Portland Holidays Cityscape

Most of us think of a vacation as being something that you take at a hotel, or a resort, or a little cottage at the beach. But depending on what you think of as a holiday, you could take Portland holidays in the heart of the city, inserting yourself into the bustling soul of the metropolis and becoming a piece of the cityscape. Rather than staying at a hotel, a place clearly touristy and business traveler-y, enjoy Portland holidays as a part of Portland.
For a lot of us a holiday is all about getting away, but what if your Portland holidays were about getting to somewhere instead? What if instead of just trying to escape where we live, we go to learn about someplace we don't? Of course, for some of us getting the chance to learn about someplace new and different is a holiday away from our ordinary lives. Unless of course your ordinary life involves traveling to places to learn about them...but I digress.
I have always had this idea that a great holiday would be to go to some place that I had never lived, maybe a place I had never even been to (if I was really daring, a place I'd never heard of before) and assimilate myself into that little world for a month or two. That might sound like a strange way to spend Portland holidays to many, just becoming a lost little wallflower on the back alleys of Portland, but I think it would be exciting and fun. Perhaps even taking a part-time job there, obviously renting a cheap house or apartment, becoming part of the neighborhood. I've always wanted to be that person that made new friends easily, but I never have. Perhaps spending Portland holidays on my own like that would force me to make new friends, force me to break out of my boxes and into a strange new reality.
Perhaps it is the bohemian in me, that thinks this would make for ideal Portland holidays, or perhaps it is simply the adventurer in me, but I would love to try this sometime. I would love to try this for more than just Portland holidays. I would like to do this in other places like Tokyo, London, Seattle, Honolulu, and many other places, probably some that I don't even know of yet. The idea of temporary citizenship in these places, of complete becoming-ness, of giving myself over to the place and the culture for a certain time makes for appealing Portland holidays to me.
Maybe some day I will have the means and time to do this. Probably I will not. No, someday I will have to make the means and time to do this, set it aside as sacred. That way I will someday have my dream Portland holidays.

Portland Holidays at the Beach

Most people think holidays and they think fir tree, red and green, snow, holly, and wintertime. I think holidays and one of the things I think of are beach holidays, and I think Portland holidays would be great beach holidays. A lot of people think a beach holiday should be someplace in the tropics, but a pacific northwest beach, a Portland beach, would make a great vacation around the holidays. Who says you need traditional? Why not celebrate Portland holidays with sand instead of snow, seaweed instead of holly, rain and mist instead of snow, and blue ocean instead of red and green?
Instead of a traditional tree, you can go out and look at the native foliage of the region. They may even have some lights up on their trees as well, giving the nighttime a lovely gleam of Portland holidays. Go out to the shops and look at the displays, treat yourself to a day of pure window shopping. Don't buy a single thing, just enjoy the hustle and bustle of everyone else's busy Portland holidays, while you slowly savor your own. You'd be surprised how much cutting your spending from the traditional crazed rush can free your Portland holidays to become something truly special. There can even be something cleansing in taking a break from your typical tradition, getting outside the mad cycle of spending and running about like crazy to take stock of the holidays, all from within the safe haven of your own Portland holiday.
Yes, keep a nod to tradition, do the presents, put up some lights, hang some stockings if you wish, but then spend the afternoon in shirtsleeves on the beach, letting every gentle breeze and every whoosh of the tide remind you why the Portland holidays are awesome. Enjoy fresh seafood, enjoy the magnificent views, enjoy the misty rain or the sunshine or the clouds or whatever. Just enjoy. Don't over think it all so much.
If you have a family with you though, and even if you don't, don't let yourself get sucked into just vegging and not making an effort to something. Go to the beach. Every day. Or go hiking. Or read a book. Together. Write a novel, paint a picture, compose a sonnet or a song or yourself. Visit a museum, visit a gallery, visit a mountain, visit downtown. Don't try too hard to do all of this. But do something to make sure you are still alive. Think actively. Pray actively. Don't pray actively while thinking what a waste of time it is (well, hopefully your thoughts are engaged a little more productively than that). Be alive, but be alive by volition, not by being involuntarily sucked into the Portland holidays shopping craze.
Of course, your holidays do not have to be Portland holidays, or anywhere in particular holidays, for that to happen. You could do that overseas, over the next state line, over the next county line, over the next city line, or even in your own home (though sometimes you must be more motivated to make these kinds of changes in a familiar atmosphere where you are not accustomed to that kind of major change). So go to Portland, or wherever, and make the Portland holidays the holidays that you've always been dreaming of.

