Occupy Chapel Hill to apply for permit to participate in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Holiday Parade

Occupy Chapel Hill has taken the streets in protest several times — but now, they might march for a different, more festive reason.

Amanda Ashley, a Carrboro resident and occupier, said occupiers are planning to apply for a permit to participate in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Holiday Parade on Dec. 10.

And that is just one part of their possible plans for the season.

Members of the movement, which has camped out in the Peace and Justice Plaza in Chapel Hill since Oct. 15, say they plan to continue their involvement even over the holidays.

Ashley said she plans to stay home over the holidays with her two children, but she will come to the Occupy site on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to distribute food.

“Personally, I celebrate Yule, but my kids will celebrate Christmas,” Ashley said.

Ashley said she has also been in communication with the Religious Society of Friends in Chapel Hill, a Quaker organization that provided occupiers with a meal on Thanksgiving.

As a member of the food and sanitation working group, Ashley said she assists with cleaning the site and taking care of all the food necessities.

She said the Quaker group might also provide a meal for the occupiers who remain at the site over Christmas break.

John Kertzie, another member of the Occupy movement, said he will be spending part of Christmas Day with his fiance and daughter.

But like Ashley, Kertzie said he will be rejoining the site at some point in the day to show his support of the movement.

He said he hopes a large crowd on Christmas Day will help alleviate the negative stereotypes that can sometimes be associated with the Occupy movement.

“If the public sees us out here doing the whole Christmas thing like everyone else, they might realize that the 99 percent are just regular people,” Kertzie said.

While some members are keeping the Occupy movement in their holiday plans, others will be returning home for the holidays.

Candace Burch, who is originally from Scranton, Pa., said she will return to her home town for Christmas to celebrate with her family.

Burch said she moved to Carrboro in April and has been working part time as a waitress and a wine seller.

“I’m probably not buying anything for anyone because my income took a significant cut when I came here,” she said.

Burch said she is not certain of what the Occupy movement is planning for Christmas, though many ideas have been proposed.

“I honestly don’t know what is actually going to happen,” she said. “But it should be fun.”

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