1. Sip sip hooray!
Southwest Washington’s wineries are opening their doors (and barrels) this weekend for the Thanksgiving Weekend Barrel Tasting and Fall Release Wines Tour, noon to 6 p.m. Nov. 23 to 25. Enjoy exclusive barrel tastings and be among the first to sample newly released wines. Each winery on this self-guided tour will have something different to enjoy: select vintages, food pairings, live music or discounts by the glass or by the bottle. For a list of participating wineries, visit www.swwawine.com, or visit each winery’s website to see what special goings-on will be offered.
2. Get spruced up
Choose your Christmas tree and meet Santa with a fun-for-kids twist: a diesel train ride through Clark County’s scenic landscape. Christmas Tree Trains depart at 9:30 a.m., noon and 2:30 p.m. Nov. 24 and 25, Dec. 1, 2, 8 and 9 from Chelatchie Prairie Railroad’s Yacolt station, 207 Railroad Ave. Ride the rails through the countryside with highlights like a 330-foot tunnel and a stop at Moulton Station to visit Yacolt Falls. Packages are $80 to $100 and include a tree, four ride tickets and photo ops with Santa, plus a small gift for each child and refreshments for everyone. 360-686-3559 or www.bycx.com
3. Stop, shop and stroll
Check everyone off your Christmas gift list at the Vancouver Holiday Market, a warm, indoor market with a holly-jolly array of 110 local artisans selling handcrafted jewelry and accessories, knitwear, original art, handbags, clothing, ceramics and sought-after stocking-stuffers like honey, jam, cured meats, scented soap and candles. (You might need to buy bigger stockings.) The market is Nov. 23 to 25 at the Hilton Vancouver Washington, 301 W. 6th St. in downtown Vancouver, from 3 to 8 p.m. Nov. 23, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 24 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 25. www.vancouverfarmersmarket.com
4. It takes a village
Vancouver’s Uptown Village welcomes the Christmas season with “Christmas in the Village” Tree Lighting and St. Nicholas Market, 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 24. Purchase gifts from local craftspeople at the vendor market on 22nd and Main Street and witness the tree lighting in front of Compass Church, 1812 Main St. The Hough Community Choir will entertain visitors with festive tunes until 6 p.m., when Santa makes his grand entrance on a Harley motorcycle. He’ll be available for pictures with the kids, and they’ll also be entertained with free Christmas craft activities. www.uptownvillage.com
