Walk Off Thanksgiving Turkey With A Christmas Tree Outing

Has that stuffed-to-the-eyeballs feeling eased off a bit this morning? Are you starting to wonder what you could possibly do to work off the calories you consumed last night?

Here’s one suggestion: Load up the family, your friends, the dog - whoever - and make a day of hiking and seeking in the Colville National Forest or Idaho Panhandle National Forests for a Christmas tree.

The semitrucks loaded with trees were already rolling into Spokane last week, but that’s too easy. Here in the Northwest, we’re surrounded by beautiful fir trees that make the perfect holiday centerpiece. As of now, they’re yours for the chopping.

Of course, there are rules. You first need a permit ($2 for the Colville forest, $3 for those in Idaho), you can’t cut large trees from the middle and you can’t cut one tree and then dump it if you find another you like better. Common-sense rules, really.

For your outing, remember to dress warmly and take along plenty of hot chocolate or coffee. Maybe even some sandwiches. It’s also a good idea to bring along tire chains, a shovel and other winter emergency gear.

Permits may be purchased at the ranger district at the individual forests, or at the Forest Service Public Affairs Office, 400 S. Jefferson, Spokane.

The next step

So what do you do when you get that tree home? Several local foundations have decorating ideas for you that will turn your tree from a Charlie Brown to a Calvin Klein.

Here are the details of the three biggies:

Christmas Tree Elegance: For the 12th year, this popular fund-raiser benefits the Spokane Symphony Orchestra. Opening ceremonies begin with the Preview of Trees at noon Sunday. The preview continues Monday and Tuesday from noon to 8 p.m.

Admission is $2.50, getting you in to see 10 elaborately decorated trees which will be raffled off for $1 a ticket.

There are other events, which range in price; all are held at the Crescent Court Grand Ballroom. Call 326-3136 for more information.

Festival of Trees, Coeur d’Alene: The event is held at The Coeur d’Alene Resort and opens tonight directly following the resort’s tree-lighting ceremony. The doors open at 5:30 and close at 8 p.m. Admission is $2, $1 for children.

At 9 p.m., the doors reopen for a Country Christmas Dance, featuring line dancing with the Big Bucks Band. The $10 tickets are available at the door.

A senior social will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, which includes live entertainment, refreshments and a raffle. Tickets are $3.

Sunday is family day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $1 per person.

The Festival of Trees is organized by the Kootenai Medical Center Foundation and raises money for the hospital.

Festival of Trees, Spokane Valley: This festival is a fund-raiser for Valley Hospital and Medical Center, and features several lavish trees up for raffle. Public viewing is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is $2, $1 for children ages 3 to 12 and free for kids under 3. The event will be held at the Red Lion Inn at Interstate 90 and Sullivan Road.

The festival is holding several other specialized events. Call Valley Hospital and Medical Center for a complete schedule.

Living history

The Cheney Cowles Museum has completed its 10-year project to restore Campbell House and, again this holiday season, the historic Browne’s Addition mansion is doing it up.

The museum invites people to “come home for the holidays” to Campbell House, where trained guides in period costume give tours and maids, coachmen and the cook willingly interrupt their holiday preparations to greet visitors.

Tours begin today and occur through regular museum hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays (except Wednesdays, when the museum stays open until 9 p.m.) and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Admission is $3, $2 for children.

Old-time fun

The Coeur d’Vine Bistro and Roxy Antiques are teaming up for “Rhythm at the Roxy,” weekend evenings of wine and piano bar entertainment inside the Roxy at 115 S. Fourth in downtown Coeur d’Alene.

Every Friday and Saturday, the event will feature favorite piano stylings of regional keyboard artists and an occasional professional vocalist.

Dress is casual, there is no minimum or cover and reservations are not required.

Later next week

In an effort to get people to abandon the malls for downtown Spokane, “City Sidewalks, Busy Skywalks” kicks off Tuesday with the third annual tree lighting ceremony at Main and Wall.

The Spokane Symphony brass and Chorale will entertain, along with the Spokane Children’s Chorus. Free carriage rides, street vendors and musical performances by the Moko Jumbie Steel Drum Band and the Spokane Men’s Chorus will add to the evening, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Entertainment will continue downtown for the four weeks remaining before Christmas. Free carriage rides are available Wednesdays through Sundays beginning Dec. 1.

On the non-Christmas front, the 1954 film “The Atomic Kid” will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the auditorium at Cheney Cowles Museum. In a story by Blake Edwards, Mickey Rooney survives an atomic blast in the desert and discovers he’s radioactive.

Described as a slight spy comedy, the black-and-white film lasts 86 minutes and will be accompanied by a 10-minute newsreel from the World War II era. It’s free and open to the public.

Imagine a 20-piece band that combines the music of Tito Puente with Sly and the Family Stone, the Manhattan Transfer and Spike Jones. Add a nine-piece driving big band and an eight-piece horn band and you have the fall concerts of Spokane Falls Ccommunity College’s Commercial Music and Jazz Studies groups.

The Picante Percussion Orchestra, Jalapeno Horns and Salsalito Singers team up with Octagon for Combo Night at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the SFCC Performing Arts Auditorium. Admission is free.

Jazz night on Dec. 7 features the SFCC Jazz Ensemble and the jazz quartet Uneven Surfaces. Call 533-3720 for more information.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Drawing

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: GETTING OUT If you can, get out and walk. That’s our best advice for overcoming the impression you’ve stuffed yourself on Thanksgiving food to the point you’re stuck in the recliner for the rest of your natural life. We’ve already seen our first decorated Christmas tree, flashing away in the front window of a house. And lighted Christmas lights around the eves of houses aren’t at all rare. In fact, after you’ve taken a purposeful stroll around the neighborhood, perhaps you’ll be inspired to get out your own Christmas lights and start decorating for the season.