by Noella Noelophile®
Christmas is next Tuesday. (!)
As usual, December seems to be melting away faster than a scoop of limited-edition peppermint ice cream.
But there are still some special events you might like to check out.
In Long Beach, from now through this Sunday, December 23rd, it’s still snowing.
At least, it is at the Aquarium of the Pacific, for “Aquarium Holidays”!
At specific times on weekdays and weekends, snow falls in the Aquarium’s Great Hall. This weekend, for the final time of Christmas season 2018, there’ll also be an opportunity to play in real snow, available at the Aquarium on Saturday and Sunday, from 9 am to 3 pm.
In addition, the “Penguin Parade” happens daily at 10:00 am. Special ocean-themed gingerbread houses are on display, courtesy of the creative Aquarium staff. Festive Aquarium characters will be on hand for photo opps.
Oh, and “Santa” arrives several times a day.
Of course, we’re talking about “Santa Diver”, who will be diving with the fishes, weekday afternoons at 1:30 and weekends at both 12:45 and 3:45 pm.
Weekend seasonal crafts and a daily screening of the Dr. Seuss classic, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” are also on the Christmas schedule.
Meanwhile, please consider bringing a new, unwrapped toy for the LBFD’s “Spark of Love” Toy Drive, which continues through this Sunday, December 23rd. (And if you do, you’ll receive a coupon valid for a discounted future Aquarium visit!)
One other fun note? This is “Ugly Sweater” weekend at the Aquarium. Come wearing those patterned reindeer, cable-knit stars or flashy Christmas trees and the Aquarium will give you $5 off, upon request.
“Aquarium Holidays” continue through this Sunday, December 23rd, at Aquarium of the Pacific, which is open 9 am to 6 pm every day of the year except Christmas Day. The Aquarium is located at 100 Aquarium Way, southeast of Queens Way, in Long Beach. Here’s the link for information.
Elsewhere in Long Beach? Community activist Justin Rudd, and his nonprofit Community Action Team (CAT), tend to put the Christmas spirit into action, all year round.
This Saturday, December 22nd, they’re going to do it again.
Starting at 11:00, they invite you–and any friends or family members who love animals and would like to make a shelter dog or cat’s Christmas a little brighter–to join them for “Operation Santa Paws” deliveries.
Through this Friday, throughout Long Beach and Orange County,”Haute Dogs Operation Santa Paws” donation boxes will be available at local businesses. Anyone who’d like to contribute can do so, from this wish list.
Then, the volunteer delivery group gets to bring them to four local shelters, this Saturday.
The group meets at 11:30, Saturday morning, at the first location, Long Beach Animal Care Services. They’ll spend between 45 and 90 minutes at each location, and you can join up with them at any of the shelters your pre-Christmas Saturday schedule allows. Some participants come to two or three of the shelters, some to all.
What happens inside? Well, volunteers get to pet some of the cats; feed a jerky treat (but not too many) to the dogs;and try hard to resist temptation. (You will notice that the “wish list” which CAT provides includes both foster and forever homes!)
No guarantees, though. I fell in love with three separate felines last year–and only the fact that our two residents in charge (also from Long Beach ACS) would have voted eight paws down, resulted in our coming home empty-handed.
Haute Dogs’ “Operation Santa Paws” delivery starts at 11:30, Saturday, December 22 outside Long Beach Animal Care Services. Please bring pet treats, supplies and toys from the wish list if you can. Volunteers visit four shelters in Long Beach, Seal Beach and Orange County, and participants can visit any or all of them. Here’s the delivery schedule link.
(Photo courtesy of SolvangUSA.com, and used with permission.)
Meanwhile, in Solvang, Julefest 2018 continues, with Santa on hand, this final pre-Christmas Saturday, in Solvang Park for photo opps, from noon to 4 pm.
(Photo courtesy of SolvangUSA.com, and used with permission.)
In addition, there will be one final free “Candlelight Tour”, leaving the park, which is located at the corner of Mission Drive and First Street, at 5:30 on Friday evening. A costumed guide leads the tour as guests each hold a battery-powered LED candle. Caroling and learning about the history of Solvang make for a magical pre-Christmas night.
(Photo courtesy of SolvangUSA.com, and used with permission.)
And while we assume all kids–small and otherwise–have been extra nice this year, there may still be mischief afoot. The mischievous Jul Nisse (elves) are hiding throughout Solvang, from now through January 6th. Your job is to find and photograph them. And when you do, with the help of some hints from the Solvang Visitors Bureau, you’ll receive a prize.
Solvang’s Julefest (pronounced YULE-fest) 2018 events can be found at this link. And if you’re planning to be in the area on January 4th, join the community for their Free Annual Fire Safety Demonstration and Christmas Tree Burn, to welcome the New Year!
Last but never least, in San Francisco, a beloved tradition wraps up its final weekend of Christmas season 2018, this Saturday and Sunday.
The “Great Dickens Christmas Fair” transports visitors to Victorian London, for my all-time favorite Christmastime interactive theatre experience.
Games of Charles Dickens’ day, visits from “Queen Victoria”, crafts, festive dances and the opportunity to visit with “Mr. Dickens” and his contemporaries are all part of the fun.
Words can’t do justice to the festivities, though. “One-of-a-kind” and “Victorian Christmas card come to life” begin to describe it, but you’ll just have to experience it for yourself.
I’ve loved this ever since my first visit in 1978 (founders Ron and Phyllis Patterson created it in 1970, and 2018 marks the Dickens Fair’s 36th season!).