West Seattle Blog…

Video: Year of the Dragon welcomed at Vietnamese Cultural Center

The Vietnamese Cultural Center in West Seattle welcomes visitors every Saturday afternoon (noon-3 pm), but this afternoon was special – a New Year celebration, with lion dance and firecrackers, as you can see (and hear!) in our video, welcoming the Year of the Dragon. Before their fiery performance, members of the Au Lac Vovinam Lion Dance Team – based in High Point, not far from the Vietnamese Cultural Center – gathered to prepare:

This was a busy day for the team; they also performed at a shop in White Center (as reported on our partner site White Center Now). Awaiting their appearance in West Seattle were spectators including veterans who fought for Vietnam’s freedom and are fixtures at the center’s events:

Two weeks ago, the Cultural Center dedicated a new monument to fallen heroes. And in the background of this photo taken during the dance, you can see both the statue of 13th-century hero General Tran Hung Dao, and the new structure built nearby to complement the statue.

It was under construction when we covered last year’s New Year celebration. You’re invited to visit the center next (or any) Saturday, noon-3 pm, 2236 SW Orchard.

Volunteer sorters help WestSide Baby on MLK Day of Service

Despite the weather concerns, some did still put in a Day of Service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Monday – including these volunteers at WestSide Baby. Christy shared the photos, saying the volunteers helped sort donated items including “carseats, clothing, toys, books, layettes, blankets, baby bottles, and of course new disposable diapers, for distribution to King County families in need through over 90 local agencies and charities.” Here’s their group shot for posterity:

WestSide Baby is one of the hard-working local nonprofits that can use volunteer help and donations year-round. (And – are you attending next month’s benefit WestSide Baby Tea?)

West Seattle weekend scene: Tree recycling with the Rainbow Girls

You have one more hour to get over to the Alki Masonic Hall parking lot – which is actually in The Junction, at 40th/Edmunds – with that Christmas tree you just didn’t quite get out with this week’s yard waste – the West Seattle Rainbow Girls will be there till 2 pm, taking trees for a suggested $5 donation. We photographed Crystal, Zoe, and Darian just as the truck from Branching Out Tree Service arrived to start turning the recycled trees into wood chips/mulch. This is the fifth year the Rainbow Girls have had a treecycling fundraiser (and it’s two locations this time around – part of the group is over at Southgate Masonic Hall in Burien).

West Seattle holiday postscript: Light-show generosity

(WSB photo from the show’s first night of this past holiday season, November 26, 2011)
The music-synched Helmstetler Family Christmas Lights Spectacular is dark till next November, but mastermind Jim Winder has a postscript – a final report on the donations made by visitors/fans:

Thank You West Seattle for another great Season of Giving

TOTAL GIVING FOR 2011!! $2960.86

$1200 for the Dr. Ed Kingston Memorial Fund
$865.43 for Northwest Parkinson Foundation
$895.43 for the West Seattle Food Bank

PLUS
1433 lbs of food

If you just can’t wait till next holiday season – there’s already a countdown calendar on the show’s official site!

West Seattle Christmas-tree recycling: Here’s how to do it

Unless you are keeping your tree up through the Epiphany – or oh, say, the Super Bowl – it’s go-time. So here are some reminders about tree-cycling, if you haven’t accomplished it already. Via the city – this is your second and final week to tree-cycle for free. (From Seattle Public Utilities:

(Curbside residential pickup:) Trees must be trimmed to 6 feet or shorter. Trim branches to less than four feet to fit into the collection trucks. Bundle each section with sisal string or twine (not plastic). Decorated, flocked and plastic trees are not recyclable and will be charged as extra garbage.

At Apartments – One tree may be placed next to each food/yard waste cart at no extra charge each collection day.

At Recycling & Disposal Stations – Clean trees can be taken for free (see hours and locations). Trees should not exceed eight feet in length and must be free of decoration. Trunks should not exceed four inches in diameter. The stations will accept up to three trees per vehicle.

The station closest to West Seattle is the South Transfer Station in South Park.

