A Place Of Tradition

Celebrating the winter holidays McCall-style

Every December, McCall resident Mike McKinney puts on a Santa hat and guides a shuttle bus into snowy parking lots around town to pick up donated toys, games, and art supplies. A banner across the front of the bus reads “Cram the Van”—the name of the city’s annual gift donation campaign. The Youth Advocacy Coalition, along with 24 volunteers, has spent the last decade ensuring that almost 200 children of local families in need have a happy holiday. 

DeeDee Phillips is Chair of the Youth Advocacy Coalition Board of Directors. She and other volunteers spend upwards of 350 hours each year sorting through donated presents and ensuring they get into the hands of the kids who need them the most. “I was a little kid who received gifts from my church and the community when I was little,” she said on Visit McCall’s Instagram page last year. “You look at the tree and see that it’s kind of skimpy, and then things start to show up and you feel like you matter. You feel like you’re somebody and part of something…to be able to bring it back around and give back to a community, I’m so proud to be a part of it.”

McCall is a tight-knit community full of neighbors who look out for one another at Christmastime, donating gifts of time, money, and merriment. Whether you’re a longtime resident, a visitor, or a McCall native home for the holidays, you’ll find plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Service To Community

Sixth-generation McCall resident Eric Hovdey and his family spend Christmas morning skiing, then return home to open presents. “My dad does a mean shrimp cocktail, so we enjoy that with a crab dinner on Christmas night,” he says.

Hovdey is the owner of Home Town Sports. He recalls when his parents owned the business, and how he’d work alongside them in the store as a kid, waxing and scraping skis on the night before Christmas so that customers could go out and play in the snow the next day. He brings that same spirit of generosity to his work now, as do his 20+ employees.

“We give the gift of service,” he says. “We’re here until one in the morning on Christmas Eve making sure everyone’s gear is ready for Christmas Day. We even do Secret Santa deliveries—for example, while people are out at a dinner party—so that when the kids get home, they find their presents under the tree. The holidays, to us, are about serving the people who love McCall enough to want to spend their time here.”

This same community spirit inspires resident Katie Morgan, who’s been known to light up her frozen pond with luminarias and invite neighbors to ice skate, treating them to hot chocolate (with hot toddies for the adults). When Morgan arrived in McCall in 2008, she began hosting wreath-making classes in her home. Friends brought small ornaments and sat down at tables full of fir and pine boughs, sagebrush, moss, pinecones, and ribbons to create holiday decorations together. Now, she offers wreath-making workshops through the McCall Arts and Humanities Council.

A Celebration Of Family And Friends

McCall local Abby Standar describes the live Christmas show that her mother, Barb Andrew, has been putting on since the 1980s—first with Standar and her sisters, and now with the grandchildren. “She begins planning months prior to Christmas, coordinating elaborate costumes, music, and choreography,” Standar explains. “She gathers the grandkids weeks before to practice, the entire time keeping the show’s details a secret from the parents.”

During the annual family Christmas gathering, Standar’s mom and all the grandkids perform. “They leave us in tears of joy and laughter,” she says. “It’s amazing, and we all look forward to it every year.” 

Real estate agent Jeanne Mitchell notes that most of the people in her neighborhood are of active retirement age without family close by. The Mitchells host an annual holiday potluck dinner. “Everyone spends the day skiing or doing some sort of McCall winter activity, then we gather for a no-rules-on-what-to-bring potluck,” she explains.

One year, she remembers, two guests brought soup, and the rest brought desserts. Regardless of what the meal looks like, it’s a memorable holiday gathering. “The evening is spent with laughter, good friends and neighbors, good food, and of course, a few silly games,” she says.

McCall resident Larinda Spencer hosts an annual Basque paella party. “My husband is a descendant of Basque relatives, and we try very hard to keep those traditions alive,” she says. “The holidays have always been a time for celebrating with family and friends, especially those who don’t have family close or have family at all.” 

With that in mind, she invites people to join in the celebration of the season. “We have easily had fifty-plus people in our garage and house during one of these holiday events. I do my best to have my home feel welcoming to anyone who may join us during the holidays.” 

Gifting Visitors With Holiday Spirit

If this is your first time visiting McCall for the winter holidays, you’ll find plenty of ways to make friends and create traditions of your own. Early in December, the City of McCall and the McCall Area Chamber host the holiday tree lighting with Santa’s arrival by firetruck. Mid-December, attend The Snow Ball, a formal dinner with dancing and a fundraising auction to benefit Payette Lakes Ski Club.

Any time during the season, put on your ice skates and head for Gold Glove Outdoor Rink or Manchester Ice and Events Center. Ski or snowboard at family-friendly Brundage Mountain Resort, or opt for backcountry skiing on Jug Mountain. Finally, enjoy Christmas dinner complete with Bûche de Noël for dessert as you toast the holidays with new friends at The Cutwater Restaurant on Payette Lake.