by Noella Noelophile®
(Photo courtesy of Jamie Pham, L.A. Zoo, and used with permission..)
Tired of rushing crowds? Not in the mood to fight over the latest hot items for Christmas gifts?
What if you gave family and friends the gift of a day together, instead?
Los Angeles Zoo has a new, Christmas-season opportunity for you to do exactly that.
On Small Business Saturday, November 30th, they’re opening their new “Winter Wild Weekends” Christmastime marketplace. “Winter Wild Weekends” continue through Sunday, December 22nd.
And the spotlight is on having fun, with an emphasis on crafts and sustainability.
(Royalty-free image by Nicoletta Zanella from Pixabay.)
In partnership with The Odd Market, 15 curated local artisans will be there, offering unique handcrafted gifts. “Snow” will fall twice daily, at the Holiday Village in Eucalyptus Grove. Thirty-minute sustainability workshops will be given, twice daily.
Live-music performances will be happening, each day. Kids will get a chance to craft something special, at the eco-crafting station. And from 11 am to 3 pm, Santa’s going to be on hand for pictures (please note: there is an extra fee for these).
Best of all, each day of “Winter Wild Weekends”, you’ll get to see the animals receive their Christmas presents.
“Holiday Treats for the Animals”, part of the Zoo’s enrichment program, is scheduled to happen at 11 each morning of “Winter Wild Weekends”.
(Royalty-free image by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay.)
First to receive their treats this year, according to the Zoo’s website, will be the Sumatran tigers, on November 30th. Next on the gift list are the Borneo elephants, on December 1. Goats, wombats and my favorite, the snow leopards, are among the animals on the gift list for the following weekends. (Here’s the complete enrichment schedule, on the Zoo’s website.)
“Winter Wild Weekends”, the Zoo says in their press release, is all about connecting: with one another, with nature and wildlife, and with local crafters.
In other words, it’s the stuff great Christmas memories are made of.
“Winter Wild Weekends” happen at the L.A. Zoo on four separate weekends: from Saturday, November 30th through Sunday, December 22nd. Hours are 10 am to 4 pm, and admission is included with regular Zoo admission.