One more option – a local nonprofit youth group has a tree-cycling event next weekend: The West Seattle Rainbow Girls will hold their fifth annual Christmas tree recycle fundraiser Saturday (January 7) at the Alki Masonic Hall, 4736 40th SW, 10 am-2 pm. Suggested donation $5. No flocked trees. For more information, contact Jan Hunter at 206-849-7906. (The Rainbow Girls are also one of two groups with tree-cycling fundraisers in Burien next weekend; if you’re interested in that info, it’s in our White Center Now tree-cycling roundup.)

Video: West Seattle’s 2012 Polar Bear Swim on Alki … plus one

Here’s one good sign for the year ahead: The hale and hardy of West Seattle, White Center, and environs were graced with sunshine for the second consecutive New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim on Alki (after two preceding years under cloud cover). Of course, as evidenced on the beach this morning, it’s not the weather – it’s more about the chance to, shall we say, chill with friends – like this group identifying themselves as the “Dunkins“:

And this one, the “Libres“:

Then there was the pirate, and friend …

No costume for organizer Mark Ufkes, just a big smile:

And as the crowd (biggest one we’ve ever seen!) lined the beach, ready to run into Puget Sound, one guy went first – everybody else counted down, and ran in, shortly thereafter:

(added) And from the WSB Flickr group pool, Henrik‘s really-close-up view:

P.S. Turns out that wasn’t the only Polar Bear Swim today. Dave Meucci shared this video of his friends-and-family dip:

Though this year and last year had sunshine in common, the air temperatures were different – we noted it at “freezing” on New Year’s Day 2011, but at 10 am today, it was 48 degrees!

West Seattle New Year’s Day 2012: Swim, sip, stroll…

That’s our video from last year’s New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim on Alki, just in case you’re thinking about joining today’s swim but need a little reassurance that you won’t be alone. This year, at least, will be warmer – our 2011 story notes an air temperature in the 30s, and it’ll be in the 40s this time around. The swim is part of what’s on our list for this holiday:

WHO’S OPEN FOR COFFEE … Not an all-inclusive list but here’s who told us they definitely planned to be open: Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), 8 am-6 pm … Diva Espresso, open 8 am to 6 pm … Bird on a Wire, 10 am-2 pm … Caffe Delia (in Proletariat Pizza‘s WC storefront), 9 am- 1 pm … Red Cup Espresso open 9 am-3 pm … (added) C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor) open 10 am-2 pm

RESTAURANTS … You won’t likely have much trouble finding places that are open, but several did let us know they definitely are open, and the list is on the West Seattle Holidays page (which goes back on hiatus after today, till next November!).

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET CLOSED for the holiday, but it’ll be back next Sunday (January 8th).

SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY … branches closed today.

POLAR BEAR SWIM … Jump/run/wade into Puget Sound from Alki, across from Duke’s/Christo’s, 10 am (here’s the announcement).

NEW YEAR’S DAY WALK … Emerald City Wanderers is sponsoring a New Year’s Day walk, starting between 9 am and 1 pm, 5- or 10-kilometer route, free. Starts from St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, 3050 California SW.

Happy 2012 to you! West Seattle’s Space Needle fireworks view

2011 again brought immense joy as another year of collaborating with you to cover our community – and 2012 is off and running that way too. Thanks to David Hutchinson for the first shared-via-WSB photos of the Space Needle 2011-2012 New Year’s fireworks, as seen from Duwamish Head.

When KING posts the fireworks video, we’ll add a link here.

Video: Highland Park’s 3rd annual ‘Not-So-Silent’ New Year’s Eve

Story and video by Randall G. Hauk
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

More than 90 participants of all ages kicked off tonight’s Highland Park New Year’s Blast (and Potluck!) by marching in the Not-So-Silent Night Parade.

Armed with assorted noise-making devices and papier-maché lanterns, children and adults set out from the Highland Park Improvement Club on a several-block march through the surrounding neighborhood, stopping traffic and bringing people out onto their front porches and yards to exchange shouted wishes for a “Happy New Year.”

Dan Mullins served as a sort of de-facto grand marshal of the procession, with tonight marking the third annual New Year’s Eve noise-making march, though he noted that the neighborhood has been gathering for community events on the last day of the year for 91 years.

Awaiting the group in the parking lot of the club afterward was another relatively new tradition for the holiday: the “Sage Comet.”

