Community spirit shines at Palmer celebration: Colony Christmas features craft fairs, parade, fireworks.

• Author: Pounds, Nancy
• Position: Alaska This Month

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Holiday joy springs from one's heart, especially in kindness and service to others. For one special weekend in December in Palmer, many residents spurn a commute to large, crowded shopping malls for the small-town community festival called Colony Christmas. Participants volunteer at activities, vie for first-place in cookie and gingerbread-house contests, shop Palmer businesses and cherish time to connect with friends.

This year's festival runs Dec. 10-12 at venues around Palmer. Many activities take place downtown, including the Parade of Lights, which is Saturday at 5 p.m. with a fireworks show at 6:30 p.m. The Colony Christmas Triathlon is conducted on Sunday, starting at Peak Fitness and ending at the Palmer High School pool. It features a 10-kilometer bike ride, 5K run and a 500-meter swim. A handful of craft fairs featuring nearly 200 vendors run throughout the weekend, with the largest craft fair at the Palmer Depot.

FAMILY FEEL

Other activities include the Holiday Ball at Raven Hall, a tree-lighting ceremony, reindeer visitors for photos and horse-drawn wagon rides.

The Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce organizes Colony Christmas. This year's theme is "Mistletoe and Holly."

Sara Jansen, deputy city manager for Palmer, has been a longtime Chamber committee member for Colony Christmas and other events.

"Colony Christmas is definitely my favorite event," Jansen said.

She recalled one memorable holiday visit to the Colony House Museum with her husband. They departed the historic home as a horse-drawn sleigh glided nearby. The scene evokes the nostalgia and community atmosphere that Colony Christmas recreates each year, she said.

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"The event is really built around families. It showcases what's best about Palmer," Jansen said.

THE VOLUNTEER SPIRIT

For example, Palmer residents show their volunteer spirit to help run activities like the triathlon, a photos-with-Santa booth and outdoor kids' games. Jansen pitches in at the ever-busy Santa photography station as streams of...