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by Jill Loeffler •
Kick off your holiday celebrations at one of these colorful events in San Francisco.
This year's activities include tree lighting ceremonies as well as holiday winter wonderland festivals.
You can also participate in one of several Menorah Lighting celebrations.
The list includes events both in San Francisco and other popular festivals throughout the Bay Area.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
Head over to the Presidio for their Holiday Tree Lighting on Friday, December 6. This year is a little different as there is no celebration, they will just light their 55-foot-tall Norfolk Island Pine this night for the first time for the holidays.
This is always the first Friday in December.
They will light the tree every night through the month of December.
>> Additional things to do in the Presidio
Head over to the Civic Center for this year's tree lighting event on December 4. Activities run from 4 pm to 7 pm and include performances, and a visit from Santa.
This year, you can enjoy a few "snow" flurries and a toy giveaway for the kids.
The official tree lighting is at 5:30 pm by Mayor London Breed.
Stay warm with some some tasty seasonal drinks or check out their full bar. All of these drinks are available for purchase. Other festive bites will also be for sale throughout the event.
>> Find out more on their official site
It might not snow in San Francisco, but the city's popular science museum in Golden Gate Park makes sure that guests get to experience a polar wonderland during the holiday season.
From November 22 to January 5, you can learn about ice and the animals that live in cold climates, enjoy indoor snow flurries, and observe snowflakes under microscopes, among other scientific explorations.
There are also special nighttime events, including the Welcome Winter Night for all ages on Friday, November 22 at 6:30 pm, offering cookie decorating, winter crafts, and much more.
A few programs that will run several times throughout these dates include the Children's Puppet Theatre: P is for Penguin and Piazza Performances.
>> Visit their site to learn more
This year's Rainbow World Tree of Hope will once again be at Grace Cathedral. The lighting of this tree will take place on Monday, December 9.
Events will kick off at 6:30 pm with performances by the San Francisco Boys Chorus, Leberta Loral, and others.
The tree lighting is around 7:15 pm. All activities will wrap up at 8 pm.
Admission is free. The tree will continue to be on display throughout the holiday season.
>> Visit their official site for more details and to register for this free event
The Westin St. Francis Hotel and kit & sisTM are partnering to host a Dollie + Me Tea event on December 14 & 15. It's a great time for children, families, mother/daughter duos, and other loved ones to celebrate the holiday season.
The kids will enjoy hot chocolate, Dollie + Me sweet treats, and assorted tea sandwiches while they create fun holiday crafts with kit & sis. Champagne will be served for the adults too!
>> Visit Eventbrite to learn more and to book your spot
Even though Union Square doesn't have a big event to kick off the lighting of their tree anymore, I have it on this page because it's the most famous Christmas tree in San Francisco every year.
They will light it for the first time on November 15 and it will be stay lit through the holidays.
Even though there isn't an official kick off event or ceremony, you can visit the tree any night between these days to enjoy it's beauty!
>> Find additional fun things to do in Union Square
The Randall Museum is one of San Francisco's hidden gems for families with children, as its hands-on activities promote creativity and curiosity about science, nature, and art, with no entry fee.
The annual Holiday Crafts Day is no exception: this is a free event for children of all ages to get into the holiday spirit, crafting one-of-a-kind gifts and decorations for the season. This includes building toy trains, rolling beeswax candles, soap-making, candy house creation, and much more.
The event will take place on TBD, from 10 am to 2 pm.
>> Visit their website for more details
Pier 39's annual tree will be lit for the first time of the season on TBD. They will not host a large ceremony, but instead light the tree for all to see for the first time on this night.
They will light the tree for the first time at 5 pm. It will then offer a light show every half hour from 5 pm to 10 pm nightly.
For the rest of the season the tree light up for all to enjoy with the last night of the season on TBD.
>> More things to do at Pier 39
Nob Hill Tree Lighting (12/2): The annual lighting of the tree at Huntington Park in Nob Hill starts at 5:30 pm and runs until 7:30 pm. This two-hour event will include the tree lighting, light snacks, and live music.
Holiday Tree Lighting at McLaren Lodge (TBD): This event runs from 4 pm to 8 pm at John McLaren Lodge in Golden Gate Park. Will include kids activities such as carnival rides, arts & crafts, cookie factory, a visit from Santa and more.
National AIDS Memorial Lighting Ceremony (11/30): This is the first time the National AIDS Memorial Grove will be lit up for the holidays. The ceremony is on World AIDS Day and the event runs from 6 pm to 9 pm.
Stop by Union Square on Wednesday, December 25 at 5 pm for the 1st lighting. The live ceremony runs from 3:30 pm to 6 pm.
Here are additional dates and times for this annual lighting ceremony:
>> Visit their site to learn more
Are you looking for additional fun things to do in San Francisco? Click the links below to visit the calendar of events for that month.
The annual Great Dickens Christmas Fair is a fun Victorian London holiday party with hundreds of costumed players, food, holiday shops, music halls, dance pubs, and so much more.
This fun annual event takes place at the Cow Palace just south of SF in Daly City.
It runs for five weekends starting on November 23. You can catch the action every Saturday and Sunday through December 22. They are also open the day after Thanksgiving.
>> Visit their official site for ticketing information
This November, Embarcadero Center kicks off their holiday season with a Holiday Market and Building Lighting celebration.
You can warm up with some seasonal drinks provided by Bar Car while you do your holiday shopping with Embarcadero Center retailers and Creative Communal.
Throughout the season, you can see more than 17,000 lights on display at night at this shopping center.
Hotel Deals: Are you planning on spending the holidays in San Francisco? If so, then check out the holiday hotel specials and find the best prices for your stay here. You'll find dozens of hotel deals so you can save on your room or get something free, such as parking, during your stay. Click here to check out their holiday specials and to save on your stay today!
Admire one of the best Gingerbread House displays in the entire Bay Area at the Fairmont in Nob Hill. This 2-story, 25 foot tall adobe house features more than 1,500 pounds of candy! It's an amazing site to see.
The display will open on November 23 and will stay open through the end of the year.
>> More about the Fairmont on Nob Hill
The beautiful waterfront town of Monterey will celebrate the holidays on Friday, November 29.
This year's event runs from Noon to around 6 pm with the tree lighting set for 5:45 pm.
Other fun things to do include checking out the holiday lights, checking out the local shops, and grabbing a bite to eat.
All events will be in Steinbeck Plaza and the area in front of Bubba Gumps.
Santa will be around Monterey on Saturdays and Sundays through December 22 from 12 pm to 3 pm. Bring your own camera for free pictures!
Click here for additional holiday events around Monterey.
The 2024 Night of Lights Christmas Tree Lighting in Half Moon Bay is on Saturday, December 7.
It includes their annual Lighted Parade down Main Street. From 6 pm to 8 pm, enjoy the parade of lights down Main Street, live music, roasted chestnuts and activities for the kids.
Many of the stores will stay open late, so you can also get in a little holiday shopping during your visit.
On December 7, Oakland's Jack London Square will light up for the holidays.
Join them for this annual celebration from 5:45 pm to 8 pm on the plaza near Plank.
In addition to the tree lighting ceremony, you can also see musical performances, holiday surprises, and more. Santa will also make an appearance.
In addition to the places mentioned above, Santa will make dozens of additional stops all around San Francisco. He will be taking pictures at the Japantown Center Malls, Stonestown Galleria, and the Westfield Shopping Center. He will also stop by to celebrate the season at the Hyatt Regency and the SF Zoo.
Learn More: Full List of Places to See Santa
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