Former Cirque de Flambé member Chris Huson was joined by Rory Denovan in a fireball-twirling display, adding a bit of heat to the chilly evening air.

Wearing kilts as a nod to the tradition’s Scottish “Hogmanay” roots, the men spun flaming wire cages in large circles around them. Despite the name given the event, “Sage Comet,” it was bits of Christmas trees and rosemary set aflame by another Cirque alum, known only as “Tricky Bunny.”

Keeping with the family-orientation of the evening, Huson and Denovan were attended by their wives — Kristin Huson and Becca Fong –donning black robes and holding tall torches in front of the gathered crowd, lending an air of ritual to the proceedings.

Once the flames had burned out, revellers were invited back into the club for a potluck dinner and a night of live music from four bands, promising to carry the festivities securely into 2012.

With a solid attendance already on hand for the early part of the night, HPIC secretary Julie Schickling expected as many as 150 people might attend throughout the evening.

West Seattle Saturday: Counting down the hours till 2012

Paul Swortz added that photo to the WSB Flickr group pool back in October, but it seems more evocative of the New Year’s Eve party mood as people start staking out Harbor Avenue viewpoints for tonight’s Space Needle fireworks. Here’s what else is on the schedule as the New Year approaches:

TAKE A WALK: The Emerald City Wanderers have New Year’s Eve and Day walks planned here in West Seattle again this year; tonight, start between 4 and 7 PM at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church and head down to Alki Beach. Free! More info on the ECW website.

CLOSING EARLY: Not all-inclusive, but a few that we’ve heard about/found … Seattle Public Library facilities close at 6 pm (and are closed tomorrow); state liquor stores are open till 8 pm; PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor) close at 10 tonight, open 9 am-7 pm tomorrow …

NEW YEAR’S EVE DINNER – multiple restaurants listed on the WSB West Seattle Holidays page (and if you have trouble finding contact info for any other West Seattle restaurant, consult its page in the WSB Restaurant Guide, where we also have linked its Facebook and/or Twitter pages if they have ‘em).

NEW YEAR’S EVE NOT-SO-SILENT NIGHT PARADE, AND HIGHLAND PARK IMPROVEMENT CLUB PARTY: Gather starting at 6:15 pm in the Highland Park Improvement Club parking lot at 11th/Holden; the parade is at 6:30, party following – full details here.

NEW YEAR’S EVE BASH AT MENCHIE’S FROZEN YOGURT: 7 pm-11 pm: Balloons, coloring contest, games, party-room raffle (1 raffle ticket with each purchase), pictures with Menchie & other surprises – facebook.com/menchiesadmiral.

NEW YEAR’S EVE BURLESQUE: At Skylark Café and Club, 8 pm. Facebook event page has more.

LOTS MORE NEW YEAR’S EVE BAR/LOUNGE PARTIES – listed on the WSB West Seattle Holidays page

FIREWORKS AT THE SPACE NEEDLE: Just in case you’re new in town, if you can find a spot with a view of the Space Needle, you can enjoy the eight-minute fireworks show at … no, not midnight, the Needle reminds you via Twitter, 11:59 pm. But don’t wait till the last minute. And please note that traffic along Harbor Avenue, pretty much all the way up to Alki, is generally absolute gridlock late in the evening, so don’t wait till the last minute to go look for a spot (we speak from experience).

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT THE HELMSTETLER FAMILY SPECTACULAR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SHOW: Want to catch it one more time? Free cocoa tonight, as mentioned a couple weeks back. Official website with directions and lots more info, here.

WANT TO TAKE OUT THE CHRISTMAS TREE? If you just can’t wait till next week’s pickup, you can take it for free to the South Transfer Station. Details on the Seattle Public Utilities website.

Countdown to West Seattle New Year’s Eve 2011-2012

(Photo by Jillian, from New Year’s Eve 2009-2010)
We’ve added more local New Year’s Eve restaurant dinners and bar/lounge parties to the list on the WSB West Seattle Holidays page (which also has a few outdoor special events for all ages to mark the turning of the calendar). Wanted to put out the call one last time for restaurants/bars/coffee shops to share not only “special” New Year’s plans but also hours for New Year’s Day if they’re going to be open – just e-mail us, editor@westseattleblog.com. (Some already have, and we’re continuing to pull that out of e-mail – thanks!)

