By Michelle Portesi
Cedar Glen Lodge in Tahoe Vista
The holidays are upon us, the kids are out of school, and Mother Nature has blessed us with snow this year! There is plenty to do and see here in between cozying up to a fire and hot toddys.
Skiing and Snowboarding – of course! Fresh powder means hitting the mountain for fresh turns. With approximately 20 ski areas in and around the Tahoe basin, you have plenty to choose from.
Ice Skating – There are several places to take a turn on the ice. Northstar, the Truckee Park, the top of Squaw Valley and The Resort at Squaw Creek all have ice rinks.
Snowshoeing – everywhere! The great thing about snowshoes is that once you have your equipment, you can almost do it right out your back door. Well, almost. My favorite spots are Sugar Pine Point in Tahoma and The Donner Memorial Park at Donner Lake, but anywhere there is public access to wide expanses of snow will suffice.
Photo from Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows
Eat, Drink and be Merry! – Tahoe and Truckee abound with great places to dine, some even putting on a Christmas dinner for those of you who don’t want to cook! Here are a few suggestions.
OR…Call your favorite restaurant for information on their holiday hours.
Events Calendar from Tahoe Weekly
DEC. 24 Thursday
Holiday sip and paint
The Ritz-Carlton and Painted Vine partnered to offer a holiday-inspired evening of painting and sampling wine or champagne. Create a winter masterpiece with step-by-step instruction. Ages 21 and older. $75. | RSVP (530) 562-3035
DEC. 24-25 Thursday and Friday
Holiday Festivities Northstar
Enjoy holiday festivities throughout the Village at Northstar with holiday fun for all ages. Meet Santa daily from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Enjoy sleigh rides from noon to 3 p.m., join the daily Ripperoo Parade at 3:45 p.m., write Letters to Santa, and Ski with Santa on the mountain from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 24 and 25. | northstarcalifornia.com
Torchlight Parade Soda Springs
Enjoy the Torchlight Parade, gifts from Santa, cocoa, coffee and photos with Santa at 5 p.m. at the bottom of Nob Hill. | sugarbowl.com
Skiing with Santa Norden
Come meet and ski with Santa at Sugar Bowl from 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the bottom of Nob Hill. | sugarbowl.com
Santa and Penguin Pete Incline Village
Celebrate the holidays with Santa and Penguin Pete at Diamond Peak. Take a photo and get a candy cane between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. | diamondpeak.com
The Ritz- Carlton Lake Tahoe, at Northstar
DEC. 25 Friday
Breakfast with Santa Tahoe Donner
Enjoy breakfast with Santa at Tahoe Donner Downhill at 10 a.m. | tahoedonner.com
Family snowshoe tour Northstar
Grab the kids and join a Family Afternoon Snowshoe Tour for a 3-hour, guided tour for all ages to a historic red caboose set in an alpine meadow for hot chocolate, cookies, and snow play from 1 to 4 p.m. $50, $30 12 and younger, $20 rentals. | RSVP northstarcalifornia.com
Full Moon Snowshoe Tour Tahoe Vista
Enjoy learning about natural history and astronomy from knowledgeable guides while snowshoeing under the full moon. Treks are 2 to 3 miles and include snacks, hot drinks, snowshoes and poles, and permit fees. $65. | tahoeadventurecompany.com
DEC. 26 Saturday
Snow Fort Building Competition Olympic Valley
Resort at Squaw Creek hosts a Snow Fort Building Competition from 1 to 2 p.m. Meet at the ice rink. | squawcreek.com
Dessert decorating Olympic Valley
Resort at Squaw Creek hosts Dessert Decorating in the lobby from 2 to 4 p.m. $5. | squawcreek.com
Village Station grand opening Soda Springs
Celebrate the grand opening of the new Village Station at Royal Gorge from 4 to 6 p.m. with cocktails and appetizers. | royalgorge.com
Snowshoe Under The Stars Northstar
