Portland, OR. A holiday exhibit called ‘Critters Make Merry’ is on view now through January 4th at the Pittock Mansion. One room, seen above, is called Festive Flamingos. It was decorated by Dani Christine and Beth Clark. From reindeer and polar bears to lions and mice and a few in between, volunteer decorators transform the Mansion’s rooms into enchanting animal havens.
“Every year over 70 volunteer decorators have just two days to transform the Mansion for the holiday event,” Interim Executive Director John Miller explains. “It is exciting to watch it come together knowing that this is a much-anticipated annual tradition for so many in our community.”
Tickets for this year’s event are limited. Purchasing timed tickets online in advance is recommended.
Face masks are required for the duration of a visit. The Mansion is open daily 10am-4pm, opening at noon on Tuesdays.
Timed tickets are available at pittockmansion.org/events. Admission is $13 for adults, $11 for seniors, $9 for youth, and children 5 and under are free.
Here’s a look at some of the Christmas displays of the past:
Henry Pittock’s Bathroom in 2015. (Photo credit Michael Henley)
Mansion Library in 2012. (Photo credit Michael Henley)
Pittock Mansion Music Room in 1967. (Photo credit Pittock Mansion Society.)
Pittock Mansion stairs in 2011. (Photo credit Michael Henley)
From Pittock Mansion:
Henry Pittock (c.1834-1919) was born in London, England but grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1853, when Henry was 19, he headed west on the Oregon Trail to seek his fortune. A year later, his future wife Georgiana Burton (c.1845-1918) left Missouri with her family and headed west as well. When Henry and Georgiana arrived in the area, Portland was a frontier “stumptown” competing with Oregon City to become the major trade and industrial center for the region.
Henry found work as a typesetter at The Oregonian at a time when the newspaper industry was financially risky and fiercely competitive. More than 30 newspapers were launched in Portland during this period. On June 20, 1860, Henry and Georgiana married and five months later, he was given ownership of the paper in exchange for back wages. Henry went on to transform The Oregonian into a successful daily newspaper that is still printed today.
Portland, OR. For over 30 years, Christmas For Kids has helped with holiday shopping sprees for deserving kids hand-selected by their school counselors. Unfortunately, the annual volunteer event pictured above in 2019, won’t look the same this year. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, volunteers won’t be on hand to help with the shopping. Typically, students work with a Christmas for Kids shopper, and together they check off a Christmas list which usually includes things like needed clothes and coats. Volunteers are vital because they often augment allotted funds to help make wishlists complete.
A young girl, followed by her volunteer shopper, pushes her cart around while looking at plush animals during last year’s event.
Bill Wilson, a board member at Christmas For Kids, explains the decision to modify the event. “It’s kind of heartbreaking with COVID and then so many people losing their jobs or being furloughed or unemployed. The need is even greater this year than it has been in the past and it’s sad that we can’t have the event.”
According to Wilson, the nonprofit doesn’t want to risk spreading COVID-19, and that’s why volunteers must stay home. But organizers hope those generous individuals will make a contribution to the bottom line. Last year, the volunteer shoppers donated $15,000 to help complete shopping lists.
A child is fitted for a coat during last year’s event.
Christmas For Kids helps around 450-500 children each year and since 2004 the organization has helped over 9,800 kids. This year the list of worthy recipients is over 1,000. While volunteers won’t be present this year sponsors like superstore Fred Meyers, are promising to bring in additional staff and people to help on the day of the event. Items to expect this year include packaged clothing for girls and boys such as socks, underwear, fleece blankets, fleece coats, and fleece beanies. These packages will also include mystery merchandise from Columbia Sportswear Company.
Tigard Police attends and hands out teddy bears from the event last year.
Partnering with Fred Meyers has given the organization a substantial discount as well as discounts for items from Columbia. This allows the organization to maximize the amount they can give to the children.
With a larger goal of helping kids this Christmas, according to Wilson, the organization is going to be spending more money than they had anticipated due to the high need this year. To help with Christmas For Kids donations click here.
A combination of donated funds, donated items, and volunteer efforts keep overhead low; 95¢ of every $1.00 donated is spent on the children.
From Christmas For Kids website:
Christmas for Kids is a magical event where local Portland, Oregon Metro area kids are selected by their Title One School counselors, due to extreme need, to join a volunteer shopper to check off a Christmas wishlist. Our focus is to provide basic clothing needs for the child and their immediate siblings.
A combination of donated funds, donated items (coats, books, hygiene items, etc.), vastly reduced prices, and volunteer contributions create a unique situation in our organization where, on average, over 95¢ of every dollar donated is spent on the child on the day of the event.
Portland, OR. The Pittock Mansion is open for visitors and volunteers are planning for the annual Christmas celebration. It will feature, “The wonderful world of animals” with this year’s theme Critters Make Merry. From reindeer and polar bears to lions and mice and a few in between, volunteer decorators transform the Mansion’s rooms into enchanting animal havens.
Tickets for this year’s event are limited due to capacity restrictions. All tickets must be purchased online in advance by selecting a date and start time. The first timed entry begins at 10am with last timed entry starting at 3:30pm.
Certain permanent exhibit features will not be viewable so that the Mansion can highlight decorations along the one-way viewing path.
Face coverings are required when indoors and when around other guests or staff unless an accommodation for people with disabilities or other exemption applies. Face coverings are recommended but not required for visitors between the ages of 2 and 5.
Tickets are timed and must be purchased online. Please purchase before arriving. All transactions—both tickets and Museum Store—are credit card only. No cash. Exchange requests will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
Members can reserve a time and check in with guests online using their Member ID number.
Entry and exit into the Mansion will be one-way and individual groups/parties will have a staggered entry from other individual groups/parties.
The maximum group size is limited to 10 people. Please note: there might be a short wait outside the Mansion before entry.
Six-feet distancing will be enforced in lines and within the Mansion and Museum Store.
Follow all capacity and one-way directional instructions throughout the Mansion and the Museum Store as stated by staff and signage.
Hand sanitizer will be available at main entrance and exit of the Mansion and Museum Store. Restrooms are also available inside the Mansion. We ask all visitors to follow CDC and Oregon Health Authority guidelines regarding handwashing and hand sanitizing.
Please refrain from touching surfaces and objects inside the Mansion and Museum Store (unless purchasing). Entry and exit from the Mansion and the Museum Store will be touchless.
There will be no access to drinking fountains within the museum.
The elevator will be available for visitors with mobility issues but will be limited to two people per group. Visitors must be comfortable being in the elevator on their own. The elevator will be controlled by staff from the hallways on each floor. Other restrictions may apply.
Avoid visiting if you are experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19, have been exposed to someone who has tested positive within 14 days, or have traveled to areas with known travel restrictions within the last 14 days.
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