West Seattle Crime Watch followup: Stolen decorations found

Several WSB’ers reported decoration thefts this holiday season, but the one reported a week ago by Cyndi and Steve was an especially tough tale, as they’re in mourning and only put decorations out for the neighbors. Earlier this evening, they sent a happier postscript:

I just wanted to let everybody know that our Christmas decorations were returned to us this afternoon. They were found in a hedge in the Alki area and Bridget returned them to us after reading the blog. Once again the wonderful people of West Seattle came through to help their neighbors.

West Seattle New Year’s Eve/Day: 3 outdoor celebrations

This morning’s inbox included a question about “family-friendly” ways to celebrate the New Year. In other words – what’s up besides the bar (etc.) parties? Here are three things — all outdoors — from the WSB West Seattle Holidays page:

NEW YEAR’S EVE ‘NOT-SO-SILENT NIGHT’ PARADE: As previewed here last week, this will be the third annual edition of the cheery noisemaking neighborhood walk, and having covered the first two (our video above is from a year ago), we can tell you it’s an all-ages event, and a whole lot of fun, from the first steps to the Start gathering in the parking lot outside the historic Highland Park Improvement Club HQ (where the “Sage Comet” finale outside and a NYE party inside will follow) at 6:15, 11th/Holden.

NEW YEAR’S EVE/DAY WALKS: You’re invited to join the Emerald City Wanderers on walks providing “a healthy and entertaining way to bid adieu to 2011 and welcome to 2012. And, there’ll be good, hot soup to warm you up afterward.” Both start from St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church at 3050 California SW – time’s flexible; start between 4 and 7 on New Year’s Eve, between 9 am and 1 pm on New Year’s Day. (The full announcement is on the Holidays page, along with e-mail addresses for questions, or see the brochure on the ECW website.)

NEW YEAR’S DAY POLAR-BEAR SWIM: It’s not January 1st without a chance to jump into Puget Sound and symbolically wash away the old year. Last year (photo above), we even found “Elvis”!

Who knows who might turn up this time? As per the announcement published here last week, it’s happening on Sunday morning at 10 am on Alki, across from Duke’s/Christos.

We’re still collecting events – like these, and special restaurant/bar events too – for the Holidays page; let us know what’s up!

West Seattle scene: ‘What Santa does the day after Christmas’

That’s how April Long captioned this photo she took from Alki, and shared via e-mail, this morning.

West Seattle Christmas Day 2011: Where to find coffee

Not an all-inclusive list, but another combination of what we found online plus what we received after publishing an open invitation to share info:

HOTWIRE ONLINE COFFEEHOUSE (WSB sponsor) open 8 am-2 pm
RED CUP ESPRESSO 8 am-noon
DIVA ESPRESSO 8 am-1 pm.
TULLY’S ON ALKI open till 3 pm
CHACO CANYON CAFE open till 10:30 am for coffee and tea (no food or juices)
FRESHY’S COFFEE opening at 8:30 am, open till 2-ish
CAFFE DELIA (in the Proletariat Pizza storefront in White Center) open 9 am-1 pm
CAFFE LADRO open till noon
(added) UPTOWN ESPRESSO/JUNCTION is open (noticed while driving by)
(added) STARBUCKS/ADMIRAL is open, per comment below

Anybody else you’ve found that’s open today? Post a comment and we’ll add to the list.

LOOKING FOR AN OPEN GROCERY STORE? There are five, all in this list we published previously.

LOOKING FOR RESTAURANTS? See the Holidays page.

West Seattle Christmas lights: Three displays in Admiral

Merry Christmas! We’re suddenly running out of holiday time to show you the great displays people have sent tips about, so this time around we have three, all in the greater Admiral area – two from tips, one that we spotted near a tipped location. Above, the red-and-green-lit skyline is in the yard that every Halloween is transformed into the stage for the amazing animatronics of Skeleton Theatre, 36th/Hanford (thanks to the person who texted us about it today). Not even a full block south, we found this home, where the lights (adorning its side as well as its front) are even grander than our photo suggests:

And then a mile west, we checked out a cute sight – a candy cane in lights, on and in a tree in the 2700 block of 48th SW:

All three are now added to this year’s WSB West Seattle Christmas Lights map.

