production ZooZoo this holiday season. Bugeyes, hippos with insomnia, arrogant anteaters, introverted frogs, paradoxical polar bears, acrobatic worms, self-touting accordions and tricky penguins fill the stage with wonder, awe and humor. Recommended for ages 3 and up, $13.95-$31.05. imagotheatre.com/zoozoo

Dec 8-26 Oregon Ballet’s Nutcracker Whether it is your family’s first visit or your tenth, you’re bound to enjoy the beauty and magic of the Oregon Ballet’s Nutcracker! Come see what all the fuss is about! $29-$146. obt.org/18-19-season/nutcracker

Dec 14-22 Portland Revels’ “The Christmas Revels Highland Voyage: A Scottish Celebration of the Winter Solstice” COLUMBIA DANCE SANTA’S HEADQUARTERS AT WASHINGTON SQUARE

Highland Voyage is the story of three fools on a quest to put the sun, moon, and stars back into the sky and will include all of your favorite Revels traditions including the Abotts Bromley Horn Dance, a Mummer’s Play, audience sing-alongs and more! Full of wonder, magic, music, and laughter. $12-$85. portlandrevels.org/shows-and-events

Dec 28-29 Portland Revels’ “Highland Stars: A Children’s Celebration of Light” Highland Stars, a mini-Christmas Revels designed for children ages two to seven is back this year by popular demand!

This year, it’s a fun and beautiful, story with three clowns and a friendly dragon.

See website for pricing and tickets. portlandrevels.org/shows-and-events 14 | NW Kids Magazine

BLACK NATIVITY

Nov 30-Dec 9 Scrooge! the Musical at Washburn Performing Arts Center Journey Theater’s charming stage musical is an adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens tale, A Christmas Carol.

SCROOGE tells the timeless story of the quintessential miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, as he’s visited one Christmas Eve by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet-To-Come. They lead him through a fanciful journey as he comes to terms with his miserly ways and has a change of heart. $10-$16. journeytheater.org/ shows/scrooge-fall-2018

Dec 21-24 The Nutcracker presented by Columbia Dance This season marks the 21st year Columbia Dance performs the Nutcracker under Artistic Director Jan Hurst. Tiny mice, toy dolls and tin soldiers will dance to life for audiences of all ages! $10-$20. columbiadance.org

Dec 26 Concert-at-Christmas: Thunder & Lightning Head to the Schnitz and see the progression of skill in Portland Youth Philharmonic’s four ensembles plus an Alumni Orchestra of all ages at this annual event, one of PYP’s most popular performances. Enjoy the vibrancy of Johann Strauss II’s Thunder and

Lightning Polka, as well as Gioachino Rossini’s William Tell Overture, plus many more. Be astonished by the vivid storm of exciting musical excellence on display. 7:30-9pm, $5-$25. portlandyouthphil.org

Events Dec 8 Winter Holidays at the Tram Take some time before the holiday crush to relax with the kids at the Portland Aerial Tram. There will be holiday-themed crafts so even the littlest ones can make a gift to share.

You can also pick up a Tram-logo item for the hard-to-please folks on your list.

The Tram runs from 9am-5pm, but the children’s activities will be from 11am3pm. Round-trip fare: $4.60; kids 6 and under ride for free with a paying adult. gobytram.com/events-calendar

Dec 9 Marshall House Holiday Tea This tea will be a delight to all guests with a selection of Harney & Sons Fine Teas, as well as holiday sweets and savories from Artistic catering. There will also be live entertainment from one of everyone’s favorite local harpists, Raelyn Olson. An award winning harpist in the west coast for over 20 years with blends of classical, folk, pop, rock and jazz. 11am-1pm or 2-4pm, $45/person. thehistorictrust.org NW Kids Magazine | 15

PORTLAND REVELS

Nov 9-Dec 24 Visit Santa’s Headquarters at Washington Square Mall Santa will be available for visits and photos at his Headquarters presented by HGTV, located in Center Court between the escalators. This year’s features include: online reservations, ElfRay Vision, a Naughty-or-Nice ‘O Meter, Holiday Fun Photo Options & More! See website for pricing and schedule. santa-hq.com

Dec 15 Winter Solstice and Christmas Ships Event Keep warm around a bonfire while singing holiday carols and watching the beautifully lit Christmas Ships sail by! While you’re there be sure to support the Lewelling Neighborhood Association’s fundraiser by purchasing some tasty treats.Free. milwaukieoregon.gov/ events/wintersolsticeevent

Nov 24 - Dec 27, various dates Portland Spirit Cinnamon Bear Cruise The magic of the holiday season comes alive with storytelling

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PORTLAND SPIRIT

and music by a cast of whimsical characters. Children will enjoy sampling holiday snacks and having their pictures taken with the Cinnamon Bear! $34 adults, $27 kids 1-12, $10 kids under 1. cinnamonbearcruise.com/cruise.htm

Dec 22 Holiday Card Printmaking for Kids at Rockwood Library Young people will learn a variety of stamp making techniques, including foam stamps and potato stamps. Then they’ll get to apply what they learn to making special holiday cards for their loved ones!

