Some folks dream of a white Christmas, and some even like to sing about it. But in San Diego, California, we don’t do white. Or snow. Or ice. Or cold.
But we do do Christmas! (I said “do do”.)
Santa Hat
Christmas Day at the beach.
All it takes to celebrate Christmas in San Diego is a Santa hat. And what better place to wear that hat than the beach.
The stockings were hung on the gate surrounding the Christmas tree on Crystal Pier with care…
There is a tree at the end of Crystal Pier, which is an excellent place to wear your Santa hat.
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea….
Even a pier covered in barnicles is festive when someone’s wearing a Santa hat!
This is our version of a cloudy winter’s day.
Here we visit the shores of La Jolla, bringing Christmas joy in our Santa hat!
Christmas Tree
You are probably wondering, How can you have a decent Christmas without a decent Christmas tree?
The sun on the top of our Christmas tree.
Fear not! We have great Christmas trees. We just don’t adorn them with pretend snow, flocking, and tinsel. A plain ol’ conifer was good enough for Baby Jesus, and it’s good enough for us, by golly!
Technically that’s a Beach Tree, right?
Okay, some folks break the mold and throw on a few decorations they bought at the last minute from Vons. Here in San Diego, we are accommodating of all beliefs and traditions, no matter how strange they seem to us.
Out and About on Christmas Day
So, what do we do on Christmas Day if we aren’t huddled around a fire, fending off frostbite? We go to all the cool places!
De plane, de plane!
The Hotel Del Coronado is a great place to visit on Christmas day. Notice how dull and overcast it is in this photograph? That’s how you know you are in the dead of winter in San Diego. 😐
Awwwwww!
Hotel Del has many fun places to see and to pose for photographs. Notice how the folks in the background are bundled up against the cold weather. Brrrrrrrr.
Trying to stay warm on Christmas.
Every so often, we must stop for a short rest. The cold saps your strength, you know…
Mallards enjoying the lily pond.
Balboa Park is always fun to visit. We are told that, in some parts of the world, water such as shown here will freeze in winter, similar to ice cubes from a freezer. Weird, huh?
Staying warm on Christmas day.
The festivities are in full swing on Christmas day. We are happy to join in the fun!
Getting in the Christmas spirit!
Of course, sometimes just a Santa hat won’t do. You need the full get-up. And the main fountain in Balboa Park is just the place to wear it.
Cheesecake time!
Santa’s sleigh is full of toys for all the good little girls and boys! I suspect this little girl won’t be getting any. Toys, that is. 😆
Taking liberties at Liberty Station.
The folks who run Liberty Station have a tree and have decorated it with snow. How quaint.
I can’t elf myself.
Lest we forget, Christmas isn’t Christmas without the hard work of Santa’s unpaid laborers, the elves.
The strong have to protect the sweet.
Nothing says “Christmas” like a pretend sweet shop. God bless.
I never promised this!
The Balboa Park rose garden is in full bloom with red Christmas roses.
Life is a beach on Christmas.
In case you weren’t already jolly from being in a Santa hat, you can wear a top that expresses your feelings in abundance!
Celebrating the death of Jesus on Jesus’ birthday.
Mount Helix, which is more of a hill, just needs a hat and happiness to turn it into a Christmas miracle!
A more intimate Christmas day.
But if the noise and crowds of Hotel Del Coronado, Balboa Park, and Liberty Station are too much, you can always find a quiet park where you can contemplate the meaning of Christmas.
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…
We don’t have snow in San Diego, so we have to use our Photoshop skills to make pretend snow on the stairs. Brrrr! Baby, it’s cold outside!
Dancing for Jesus.
It is well documented that Jesus was a professional dancer before the stress and endless partying convinced him to be a savior. We honor him with dance on his birthday.
Happy birthday, Jesus!
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without hats. Remember that.
Hmmmm, careful where you point that thing.
As long as you are wearing your Santa hat, enjoy the sugary goodness of a candy cane which, while not invented by Jesus, would certainly have been eaten by him, had we discovered how to make such things way back then.
I put the “Ho” in Ho, Ho, Ho!
A Santa hat does not need to be red. Oh, no. Pink works just as well, as does any other color. It’s more in the attitude of the wearer than in the color of the hat.
Beads are very important, even when you are not at Mardi Gras!
A warm fire and a warm woman makes everyone happy!
Edo bri’cho o rish d’shato brich’to!
God bless us, every one!