West Seattle holiday music: Bronwyn Edwards’ cantata

If you’ve already heard “Jingle Bells,” “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” and “Little Drummer Boy” so many times you are afraid you won’t get them out of your head before Valentine’s Day … here’s something a little different. Two weeks ago, Fauntleroy Church music director Bronwyn Edwards‘ cantata “Wonder” premiered at the church. We didn’t get a chance to check out the performance – but someone recorded much of it on video and published clips to YouTube. One clip is above; if you click on the lower right to get to its page on YouTube, you’ll find a few others. (As noted on her website, Edwards has spent the holiday season playing piano at Sea-Tac Airport!)

No tree yet? A few freebies left outside West Seattle Nursery

West Seattle Nursery sent word earlier tonight that its leftover trees were free for the taking outside its gates at California/Brandon – and we noticed several still there when we drove by about 15 minutes ago, just in case you are trying to find one.

West Seattle holiday giving: Carolers’ thanks

From Judy Cashman, one of the carolers who serenaded The Junction these past two Saturdays:

Hello to our wonderful West Seattle neighbors – so generous in the many ways we pitch in and help! And to the Best folks at the Food Banks who are so needed!  I guess we realize that there but for the grace of God go I!

Today we sang carols on a corner in the Junction, and made over $500 all going to our West Seattle and White Center Food Banks, This in addition to the $500 we made last weekend for the Food Banks – all proceeds going to our WS neighbors! :-)

Thanks to all who helped out – you who gave, and sang along, and encouraged and cheered with smiles and waves, horn honks and donations of treats even!

Special thanks to Anna and Mike on guitar, and to the SSCC community choir folks who helped “We 3 Carolers” sing – we couldn’t have done it without you!  

I especially want to thank my husband Tim, guitarist and leader of the Band – we have met the most wonderful people thanks to your music!
Love to you all, Judy

West Seattle Christmas Eve shopping: No need to get malled!

Please note, this is NOT a list of the only shops still open – it IS a list made from a combination of businesses’ responses to the open invitations we published here on WSB/Web and WSB/Facebook to share info about Christmas Eve/Day hours, and online info we were able to find for others. Shop local today and year-round! These are hours for TODAY (Christmas Eve) unless otherwise noted. Please click the links to check their websites for addresses and other contact info – we’re running out of time to go out and finish OUR shopping so no time to add all that too. If you have info for a store not on this list, let us know ASAP and we’ll do our best to add it – meantime, grocery stores are listed here; and for other things, our Holidays page has LOTS more info, including restaurants/bars/coffee (whose standalone list will be up later.):

AARON’S BICYCLE SHOP till 6 pm
AGAIN AND A GAIN till 5 pm
ALKI ARTS till 7 pm
ALKI MAIL AND DISPATCH till 2 pm
ATOMIC BOYS till 3 pm – coupon here
AVALON GLASSWORKS till 2 pm
BEER JUNCTION till 3 pm
CAPERS till 4 pm
CITY MOUSE STUDIO AND STORE till 4 pm
CLICK! DESIGN THAT FITS (WSB sponsor) till 5 pm
JUNCTION TRUEVALUE HARDWARE till 4 pm
McLENDON HARDWARE till 6 pm
MOUNTAIN TO SOUND OUTFITTERS till 4 pm
NORTHWEST ART AND FRAME till 5 pm
NURTURING EXPRESSIONS (WSB sponsor) till 2 pm
PHARMACA INTEGRATIVE PHARMACY (WSB sponsor) till 6 pm – coupon here
SNEAKERY till 5 pm
TWILIGHT ARTIST COLLECTIVE till 4 pm
WEST SEATTLE CELLARS

We have some service providers with Christmas hours too –
M3 BODYWORKS (WSB sponsor) massage therapy till 9 pm Christmas Eve, noon-9 pm Christmas Day – coupon here
HEAD TO TOE DAY SPA (WSB sponsor) till 3 pm
COCO & CO. till 3 pm

Check to see if any other stores you’re shopping have deals in the WSB Holiday Shopping Guide, or on the year-round WSB Coupons page.