Free. multcolib.org/events/ holiday-card-printmaking-kids

Dec 29 Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture at North Portland Library This year’s celebration will focus on the fifth principle of Kwanzaa: Nia (purpose). Enjoy light refreshments and activities for the whole family!

Free. multcolib.org/events/ kwanzaa-celebration-familycommunity-and-culture

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Celebrate the Festival of Lights:

9 Great

Community Events JEWISH CLARK COUNTY

Dec 2

Eric Kimmel Hanukkah Story Hour

Join PJ Library for their annual PJ Library Hanukkah Story Time with PJ Author, Eric Kimmel! Green Bean Books: 11-11:45am, free. jewishportland.org/pj-library/pjlibrary-calendar

Vancouver Community Chanukah Celebration

Join Jewish Clark County for their annual Grand Menorah Lighting!

This years’ festivities include: a giant balloon menorah; a balloon twisting artist who will make you a balloon driedel; live music; a fire performance

by Flamboyant Productions and donuts.

Esther Short Park: 4:30-6:30pm, free. jewishclarkcounty.org

Chanukah Donuts + Dancing

Make decorations for your home, take part in Israeli dancing, and eat some delicious sufganiot (jelly donuts) at this family-friendly Chanukah celebration. Mittleman Jewish Community Center: 2-4pm, $10/ family. oregonjcc.org/donuts

CONGREGATION KESSER ISRAEL

Dec 3

Chanukah Bash 2018

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Join Congregation Kesser Israel for a festive celebration for the whole family!

Congregation Kesser Israel: 6-8pm, free. kesserisrael.org

Dec 6

Learn about Hanukkah at the Garden Home Library Annex

Join PJ Library to learn all about Hanukkah with their friends at the Garden Home Library. (Annex is across the street from the library in the same parking lot as Thriftway.)

Garden Home Library Annex: 3-3:45pm, free. jewishportland.org/pj-library/pjlibrary-calendar

Sufgan-Yoga: Family Chanukah Fun

MaccaMiracle: A “Jewkbox” Musical Chanukah Party

Celebrate the festival of lights in this fun retelling of the Hanukkah story through narration and a selection of pop, rock, and Jewish songs. Bring toilet paper donations to support the Men’s Club Toilet Paper Drive for Neighborhood House. Also remember to bring your own chanukiah to light with the community. Congregation Neveh Shalom: 6-8:30pm, contact receptionist@nevehshalom.org to rsvp for the dinner or for more information. nevehshalom.org

Join other families at Congregation Neveh Shalom and explore the narrative of Chanukah through yoga and fun. Stay after for the community dinner and celebration.

Congregation Neveh Shalom: 5:15-6:15pm, free. nevehshalom.org

Chanukah Jewish Heritage Night with the Portland Trailblazers

Chabad of Oregon & the Portland Trailblazers are once again partnering together for Chanukah Jewish Heritage Night! Watch the Menorah lighting being viewed on the Jumbotron, wear your Hebrew “Blazers shirt” as the Trailblazers take on the Phoenix Suns on the fifth night of Chanukah. Moda Center: 6-9pm, ticket prices vary. jewishnortheast.com CHABAD OF NORTHEAST PORTLAND

CONGREGATION NEVEH SHALOM

Dec 7

Chanukah Family Celebration at CBI

Bring the whole family—and your chanukiah!—for a lively Shabbat Evening Service, music, crafts, and games. Enjoy latkes, salad, and donuts.

Feel the warmth of community and light the candles with Congregation Beth Israel. In keeping with the Chanukah theme, they are collecting donations for Portland Homeless Family Solutions. A full list of their most in-demand items is available at pdxhfs.org/inkind-donations.

Congregation Beth Israel: 6-8pm, contact RSVP@bethisrael-pdx.org to RSVP or for more information. bethisrael-pdx.org NW Kids Magazine | 19

The PJA Perspective Portland Jewish Academy (pjaproud.org) provides a rich academic and cultural learning experience for kids from early childhood through 8th grade. We’ve invited budding journalists from PJA’s writing club for 6th grade to join our team for a series that gives you a glimpse into thoughts and life – from their perspective.

Almostness by Saul Drucker

I am from almostness.

I am from the tip of the pencil, from the fine strokes of lead on the paper.

I am from the leaves, the grass, the ground, the flora, the fana.

I am from nothing of something, from things that don’t come until you are.

