During the short, cold days of December, Alaskans are finding ways to bring light, connection and joy to the holiday season. Some are decorating their boats, while others gather around snow sculptures or race snow machines to ring in the New Year. Here are some scenes from celebrations across the state.
A boat parade in Kodiak
When James Stevens, a commercial fisherman in Kodiak, went to sign up for the local boat parade, he saw that his name was already on the list. Turns out his 17-year-old daughter Brigette outpaced him.
"Mom and her had this planned before I even knew it," Stevens laughed. "It went really good. It's a good show. Lots of fireworks."
Stevens' boat, the Alaskan Star, was one of a dozen vessels that traveled together through the Near Island Channel during the Harbor Lights Festival Boat Parade on Dec. 20.
Adorned with colorful string lights, boats small and large blinked and honked on the water. Some boasted an inflatable Santa, a Christmas tree or even a fire in a barrel on board.
The Kodiak Maritime Museum organizes the parade. Executive Director Toby Sullivan said in an interview that up to 25 boats have participated in the past, including everything from massive oil response vessels to decorated kayaks.
He said the parade is a chance for Kodiak residents to gather in the center of town at the darkest time of the year.
"It's a mob scene in some ways, and it's a very community event. You see people you haven't seen in a while," he said. "And it really is a celebration of the commercial fishing fleet, which is the economic and cultural heart of this town."
Sullivan said some participants keep the lights on their boats through the holiday season, bringing a festive spirit to the harbor.
For Stevens, the parade was a chance to spend time with his friends and family before his crew goes out cod fishing in the Bering Sea until April.
"This is kind of a send-off for us," he said. "It's good, everybody gets to go for a boat ride."
Blue Christmas in Utqiaġvik
Up north, Utqiaġvik residents gathered last weekend for Blue Christmas, a tradition to create space for people who are struggling during the holidays.
"The holiday season should be a joyous time for most people, but that isn't always the case, especially for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one for the first time," said Rachel Aumavae, coordinator with the Arctic Adventist Church that organized the event.
Blue Christmas was a day-long event with workshops and speeches about coping with grief, as well as prayers, songs and a candlelight vigil.
The culmination was a reveal of a snow sculpture depicting a blanket toss, called Nalukataq in Iñupiaq. The sculpture depicted several snowy figures holding a blanket, with a child soaring above it.
"The symbolism is that the next generation rises because the whole community lifts them," Aumavae said.
Paul Hanis, a sculptor who has been coming to carve a Blue Christmas sculpture in Utqiagvik for several years now, said that he and his team wanted to convey emotion through the sculpture.
"Everybody is smiling, and everybody has their gaze fixed on that one person in the middle of the blanket, and half of them have their mouths open in astonishment or joy, you know, lots of mirth and merriment," he said. "We can tell that people really appreciate the light and the lift that the artwork brings to the community."
Snowmachine races in Kivalina
In Northwest Alaska, holiday celebrations come with a competitive edge.
The day after Christmas, residents participate in Qaatchiaq races on their snowmachines. The event goes until New Year's Eve, with different competitions happening every day, resident Janet Mitchell said.
Back in the '60s, the event was a sled dog race, Mitchell said. Now, participants test their snowmachine skills with an obstacle course.
In the first race, riders tie caribou skins to their sleds and balance empty 5-gallon cans on them while riding. In another, each rider balances an egg on a spoon in their mouth. The culmination of the event is the stakes race, where contestants maneuver between upright posts.
"They're laughing, and they're hooting and hollering, and they're groaning when you see a stake fall over or an egg breaks," Mitchell said. "It brings together everybody, and everybody's having fun out there."
The stake race is Myra Wesley's favorite. Now in her 50s, she has several victories under her belt.
"You shed 50 pounds of stress," she said. "I don't know if there's any other place in the world that actually does a stake like we do."
Wesley said that when she raced for the first time in ninth grade, she didn't have a snowmachine. A race marshall let her borrow his old one. Wesley said she was worried that all contestants in her age group had newer faster snowmachines, but she turned out to be the only finisher.
"I remember the crowd was going wild, and ever since then, I've been hooked," she said.
A feast in Kaktovik
Another northern community, Kaktovik, hosts a feast on Christmas Day.
Iñupiaq language teacher Flora Rexford said the all-day event opens with a prayer and thanks to the hunters and whalers. Then the food is served, starting with caribou soup and doughnuts.
"Christmas songs sung in both Iñupiaq and English, hugs everywhere, and all the successful whaling crews bring their maktak," she said.
There's also frozen whale meat, whale tongue and flukes, Rexford said. The night ends with aġġi, or Iñupiaq dancing, drumming and singing.
"It will go on until they decide to quit," Patkotak said.
Julebukking in Petersburg
In the Southeast Alaska town of Petersburg, Norwegian heritage shines through in a local Christmas celebration.
Julebukking is a Scandinavian tradition similar to trick-or-treating. Participants dress up and go from house to house, asking for treats or drinks.
In Petersburg, the tradition has evolved into something different. Local businesses invite residents in and treat them to drinks, dishes, desserts and pastries.
Resident Sally Dwyer said the event means you can "eat your way around town for a week."
"It gets us a chance to show off not only our Alaskan skills, with the preparation of the different kinds of fish products, but also the butter and love of the Norwegians that we all have," she said.
This year, julebukking started a week before Christmas.
"People are busy, busy, busy cooking and rolling and spicing and pickling and smoking and doing all those things to do a nice presentation when the public comes in," Dwyer said.
One famous julebukking treat is Moose Milk, a potent drink mix of liquor and vanilla ice cream.
"It's absolutely delicious with a little sprinkle of nutmeg on it," Dwyer said.
Realtor Bennett McGrath says she moved to Petersburg over a decade ago and fell in love with the tradition. Tuesday morning, she got up before 6 a.m. to start squeezing lemons and cutting rockfish.
McGrath said that whatever dish one decides to prepare for julebukking, they need to fully dedicate themselves to the idea.
"So I just committed to this really easy, non-labor-intensive task of making, you know, 70 pounds of ceviche," she said.
She said that what she loves most about julebukking is that it gives her a chance to see everyone.
Hannah Flor contributed reporting from Petersburg.
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