West Seattle holiday help: 2 food-bank benefits tonight

(WSB photo of donation bin @ Helmstetler lights location, November 2011)
Though most holiday-geared donation drives are wrapped up before Christmas Eve, here are two things you can do tonight to help local food banks:

BENEFIT SHOW FOR WHITE CENTER FOOD BANK: Ann just sent word of a benefit tonight at the Shipwreck Tavern “featuring several bands including Death’s 3 Daughters, Maurice and His Thing, Ian Prebo, and Lasla. Starts at 8 pm, no cover charge but bring food or cash donations for the food bank. Shipwreck is located at 4210 SW Admiral Way.”

BRING WEST SEATTLE FOOD BANK DONATIONS TO THE HELMSTETLER FAMILY SPECTACULAR: They’ve been collecting all season, including a donation bin right in front of the music-synched-lights-adorned house at 3908 SW Charlestown, and tonight/tomorrow night you’ll be offered free cocoa if you stop by. Here’s our original story on that.

West Seattle churches’ Christmas Eve/Day 2011 services

(Photo courtesy Alki UCC)
Alki United Church of Christ sent that photo along with an announcement of its “semi-spontaneous all-church Christmas pageant” 10 am tomorrow at 6115 SW Hinds: “Come as you are, or come dressed as an angel, shepherd or magi. Or grab something from the church costume racks when you arrive (though kids get first dibs!).” That’s one of the announcements we received after posting requests for church info; we also combed the Web, and here’s the result – a list of services tonight/tomorrow at West Seattle churches. For some of these churches, we have even more information on the WSB Holidays page, but here are the basics, in alphabetical order:

ADMIRAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST (California/Hill):
Christmas Eve candlelight worship service with carols, 9 pm
Christmas Day, 10:30 am

ALKI UCC CHURCH (6112 SW Hinds):
Christmas Eve: 5 pm “designed for families with young children,” 10 pm candlelight service
Christmas Day: 10 am (as mentioned above)

ARBOR HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CHURCH (41st/102nd):
Christmas Day: 10 am

BETHANY COMMUNITY CHURCH-WEST SEATTLE (meets at High Point Community Center, 6920 34th SW; WSB sponsor)
Christmas Eve “family celebration”: 4 PM

EASTRIDGE CHURCH-WEST SEATTLE (39th/Oregon):
Christmas Eve: 5:30 pm
Christmas Day: 11 am

FAUNTLEROY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST (9140 California SW):
Christmas Eve: 4 pm children’s service, 7 pm all ages, 11 pm Communion service
Christmas Day: 10 am

FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH OF WEST SEATTLE (4105 California SW):
Christmas Eve: 11 pm, Liturgy of Lessons, Carols, and Holy Eucharist
Christmas Day: 10:30 am, Festival Liturgy and Holy Eucharist in the nave

HILLCREST PRESBYTERIAN (10404 34th SW):
Christmas Day – 11 am

HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH (20th/Roxbury):
Christmas Eve: Mass at 5 (English), 6:30 (Spanish), 9 pm (Tagalog)
Christmas Day: 8 & 11 am (English), 9:30 & 12:30 (Spanish), 6 pm (Tagalog)

HOLY ROSARY CATHOLIC CHURCH: (42nd/Genesee)
Christmas Eve: 4 pm, 7.30 pm, 10 pm
Christmas Day: 8 and 9.30 am

HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH (42nd/Oregon):
Christmas Eve: 5 pm family service, 7 pm contemporary, 11 pm candlelight Communion
Christmas Day: 10:30 am

LIFE CHURCH (35th/Cloverdale):
Christmas Eve: 6:30 pm

MARS HILL CHURCH-WEST SEATTLE (7551 35th SW):
Christmas Day: 10:30 am

NEW APOSTOLIC CHURCH (3210 SW 106th):
Christmas Day: 10:30 am

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH (35th/Myrtle):
Christmas Eve: 4 pm Family Mass, 10 pm Mass with choir
Christmas Day: 10 am morning Mass

PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH (39th/Thistle):
Christmas Eve: 5 pm family, 10 pm candlelight
Christmas Day: 10:30 am