Tahoe Star Tours hosts guided snowshoe tours with Tony Berendsen featuring a lively science-based talk about the cosmos and poetry reading. Guests of all ages will enjoy an easy to moderate snowshoe walk with an unobstructed view of the cosmos, followed by the opportunity to view constellations through high-powered, professional telescopes manufactured by Celestron. Tours are 2 to 2½ hours. Meet at 5 p.m. at Northstar Cross Country Center. $43-$61 | northstarcalifornia.com
DEC. 26-27 Saturday-Sunday
Holiday Crafts Olympic Valley
Resort at Squaw Creek hosts Holiday Crafts in the lobby from 6 to 7 p.m. $5. | squawcreek.com
Moonlit Snowshoe Tour Alpine Meadows
After the mountain closes and the winter moon rises, experience a snowshoe tour to the mid-mountain Chalet at Alpine Meadows. Enjoy an intimate seated dinner where you’ll be served an Alps-inspired menu with dishes like potato cheese soup, chicken cordon bleu and apple strudel. This unique experience is only available for 50 guests and available during select dates during the winter season. | squawalpine.com
DEC. 26-30 Saturday-Thursday
Family Movies Olympic Valley
Resort at Squaw Creek hosts Family Movies at 7 p.m. | squawcreek.com
DEC. 27-29 Sunday-Tuesday
Stella Pop Up Dinner Truckee
Stella at The Cedar House Sport Hotel offers its pop up winter dinner series with one menu and one seating from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with an Après Pop Up. Diners are encouraged to ask questions of the kitchen staff, join in conversations and savor the tasting menu. Each course is served with brief comments about ingredients or technique. $97. | RSVP cedarhousesporthotel.com
DEC. 27-30 Sunday-Wednesday
Snowshoe Tours Olympic Valley
Resort at Squaw Creek hosts Sunset Snowshoe Tours at 4:30 p.m. night. $20 per person includes rentals. | squawcreek.com
DEC. 28 Monday
Farm to Table dinner Olympic Valley
Farm-to-Table dinner and a movie in collaboration with the Tahoe Food Hub and other local farmers features a four-course, family style meal. The event is capped with an all-ages movie for the kids to enjoy in comfortable seating while the parents sit back and enjoy dessert and cocktails at 5:30 p.m. at Squaw Valley. | RSVP squawalpine.com.
DEC. 29 Tuesday
Snowshoe Under The Stars Northstar
Tahoe Star Tours hosts guided snowshoe tours with Tony Berendsen featuring a lively science-based talk about the cosmos and poetry reading. Guests of all ages will enjoy an easy to moderate snowshoe walk with an unobstructed view of the cosmos, followed by an unobstructed view of the cosmos, followed by the opportunity to view constellations through high-powered, professional telescopes manufactured by Celestron. Tours are 2 to 2½ hours. Meet at 5 p.m. at Northstar Cross Country Center. $43-$61 | northstarcalifornia.com
DEC. 30 Wednesday
Farm to Table dinner Olympic Valley
Farm-to-Table dinner and a movie in collaboration with the Tahoe Food Hub and other local farmers features a four-course, family style meal. The event is capped with an all-ages movie for the kids to enjoy in comfortable seating while the parents sit back and enjoy dessert and cocktails at 5:30 p.m. at Squaw Valley. | RSVP squawalpine.com.
DEC. 31 Thursday
Snowcat, torchlight parades Mount Rose
Enjoy après at Mt. Rose before heading into town for dinner. A snowcat parade kicks off the festivities at 4:45 p.m. followed by a kids torchlight parade at 5:30 and a fireworks show at 5:50 p.m. | skirose.com
Bring the glitter to the mountain Homewood
Start the New Year’s celebration off at Homewood Mountain Resort by dressing up in your most glamorous outfit to receive discounts in the North Lodge from 3 to 5 p.m. and enjoy an afternoon performance by Tahoe Flow Arts Studio starting at 4 p.m. with a breathtaking performance featuring acro-yoga and hula hooping acrobatics. | skihomewood.com.
