Happenings | Dec. 18 edition

December 17, 2025 1:30 pm
Vashon Heritage Museum volunteers, Susan Martin and Jenny Lewis, with supplies for the the museum’s Family Day on Dec. 20. Children will have the opportunity to decorate a glass jar with tissue paper for a colorful lantern. Susan is holding a woven ornament, another craft opportunity for families. (Courtesy Photo)
Vashon Heritage Museum volunteers, Susan Martin and Jenny Lewis, with supplies for the the museum’s Family Day on Dec. 20. Children will have the opportunity to decorate a glass jar with tissue paper for a colorful lantern. Susan is holding a woven ornament, another craft opportunity for families. (Courtesy Photo)

Happenings features community, cultural and nonprofit events; notices are free and printed as space permits. Due to the volume of entries received, we edit submissions and cannot always confirm if a submission will run. Send submissions to editor@vashonbeachcomber.com; include the who, what, where and when. The deadline is noon Thursday for subsequent Thursday publication; The Beachcomber cannot guarantee late submissions will be included.

EVENTS

End of life conversations: The final session of “Traveling With Grief Through the Winter Months,” facilitated by island therapist Kenny Alton, will take place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, at Women Hold the Key, 9822 SW Gorsuch Rd. The series, funded by Judith Neary and RJ’s Kids, is open to all genders. Sessions focus on both sharing and witnessing grief, with Alton leading participants through questions including, How can we be present in the world with grief?” Registration is requested, but drop-ins are welcome. To find out more, contact Susan Pitiger at 206-818-4232.

Heritage Museum family day: The Vashon Heritage Museum will hold its final Family Day of the year from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20. The winter solstice–themed event will feature warm drinks, cookies, ornament weaving with Barbara Gustafson, a winter lantern craft, and story times with the winter elf at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Caregivers are invited to explore the exhibits while kids enjoy crafts and play. The event is free at the museum, 10105 SW Bank Road.

Jingle Bell Run: The annual Jingle Bell Run will take place at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, starting from the Recess Lab parking lot. The free, family-friendly event invites islanders and visitors to wear holiday attire or ugly sweaters for a festive road run of just under 5K through town. For updates, follow @vashon.distance on Instagram.

Chanukah Party: Vashon Havurah will hold its annual Chanukah Party from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Common House of Vashon Cohousing, 10421 SW Bank Rd. From 5-7 p.m. there will be candlelighting, Havdalah and dinner with latkes made by Darryl Shannon. Applesauce and sour cream will be provided by the Havurah — bring other potluck dishes to share. At 7 p.m., there will be a special Chanukah storytelling performance by Merna Ann Hecht. All are welcome.

Solstice Ritual: Mosaic Voices, lead by local author and mythologist Michael Meade, will offer an online solstice ritual from 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20. The event will “weave together songs and story, poems and prayers with rituals of remembrance and rites of forgiveness to release the past and a resounding collective prayer to light the way in these dark times.” Find out more and register to attend for free or by donation at tinyurl.com/2zs4axw2, or email info@mosaicvoices.org.

Brown Briefly to host Michael Meade: The Brown Briefly team — Amy Drayer, Craig Beles, Kevin Jones, Truman O’Brien and Bruce Haulman — will welcome mythologist and storyteller Michael Meade as their guest at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 23, on Voice of Vashon 101.9 FM. The conversation will explore the many ways cultures mark the season and celebrate light during the darkest time of year. Meade is the founder of the Mosaic Multicultural Foundation and host of the Living Myth podcast.

Stillness at the Turning Point: The Puget Sound Zen Center invites everyone to attend a New Year’s Eve celebration from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec 31. Reflect on the passing of the old year and welcome in the new. A quiet ceremony among cedar boughs and candles including music, poetry, meditation, a luminary walk, a bonfire, and the traditional ringing of the 108 bells. A social gathering follows with cider, food, and a toast to 2026. All are welcome. 18005 Vashon Highway SW (previously Island Funeral Services). See www.pszc.org for details.

Free community dinners: Free community dinners are served Mondays through Fridays from 5 to 5:30 p.m. at Vashon Presbyterian Church, 17708 Vashon Hwy SW, hosted by the Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness.

VASHON LIBRARY

Teen Hangout: Teens in grades 6–12 can drop in for crafts, games and Nintendo Switch play most Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the library. Snacks provided.

Hug in a Jar: Create homemade edible gifts in jars including soup, dessert and hot drink mixes from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. All ingredients, jars, and decorating supplies included. No registration required for this activity for teens, adults and families.

Ukulele Jam: A jam session for seasoned and newbie ukulele players ages 9 and older. Make music, learn new songs and connect with others from 2-3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28. Bring your own instrument or check one out from the Vashon Events’ musical instrument library. Space is limited, please register in advance at the library.

New Year’s Eve: All ages (children should be accompanied by adults) can ring in the new year with cozy crafts and snacks from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31. Special library hours that day are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

SENIOR CENTER

Enjoy a hot lunch at noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and the following activities throughout the week at the Vashon Senior Center, 10004 SW Bank Road, unless noted otherwise.

Talent show: The Senior Center will host its annual talent show from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19. Islanders are invited to perform music, dance or other acts in five- to ten-minute slots. Participants should sign up in advance at the front desk and are encouraged to wear festive or “ugly” holiday sweaters. The show begins after lunch.

December birthday lunch: The Senior Center will serve its monthly birthday lunch at 11:45 a.m. Monday, Dec. 22. Members with December birthdays eat for free. Local students will lead caroling and hand out cards and cookies.

Board of Directors meeting: The center’s Board of Directors will meet from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22. Members are welcome to attend and may send comments to board@vashoncenter.org

Holiday closure: The Senior Center will close at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24, and will reopen Friday, Jan. 2.

GRANNY’S ATTIC

Holiday fun Fridays: Granny’s Attic will host ugly sweater day on Dec. 19, with sales and specials throughout the store.

Last-minute shopping: Shop the final day of the season from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23. Wear something sparkly or fancy for 10% off. Granny’s Attic will then close until Saturday, Jan. 3.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Water District 19 has scheduled a special meeting for 9 a.m. Friday Dec. 19, via Zoom. The purpose of the meeting is to hear and review the findings from the Washington State Auditor’s Office regarding the district’s operations. Those who wish to attend the meeting should should contact the district to request the Zoom access link, at water19@water19.com.