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH (3050 California SW):
Christmas Eve: 5 pm Children’s Pageant/Eucharist, 10 pm Festival Eucharist
Christmas Day: 10 am Holy Eucharist

TIBBETTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (3940 41st SW; WSB sponsor):
Celtic Christmas Eve Service at 8 pm: Poems and carols from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. “The bagpipes will be playing, the candles glowing and the Christ Child will be carried through the congregation during the Christmas Hail.”
Christmas Day: 10 am

WEST SEATTLE BAPTIST CHURCH (4157 California SW):
Christmas Eve: 6:30 pm candle-lighting service

WEST SEATTLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH (42nd between Oregon and Genesee):
Christmas Eve: 6 pm in the activity center
Christmas Day: 9 am

WEST SEATTLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: (3601 California SW):
Christmas Eve: 5 pm family-friendly, 11 pm Communion
Christmas Day: 11 am

WESTSIDE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION (7141 California SW):
Christmas Eve: 5 pm “family-friendly” service including “Christmas in the Barn” pageant (you can participate if you choose) and candy-cane communion; 8 pm reception; 9 pm candlelight service
Christmas Day: 10:30 am

(Your church missing? That means no one e-mailed us AND we couldn’t find info online – but we’ll be happy to add it; please e-mail address, time/s, link if available, ASAP, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

West Seattle Christmas Eve 2011: A few notes

As we did on Friday with Christmas Eve/Day West Seattle grocery-store hours, we’re working right now to break out some key information into standalone lists for the home page – but in the meantime, the WSB West Seattle Holidays page contains info from church-service times to restaurant, coffee, and shopping hours, plus a few standalone events (including the Furry Faces/AARF “Wrap It Up” gift-wrapping event 2-7 pm at Beveridge Place Pub). And of course WSB is 24/7/365 … so in addition to holiday info, if news happens, you’ll find it here, and your news tips/photos/etc. are welcome as always.

West Seattle holiday scene: Neighborhood carolers

Random acts of holidayness! Thanks to Timothy for sharing video of the carolers who turned up in his neighborhood (Fairmount Park area) Friday night. (P.S. Not related to this that we know of, but from the WSB Holidays page, there are two scheduled caroling appearances in West Seattle today – 11 am-2 pm at California/Alaska in The Junction, and at Westwood Village, 11:30 am-1:30 pm.)

West Seattle Christmas lights: Whimsy in Westwood

Whimsical is the word that came to mind when we checked these out, on the recommendation of Thad – so much, we needed to take photos from two angles.

The house is on the west side of 32nd SW, south of SW Cloverdale – and that stretch of 32nd has several other nice displays. We’ve of course added it to the WSB West Seattle Christmas Lights map. Still a few more to check out before Christmas!

West Seattle holiday giving: Toy-drive thanks

Four weeks ago, we got word from Joan about a toy drive with a collection box at Husky Deli, to benefit kids in South Park. Tonight, Joan shares the news that “we did really well,” with local donations resulting in more than 250 presents, distributed at a party attended by more than 450 kids and 350 adults (that’s where the photos are from).

Joan wanted to publicly say “thanks” to everybody who helped out.

West Seattle grocery-store hours, Christmas Eve/Christmas Day

On the WSB West Seattle Holidays page, we are still collecting info on restaurant/bar/coffee hours for this weekend, as well as any and all local retailers open Christmas Eve for last-minute shoppers – but ONE category of information is now complete: Grocery-store hours, which are as follows:

METROPOLITAN MARKET (WSB sponsor): Closing 6 pm Christmas Eve; closed on Christmas Day
PCC NATURAL MARKETS (WSB sponsor): Closing 7 pm Christmas Eve; closed on Christmas Day
QFC/JUNCTION: Closing 6 pm Christmas Eve; open 8 am-4 pm Christmas Day
QFC/WESTWOOD: Closing 6 pm Christmas Eve; open 7 am-4 pm Christmas Day
SAFEWAY (all three): Closing 7 pm Christmas Eve; open 8 am-5 pm Christmas Day
WEST SEATTLE THRIFTWAY: Closing at 9 pm Christmas Eve; closed Christmas Day