Tree lighting at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre, as cast of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! perform. Photo courtesy of J. Katarzyna Woronowicz, and used with permission.
OXNARD:
December 6, 2013 – 63rd Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, 5:30 pm, Plaza Park, North 5th Street and South C Street.
According to the Oxnard Downtown Management District’s website, this six-decade-old tradition features the tallest Christmas tree in Ventura County–as well as entertainment, complimentary refreshments and a certain special celebrity guest in a red suit. And just before the tree lighting, Oxnard’s 8th Annual Winter Fantasy Music and Light Show premieres, at 5 pm! This is a free event, combining Christmas songs, synchronized lights and animated characters. The show will repeat every 15 minutes, nightly from 5 to 10 p.m. until New Year’s Day.
ANAHEIM:
December 7, 2013 – Downtown Anaheim Nutcracker Christmas Tree Lighting and Holiday Village, at Center Street Promenade and South Lemon, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 pm. This is a Christmas tradition since 1995, and an all-day celebration. Festivities start that morning at 10:00, with breakfast with Santa.
APPLE VALLEY:
December 7, 2013 – Winter Wonderland and Tree Lighting, 2-6 pm at Civic Center and Town Hall, 14955 Dale Evans Parkway. Snow, crafts, train rides, live entertainment and giveaways are all part of the fun–and so is a brand-new, live Christmas tree, scheduled for lighting at 6 pm. Santa will be on hand to do the honors.
LOS ANGELES:
December 5, 2013 –Old Chinatown Central Plaza, Los Angeles, 6-9 pm, 943 – 951 North Broadway, in L.A. According to the Chinatown Los Angeles website, this is an evening of carols, both old and new, and culminates in the lighting of the tree. Sure, there are Christmas trees all over L.A–but this ceremony’s really cool and relatively recent, having just started in 2010.
FERNDALE:
December 1, 2013 – America’s Tallest Living Christmas Tree, Main Street, 5:30 pm.
Want to experience an old-time Victorian Christmas–where the entire town turns out to celebrate?
The Victorian village of Ferndale will enjoy meeting you.
According to their website, their Christmas celebration–for which their volunteer firemen decorate the tree–has been a town tradition since 1934. Last Christmas, a Chamber of Commerce spokesperson told us that the firemen actually climb the tree (which is 150 feet tall) to get it decorated. Next year will be a banner year for Ferndale–eighty years of tree lighting, with the tree only left dark during World War II.
But–if you’re in the the area and only come for the tree lighting, you’re missing out.
Ferndale’s celebration actually starts at 9 that morning, with an Advent service and brunch at a local church, followed by the Ferndale Community Choir’s “40th Annual Christmas Celebration in Song” at 3 that afternoon. And of course, the musical program concludes in time for the tree lighting–no Ferndale resident in his or her right mind would want to miss it!
Don’t go away after the tree is lit, and the last “oohs” and “ahhhs” fade away. There will be free cookies and punch–and a traditional Portuguese dinner of linguica and beans at Portuguese Hall.
ORANGE:
December 8, 2013 – Old Towne Plaza, 5:15 p.m. 134 South Glassell Street, south of West Chapman. Christmas carols, family fun and a candlelight choir procession make this a merry time in the city of Orange. Festivities start at 3:30 p.m.
BALBOA ISLAND:
Sunday, December 1, 2013 – Balboa Island Fire Station, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., Marine and Park Avenues. It’s going to snow in Newport! Well–sort of. They’re importing some of the cold white stuff for the kids to play in (and Mom and Dad to be glad they don’t have to shovel or scrape off their windshields).
Mr. and Mrs. Santa are set to arrive at 4, and there will be refreshments including cider, popcorn, candy and cookies. Christmas caroling and the tree lighting happen at dusk.
CARMEL:
December 6, 2013, Carmel Plaza, 3:30 p.m. – Devendorf Park, at Ocean and Junipero Avenues, and Sunset Center.
According to the city’s website, festivities start with a party at 3:00 at arts complex Sunset Center., with free refreshments in the theatre lobby and photographs beside the Sunset tree. Meanwhile, at Devendorf Park, the Monterey Fire Department is scheduled to deliver a certain red-suited gentleman at 3:30. Then, at 4:30, there’ll be Christmas music in the park, courtesy of local school choirs, and a reading of the Clement Clark Moore classic, “”Twas the Night Before Christmas.” But that’s just leading up to the big moment–at approximately 5:45, Carmel Mayor Jason Burnett will throw the switch, rain or shine..