HOLIDAY CRUISE 15_384K_Stream.mov

Nothing says happy Portland holidays quite like enjoying something new, different and exciting. Whether you live in Portland, or you are just visiting, something like the Portland Spirit could be a memory making opportunity for the whole family. Even living in the same place for many years does not mean that you have had the chance to fully explore everything your community has to offer. I know because I've lived many places, and visited others, and even in the places that I've lived there have been huge attractions that I just never made it out to see. The benefit of this is that there can be a new opportunity every year to make these Portland holidays the best Portland holidays.

Also, I have long wanted to get on a boat, a big boat, and take a trip on it, even if it was just an evening cruise or short weekend adventure, or perhaps something like the Portland Spirit. Down in the south they have the riverboats, and I have often longed to get on something like those. So why not during these festive Portland holidays, take the time to do something like this that you have long been desiring to do, but never taken the time, money, or effort to do? Bring the whole family with, and make Portland holidays experiences and memories to cherish.

We all know that much of our holiday memories are formed around food. Turkey, the big table, the people gathered around it, the conversations, and the pies. Traditionally, much of this has had to be accomplished by the women, particularly mothers, hostess, and perhaps grandmothers. This can put a damper on your Portland holidays when half of the gathered members aren't actually sitting down and enjoying the meal and the holidays with the family. So why not go someplace different, even if it's not on the actual day, and enjoy a meal where all of the members can sit and relax together, celebrating and reveling in each other's company. This could turn your Portland holidays into something much more inclusive, egalitarian, and familial.

So, let's make Portland holiday memories this year by doing new things, exciting things, and things that can involve all members of the family equally. Let's make the holidays truly different and better than they've been before.

Portland Nursery Holidays

I think every holiday should be celebrated with a fresh tree. If that's not your style or simply not an option, consider celebrating the Portland holidays with other plants. Fresh mistletoe is always very festive and romantic. A lot of people confuse mistletoe and holly, thinking the red berries are mistletoe, but actually the white berried garlands are the mistletoe sprigs. Holly is quite festive as well, though, and really spruces us Portland holidays. Poinsettias aren't quite as popular, though there is something comfortingly familiar and festive about their bright red leaves. But there is another aspect to consider as well.

Plants can make great Christmas gifts for your Portland holidays. Even if you are simply taking your Portland holidays away from home and you live somewhere else, you can still purchase or order online a nice plant or tree of some kind. A small bonzai or bamboo can be very hardy and portable. A rose bush ready at home when you return can be romantic. Perhaps buying a rose on the day itself, to represent the gift itself. Or, if you are of the charitable turn, you can mark your Portland holidays with a gift of a tree or other plant to a small village or dying forest somewhere halfway around the world.

Or just purchase some plants to mark the Portland holidays while you are there, and then donate them back to a nursery or a park upon your departure. This can really spruce up a rented cottage or even a hotel room over your Portland holidays. As exciting and exotic as it can be, celebrating on a trip far away from home, it is also important around the holidays to have something of the familiar and traditional, even if it is a little nod to history like holly and mistletoe. This is especially true for those of us who have family members that are either old or young, or very conservative.

And remember, for those business owners struggling to get by this holiday season (and every holiday season), your support of their business can be one of the best expressions of happy Portland holidays that you can give them. It may not be something we all think about around the holidays, when ordinarily we think only of new toys, gadgets, clothes, and games, but it could be a really interesting new tradition to introduce, one that would always remind you of your happy Portland holidays!

Festive Portland Holidays

Nothing says happy holidays like lights and decorations (and good food). This is true for anywhere you might go to spend the holidays, and certainly true for Portland holidays. Although I unfortunately have not yet been able to spend my holidays there, I would love to one year very soon. Oregon is one of my very favorite places in the world, and I am sure that when it comes to the holidays it will not be a let down.

