Christmas all around the region
Christmas time is here. Throughout the region, communities get together to celebrate the spirit of the season and to engage in weeklong community games and traditional races.
The Nome Nugget called around in the region to find out how people are celebrating the season.
St. Michael
Last week in St. Michael, the school put on a Christmas program. Students performed Yupik dancing, played piano and did Jingle Bell Rock, according to Sadie Elachik, who works at the schools. “They did amazing,” said Elachik.
White Mountain
In White Mountain, there used to be a yearly feast, but ever since COVID, people have been eating with their families, according to Dorothy Barr. Then there are three days of family gatherings called “Alaani Nights.”
“Alaani means fun, lots of fun,” explained Barr. The kids get a gift every night. There is a gift exchange, and people play games. On New Year’s Eve, there are fireworks.
Unalakleet
Unalakleet has a busy schedule, with a tree lighting ceremony and a three-day basketball jamboree. This year is the 37th annual basketball tournament there.
“Every year we partner with the church and get a tree from upriver, a really good size one,” said Kelsi Ivanoff. “It’s usually taller than the church. And we put that up and decorate it with lights, and then we hold a tree lighting ceremony.” She said students start singing and then the community sings.
For New Years, Unalakleet does kids games during the day and adult games at night. On another day, they do outdoor games like wood-chopping and ice fishing contests.
Elim
Elim has a gift exchange. Clarence Saccheus said about 37 people are participating this year. They pick names out of a coffee cup.
“Elim is one of the last-minute places when they try to plan stuff,” said Saccheus. But he said there are usually game nights, and a cookie exchange, and a gingerbread house competition. The city also hands out a Christmas bag to all the residents which contains an orange, nuts, and candy.
Wales, Koyuk, and Brevig Mission will have a Christmas feast on December 25, followed by Christmas Games. Koyuk also has fireworks.
Marcia Soolook of Wales says that her favorite part of the celebrations is “watching even the elders playing.”
Susan Hoogendorn of Koyuk says the fireworks are her favorite part of the celebrations. “I really enjoy the fireworks, but I also enjoy the indoor activities during Christmas Games, where everyone is together. It’s just most joyful,” she said.
Teller
This year Mary’s Igloo Traditional Council is funding the Christmas feast and Teller Traditional Council is helping to prepare the feast, according to Frieda Oquilluk. The Christmas feast will take place on December 25. On the menu will be turkey, ham, potato salad, potatoes and carrots, macaroni salad and pineapple for the ham and plenty of cakes for dessert. Followed by the feast will be Eskimo dancing. The following days until December 31, there will be Christmas games in the gym in the evening and for three days, outdoor activities are planned as well to take place at daytime. Some of the planned activities are a Fish Derby, maybe a Turkey Shoot and foot races including a passenger sled race of racers pulling a person in a sled. Oquilluk she’s excited about the outdoor activities making a comeback. On December 31, there will be door (cash) prizes given out every hour and as a grand finale, at New Year’s Eve, there will be fireworks if the weather cooperates.
Golovin
The Chinik Eskimo Community is funding the Christmas Games in Golovin. There won’t be a communal Christmas feast, but Christmas Games will be held from December 25 through Dec. 31. Games for kids start run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; adult games are from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the school gym. There will be door prizes and at the end of the year, Golovin rings in the new year with fireworks. There is also a home light decorating contest and the whole community votes on the best decorated house.
Shishmaref
On Christmas Eve, the community of Shishmaref gets together at the church for a big Christmas Pageant. Starting with the real tiny kids, Donna Barr said, the very young children contribute to the celebration with sayings like “Jesus is love” or “Jesus is Peace.” Preschool-aged kids sing “Away in the manger.” The older students, kindergarten through junior high schoolers, then read the story of Jesus’ birth and cite bible verses. The high schoolers will do their part by decorating the church. The kids are looking forward to the Christmas break and are having their own gift exchange for gifts under $15. A community gift exchange is also happening. There will be a communal Christmas feast at the school and on the menu is reindeer stew. People bring dessert, cake, berries and Eskimo ice cream. The tradition is that the dessert maker is serving the dessert straight out of the bowl to their family, elders and friends.
Starting Christmas Day, Shishmaref will holds its annual foot races, Eskimo games and snowshoe races. For New Year’s Eve, the community gets together at the church for a Singspiration and Movie Night. There will be cake and dessert shared but in a particular way: One year, the order in which dessert is dished out is by last name A to Z, the following year, the order is Z to A.
Stebbins
In Stebbins the Christmas celebration will take place in the new store.
Nome
Back in Nome, the international teachers are finding ways to feel at home for the holidays, though they’re far from family. Gina David is a teacher at Nome Beltz High school, originally form the Philippines. She said for Filipinos, Christmas begins in September. “I think Filipinos have the longest Christmas in the world,” David said. Decorations are a big deal, and the holiday cheer lasts for months until the day arrives when families gather to ring in Christmas. “We eat dinner on the 24th and we stay up until midnight to welcome Christmas,” David said.
With a few Filipino teachers in the teacher dorms, David has no doubt they will carry on traditions this year. They’ve also all been invited to Gracy and Adam Lust’s home to celebrate with traditional food like lumpia, pancit, and egg rolls.
David said she will be connecting with family back home in as many ways as she can, texting, calling and video chatting to feel included in all the celebrations. “We’ll feel like we’re there and not missing out on anything.”