Sunset Snowshoe Tour Tahoe Donner
This scenic snowshoe hike meets at Trout Creek Recreation Center and the tour will go from 4 to 5:30 p.m. | RSVP tahoedonner.com
Torches at Tahoe Donner Tahoe Donner
Kids ages 10 and older who can ski intermediate runs unassisted are invited to participate in the annual Torchlight Parade at Tahoe Donner at 6:15 p.m. Enjoy a DJ and snacks before the parade. | tahoedonner.com
New Year’s Eve celebrations Olympic Valley
The Resort at Squaw Creek rings in the New Year with three celebrations. The New Year’s Eve Grand Celebration is tailored to the 21 and older crowd while Kid’s Night Out is geared toward children ages 4 to 12 and the Teen’s Night Out focuses on ages 13 to 20. Each party features dinner, live music, party favors and entertainment. Tickets $40 for children and teens, $75 for adults, $100 for one adult and one child. | RSVP (530) 581-6610
Dine at High Camp | Olympic Valley
After a day on the slopes head to the Village Events Plaza Stage for après and live music with Chi McClean from 2 to 4 p.m. followed by a New Year’s Eve dinner at High Camp from 6 to 9 p.m. The festivities really begin with a fireworks exhibition in The Village at 7 p.m. followed by a late-night party at the Olympic House from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. | squawalpine.com
New Year’s Eve celebrations Northstar
The Ritz-Carlton hosts a buffet of seasonal delights followed by an evening of live music, ice skating and fireworks to ring in the New Year in the Village at Northstar at 9 p.m. Afterwards enjoy music and dancing in The Living Room. | ritz-carlton.com
New Year’s Eve Party West Shore
The West Shore cafe hosts its annual New Year’s Eve party with live music by Ike and Martin and a four-course meal followed by a champagne toast at midnight. | RSVP (530) 525-5200
Mountain Table Dinner Northstar
The Mountain Table Dinner Series offers a unique dining experience in the Zephyr Lodge on select dates this season. Each dinner will feature a winery or brewery complemented by a menu featuring locally and regionally sourced produce and proteins prepared by Executive Chef Steve Anderson. Seating for all dinners will be family style with live music. | northstarcalifornia.com
Fire & Ice Eve Northstar
Ring in the New Year with live music, ice skating and roasting s’mores by the fire at Northstar Resort. Enjoy a fireworks exhibition and fun with the whole family. | northstarcalifornia.com
New Year’s Eve Stella Truckee
Stella at The Cedar House Sport Hotel offers its pop up winter dinner series with one menu and one seating from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Diners are encouraged to ask questions of the kitchen staff, join in conversations and savor the tasting menu. Each course is served with brief comments about ingredients or technique. $227 | RSVP cedarhousesporthotel.com
Live music, parties & fireworks Area venues
Ring in the New Year with live music, fireworks shows, cruises on Lake Tahoe and more celebrations around the Tahoe and Truckee region. Make dinner reservations in advance at your favorite restaurant, book a night out on the town (including that room to party late), and take in a fireworks celebration to welcome 2016. See “Ring in the New Year” in The Music Scene in this edition for celebrations.
Celebrate the Holidays Olympic Valley
Celebrate the holidays in the Village at Squaw Valley with Santa visits, carolers, kids games and movies, live music and moonlit snowshoe tours throughout the holiday weeks. Ring in the New Year with dinner and fireworks at High Camp on Dec. 31. | squawalpine.com
For more ideas on things to do, go here: thetahoeweekly.com
Or…check the website of your favorite ski resort!
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM LYNN RICHARDSON, YOUR FRIEND IN HIGH PLACES!
YOUR FRIEND IN HIGH PLACES 
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