I am from the apple on the tree, the one who was crushed when it hit the soft soil, yet still seeded and sprouted to make one of its forefathers.

I am from fear, not knowing that we shall overcome.

I am from the bold, brass, believing, buttons on my grandfather’s war coat that I have seen so many times.

The things I am from, The people I know, The place I will visit, This is where I shall go.

Saul Drucker is a sixth grader at Portland Jewish Academy. He loves writing and math, plays basketball and is a member of the cross country team.

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eens w T & s n or Tee f s a e d I t 8 Gif ift Cards!

G T O N e r A That Buying gifts for the teen and tween set can be challenging. Here at NW Kids, we should know - we have 6 teens and tweens between our families and they’re all unique from one another in their interests! Here is a sampling of what our kids have on their wish lists this holiday season.

Apple AirPods These aren’t the average wireless headphones! They can sense when they are inserted or removed from your ear and they connect or disconnect accordingly.

They can even try to trick Siri into saying strange things directly through them! $159

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Spikeball

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Spikeball is a portable game that is played 2-on-2 and is keeping young people active on college campuses and beaches and in back yards and also, at this time of the year, indoors! With rules similar to those of volleyball, it’s also easy to learn. $59.99 and up

Hydro Flask Water Bottles Teens in Portland are used to reducing, reusing and recycling and water bottles have become very functional accessories for sports, school or just hanging out with friends because they keep the hot things hot and the cold things cold like no other! $29.95 and up

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Teen Gift Guide NW Kids Magazine | 21

Teen Gift Guide

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Dickies Clothes

The Dickies company has been going strong since 1922, serving up functional, durable clothing and and much more to generations. 1993 called and it wants my bib overalls back!

Prices vary

Copic Markers Copic is a brand of refillable markers that hails from Japan and has our drawing crazed kiddos going wild.

With every color under the sun available to buy, try these and watch your child’s illustrations elevate to new heights. About $5 each with many multi-marker sets available

5 Catan Catan, a board game for 3-4 players, is still going strong! Some of our teens and tweens absolutely love this game of strategy, trading, tactical skill and luck, and we love that it’s a break from their social media strategizing! $49 for the original game, with many expansions available

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Strong is the New Pretty: A Guided Journal for Girls Inspired by Kate T. Parker’s internationally bestselling Strong Is the New Pretty, which Drew Barrymore called “the first thing in a while to kind of knock me off my feet,” this guided journal invites girls ages 8 to 12 to discover and celebrate their independent, wild, silly, powerful selves. $13.95

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Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty The putty trend continues! With varieties that explore scents, luminescent features, hyper color changes, magnetic features, etc… Crazy Aaron’s is still the king of tinned putty. And our kids can’t keep their hands off of them! $10 and up

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Holiday Gift Picks

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Pony Club by Julia Staite

Suzy Altman’s Mr. Sun & Friends

Adorable soft horses designed and made by hand in England by designer Julia Staite. Each comes with an adoption gift certificate and information about the breed! $30

A set of 8 wooden dolls from the imagination of designer Suzy Altman. $35

This Book is a Planetarium A unique interactive popup book where each page reveals a different, lo-fi-fullyfunctional paper gadget such as spirograph, guitar, and of course, a planetarium. $40

Kid Made Modern Comic Book Kit Everything you need to create your own epic comic adventures! $20

grasshopperstore.com

Holiday Gift Picks

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Otter Bookends

Salty Raven Tees

The cutest & most perfect way to showcase your favorite young reader’s prize collection. $25

Salty Raven tees are Hand Screen Printed in Portland & their “Made in Portland” graphic features three of Portland’s iconic bridges & is available from Newborn onesies to 14/15 tees. $22-$25

Ice Cream Scented Toy

Taco Onesie

These deliciously squishable cuties are the best! They have the perfect squish texture & are so bright fun & cute (and ice cream scented!), they are just pure joy. $12

Taco Baby!! From Oregon’s own Salty Raven comes this super yummy taco onesie, perfect to wrap your favorite new human in. Hand screen printed in Portland, OR NB-18mo. $25

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Holiday Gift Picks

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Gravitrax

Rock-and-Roll It SpecDrum

A modern twist on the classic “marble run,” Gravitrax is an interactive, open-ended track system with almost endless possibilities. One reviewer called it the ultimate screenfree, hand-on STEM toy.

Starter set $59.99

This roll-up drum set will allow you to support a little percussion in the house without having to dedicate significant real estate or compromise the tranquility of your home. $69.99

Multi-Sensory Infant toys

Hearts for Hearts Dolls

The tails are made of soft fabrics that bring out giggles and coos. There is a crinkle effect that enhances auditory development and also chew-safe tags and silicon teethers. $24.99

Each beautiful doll is a girl from around the world, with its own story inspired by real girls from her country.

