The Holiday Season is my favorite time of the year.It started raining non-stop early in the season but it doesn't stop me from enjoying the sights and sounds of the Christmas Season in the city.
I welcome the rain as much as I love the Holidays!
It is always fun to stay in the city and enjoy the sites and sounds of the Christmas season. You can see Holiday displays on ever corner. I am glad that San Francisco is deeply rooted in its Holiday traditions. I compiled select pictures that show San Francisco dressed up for Christmas.
Here is the scene on Market St. This part of Market St. is so well lit that it puts one on the mood to shop. We got a break from the rain when I took this photo so the scene was crowded with shoppers.
The next three photos were taken in Union Square during the Christmas Tree lighting on Friday After Thanksgiving. The city closed the entire block of Union Square to motorists for a couple of hours so that people can congregate outside the main plaza to see the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony.
The Holiday Ice skating rink was also packed with skaters enjoying the festive atmosphere.
Here's another view of the Christmas Tree in Union Square.
The city also closed an entire block on Stockton St. to motorists to create a mini-park so that shoppers can hangout on the fake grass covered pavement. There are also benches dotting the area.
On one of the benches were these musicians serenading the local shoppers with Christmas carols.
On California St., you can see one of my favorite Christmas Trees in the city. Though it is not huge like the one in Union Square, the lights on this tree are definitely generous. There must be a million lights on this tree. It is so pretty!
If you walk on Powell St., chances are you'll hear some Christmas carols. I was lucky to hear this band playing that night.
The Cable cars are also dressed up for the holidays.
These big bells are on the walls outside of BART/MUNI Powell Station.
The Fairmont Hotel's famous giant two storey walk through gingerbread house dominates the lobby. I almost immediately got a whiff of the gingerbread as soon as I pass through the glass doors of the hotel.
I heard that the hotel's pastry chefs retouch the gingebread house everyday. Apparently, gingerbreads and candies sometimes dissappear little by little from the house.
Here is a closer look on the gingerbread house.
The Palace Hotel also has a festive lobby and it has its own modest version of gingerbread house.
St. Francis Hotel also has a surprise for everyone every Christmas season. This giants cake is the main display in the hotel's lobby.
Here's a closer look of the giant cake.
Ghirardelli Square is also festive this season. The Ghirardelli Cafe also serves hot chocolates.
Pier 39 also has a giant Christmas tree right in the middle of the pier entrance.
It was the first for Mijo and I to go to the Tree lighting ceremony at Golden Gate Park. If you want to witness local San Franciscans celebrate the Christmas season, go to this tree lighting ceremony. Mayor Ed Lee was even a guest of honor during the ceremony.
They also had rides and a snow barn for the kids that evening.
There was a Tree lighting event on Castro St. but Mijo and I missed it. The tree is next to the bus stop on Castro and 18th St.
Of course, Stonestown Mall is festive and with a Santa to boot.
In our sleepy neighborhood of Glen Park, the houses are fully decked out as well.
I'll add more Holiday pictures before the Holidays are over.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!
~rl
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