If you're going to spend holidays in Portland, you might as well go out of the way a bit and make them the ultimate Portland holidays. Find the big displays of lights, the trees, the houses with a gazillion decorations. But also find the little out of the way spots for dinner, cozy but with a definite Portland holiday atmosphere. There is a little place like that where I live. It is in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the big city downtown, but it is out of the way, as in literally underground. It's one of the best places to go for a quiet cup of coffee or lunch (but don't go after eight o'clock if you want quiet; that's when the partying young adults hit it up). All that to say, I think Portland holidays would be most perfect if there was a blend of big city entertainment and cozy corner experience. For me that would certainly be true.

Also, it is nice to find a hotel that does its own spin off on Portland holidays, complete with their own festive decorations and music. Usually one finds bigger, fancier decorations in a bigger, fancier hotel, but if you are willing to look a little harder you might find a little bed and breakfast or other similar small establishment that might not be as big, but would still be better in its own way. That is, if you are like me and prefer the smaller atmosphere feel for the perfect Portland holidays.

One of the most fun things for me about visiting my grandparents over Christmas as a child was walking through their neighborhood and seeing all the lights. It can be difficult to do this in a new and unknown city without getting lost (and that is where a good GPS comes in handy), but if you can, it's worth it for great experiences of Portland holidays. Sometimes the downtown residential areas are great for this, especially if it's an area of downtown that really goes all out in decorating for the holidays. Other times it is an upper class neighborhood in which you will find the most Portland holiday spirit. Sometimes it is just the simple blue-collar average American neighborhoods that can bring back the most childhood memories and make it really special. It all depends on what you're after. I like the downtown area, the places with the oldest houses.

But don't forget the shops, places like the one in this picture. Especially old shops, the kind that are still operating downtown, but purely out of tourist interest. Those places can absolutely sparkle with magic and bring the Portland holidays alive for everyone.

The Portland Holiday Express W/ SP #4449 Part 1

I've had Portland holidays before, but never one like this. I love trains, though, and I would love to take a ride on the Portland holiday express. Apparently the Portland holiday express is the Southern Pacific Daylight #4449. I don't know if this is the train's name, or if this signifies that it is part of a larger line of trains or something, but it sounds like fun. I've been to Oregon before, but haven't spent a lot of time on Portland holidays, and a train sounds like a great way to explore it. I'm a gluten-free vegetarian, and I hear Oregon is a great place to go if you are vegetarian or vegan. I'm not sure, though, if the Portland holiday express would have that kind of food on it or not. But I love the holidays, and the Portland holiday express sounds like an awesome experience. There's something very nostalgic about the holidays, and even more so about trains and Christmas. This explains the whole Polar express thing, and why I find the idea of the Portland holiday express so fascinating. To top it all off, I'm a huge fan of the Pacific Northwest, especially Oregon, and so this sounds kind of like a dream come true. I'm just a little afraid that by the time I make it out west on my Portland holiday, the Portland holiday express won't be running anymore. Or worse, that it will be too pricey.

To me, true Portland holidays would be more than just a trip on the Portland holiday express. I would want to visit the surrounding areas, cities, and other destinations. I would definitely want to spend some time on a beach. If I had the money, I would say some fine dining would be in order. As it is, dining would be in order. Hopefully the weather would hold up. That's one of the keys to turning Portland trips into Portland holidays; manageable weather. Of course, you don't have any control over that, and people have varying degrees of tolerance to inclement weather, but hopefully it stays sunny and cheerful. I think that unless you are the kind of person that likes drab, gray weather, you need promising weather to turn ordinary vacations into Portland holidays. After all, anybody can spend their whole time in the hotel room, or just going from place to place. It's the in between times, the walking around outside times and just plain enjoying life times that truly define Portland holidays, or any other kind of holiday.

But if you are going to go around Christmastime, or around the time that the Portland holiday express is running, I think it might be worthwhile to give it a go. Especially if it is something you don't normally do. Who knows, that might be just the thing to turn your visits into the perfect Portland holidays. So happy holidays and happy travels!