Humanitarian projects around the globe receive $1 for every doll sold. $39.99

thinkertoysoregon.com

Holiday Gift Picks

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Kinderfeets Tiny Tot 2-in-1 bike

Kala Color Cord Ukulele Starter Kit

Converts easily from a tricycle to a 2-wheel balance bike! It’s the smallest 2-in-1 on the market!

Award winning and possibly the most beautiful trike/balance bike you’ve ever seen. $80 and up

With it’s four color-coded chord markers, durable material, premium tuning machines and strings it doesn’t just sound amazing, it’s the real thing that makes learning easy and fun. $45

Jaq Jaq Birds reusable Doodle It & Coloring Books with Dustless Chalk

Balloons bring cheer!

CREATIVITY UNPLUGGED! All kids are born to create and imagine. This provides an endless landscape for your child’s creative energy. Great for home, travel and dining out. $20 and up

Heading to a party this holiday season? Skip the flowers, bring balloons! Pick from our selection of classic latex, confetti filled and Mylar balloons to make the perfect bouquet. Single balloons starting at $2-$10.

Bouquets = custom pricing

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Holiday Gift Picks

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Classic Brio Sets There’s nothing quite like the holidays like a new train set, and a classic one to boot. Choose from single track to train cars to figure eights to cargo harbors and construction trains. $9.95-$159

Magna-tiles “Where math, science, and creativity meet.” New Magna-Qubix are the 3D Magna-tile experience–– build open-endedly with cubes, prisms and pyramids.

Anything is possible! $29.95

spielwerktoys.com

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Plan Toys Slide N Go Dollhouse Modern simplicity and beauty!

The 3 sections reconfigure for play and slide into one portable unit to carry. An heirloom piece for keeps. Comes complete with furniture sets. $159

Grimms Sunset Nesting Rainbow Nothing really beats a wooden stacking & nesting rainbow if you’re looking to inspire. Stack and balance, nest and build. $99

The Nutcracker: A Child Star Grows Up

Every year, thousands of Portlanders flock to the Keller Auditorium to see Oregon Ballet Theatre’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, marveling at the glorious spectacle created

by Tchaikovsky’s transcendent music and the dancers’ spellbinding technique.

And not just adult dancers, either— dozens of children are onstage too, dancing just as confidently and convincingly as the pros. Who are these smallest cast members, and what happens when they outgrow their childhood roles? by GAVIN LARSON

Photograph by OREGON BALLET THEATRE

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J enny White was only 7 years old when she first performed in The Nutcracker. As a prodigious student at the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre (from where all the Nutcracker children are cast), she went on to dance nearly all the children’s parts, culminating (at age 13) with every girl’s dream: the lead role of Marie. ow an 18-year-old freshman at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Jenny N says she still feels like a “Nutcracker kid”. For her, the experience of performing at such a high level at a young age was fun, but also more— it shaped who she became.

“Dancing in a professional setting taught me a lot more discipline than regular ballet classes,” she recalls. “It was really clear to me that the show must go on because everyone, no matter their role, has something to contribute that really matters. The expectation was that you follow through, no matter what.”

Being a “Nutcracker kid” demands a lot: steely nerves at the audition (where OBT’s artistic director and children’s coach evaluate every student’s technique, maturity level, and acting chops— and no one is guaranteed a role), stamina through months of hours-long rehearsals, an unwavering commitment (no excuses, no missed rehearsals), and the determination not to give up when the going gets tough. But the rewards, which last long beyond closing night, are rich. lthough she ended up the child star of the production, Jenny’s path wasn’t easy.

A When she started studying at SOBT, her teachers held her in the lowest level for three years, explaining that until she learned to focus better in class, she couldn’t progress.

That sparked her determination— and set off rapid advancement. But then, at age 8, she was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Painful flare-ups could make it difficult to walk, but Jenny never considered dropping out of Nutcracker. Being a part of the production was just too special, and too important. “When you’re in the children’s cast, you recognize that you’re part of something so much bigger than 30 | NW Kids Magazine

yourself— you’re part of the city’s tradition, working with your peers to make something beautiful,” she says. “And with my injuries, I learned a lot about inner strength.

It was so huge, such an honor, that I never questioned whether I would do it.” hat fortitude has carried Jenny T far. At 15, she turned to acting and discovered that portraying the character of Marie had taught her more than classes ever could.

And even now, every December, she still listens to The Nutcracker.

“It immediately takes me back. I remember every step, every count.

It’s ingrained in my head and my body and shaped who I am. It showed me what I’m capable of, and that sets you up for success wherever you go in the future.”

A former OBT principal dancer, Gavin Larsen teaches and writes about dance from Asheville, North Carolina.

For tickets to Oregon Ballet Theatre’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, performances December 8th through 26th at Keller Auditorium – obt.org

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