By the time hundreds of West Seattleites gather for the Community Tree Lighting at Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska, photo above) at 5 tonight – emceed by Marty Riemer, featuring music by the Endolyne Children’s Choir – hours and hours of holiday fun, shopping, and helping will already be history. This morning, though, it’s all ahead: Two local service clubs are up VERY early this morning for signature holiday-season events – the Rotary Club of West Seattle gathers at SODO Sears at 6 to get ready to help local kids in the annual Holiday Shopping Spree (not a public event but you can help by donating here) … The Kiwanis Club of West Seattle invites you to the Alki Masonic Hall (40th/Edmunds) 7 am-11 am for its 64th annual Pancake Breakfast, with Santa Claus, West Seattle Hi-Yu royalty, and of course the famous fresh flapjacks … At 9 am, the Admiral Neighborhood Association hits the street for its quarterly Adopt-A-Street cleanup; be at Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) to enjoy complimentary coffee and treats first … 11 am-1 pm, the new Fire Station 37 (35th/Holden) opens its doors for an open house, including dedication of its curiosity-piquing artwork “Lifter” … Sidesaddle Cowboy and The Danged play Poggie Tavern tonight, 9 pm-1 am, in a benefit for West Seattle Food Bank (bring donations) … And outside West Seattle but involving locals, if you can help: Load a container of Ghana-bound bicycles, 9 am-5 pm at Ecolights NW, details and directions here< Then, there are the sales, bazaars, open houses, Santa .... See the WSB West Seattle Holidays page for full details. but in short, the long list includes: More than 30 vendors at Highland Park Elementary, 10 am-3 pm (bring a food-bank donation for a free raffle ticket), plus a fundraising rummage sale … St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church Arts & Crafts Co-Operative Holiday Sale, bring a food-bank donation, 10 am-3 pm in the parish hall (Spokane/42nd) … Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation‘s 1st annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Show in the social hall, 10 am-4 pm (California/Othello) … Affordable Art Sale at Alki Bathhouse, 10 am-2 pm … CAPERS‘ 26th annual holiday open house, noon-4 pm … Merrill Gardens at West Seattle on 35th (WSB sponsor) kicks off the holiday season 2-4 pm with fun from Santa photos to candy-making and kids’ holiday movies … West Seattle Family Zone hosts a WS Entrepreneur Show at 4502 California SW in The Junction, noon-2 pm … Holiday High Tea at Blue Willow Luncheonette, 11 am and 1 pm seatings, 206-938-0988 to see if reservations remain … Santa’s in the house at Westwood Village, noon-4 pm (bring food-bank donations, diapers are being collected for WestSide Baby, too) … South Park Arts‘ “Art Under $100,” more details here – 4-10 pm (8201 10th Avenue South) … And West Seattle’s two holiday theater productions continue tonight: “A Tuna Christmas” at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, and “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” by Twelfth Night Productions (WSB sponsor) at Kenyon Hall.