I headed up to Warm Springs to see how the Confederated Tribes kick off the Christmas season at their third annual tree lighting at Indian Head Casino. I told you I’d be doing a few “Christmasy” vlogs over the next several weeks, and this one was all about community—families bundled up in the cold, folks visiting with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and that feeling you get when a whole crowd is waiting for the same big moment. It was pretty dang cold, but everybody was hanging in there for the lights. We started with a prayer from Tribal Council Vice Chair Carlos Kika, and I appreciated the respectful request for no recording or pictures during that time. Then it was music, warm treats, and all the little holiday details—like the snow machines and friendly people who even made sure a lone YouTuber got a chocolate cupcake. The big highlight was the lighting of that huge walk-through Christmas tree, and it really was a magical night. I was planning to stick around for the drone show, but this 76-year-old finally tapped out when the temperature dropped to about 32. We’ll catch something different next week—because you never know with the tribes.