West Seattle, Washington
21 Sunday
(WSB file photo)
That’s the highest-elevation Christmas tree in Seattle, yards away from the highest elevation in the city (520′), outside Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church on the southeast corner of 35th SW and SW Myrtle. One week from tonight, you’re invited to OLG’s annual “Light Up the Night” celebration, where the tree is lit along with the shrubs outside the sanctuary. You can sing Christmas carols with OLG students and guest musicians, and bring nonperishable food to fill the sleigh in the lobby of the Walmesley Center across Myrtle from the tree. Plus: Pizza for sale, kids’ craft tables, story time with Santa, and hot chocolate and cookies.It all starts at 6 pm Friday, December 5.
The Kiwanis Club of West Seattle‘s main mission is to support local youth – including local Scout troops and Key Clubs at local high schools. One way to help them do that is to buy tickets for their annual holiday Pancake Breakfast, coming up December 6 (one week from tomorrow, with Santa photos as part of the deal). Another way: Bid in their online auction, with items up for grabs including shopping sprees at West Seattle businesses. The auction is open now and you can bid by going here! You can also buy Pancake Breakfast tickets at the Kiwanis’s booth at the south end of the West Seattle Farmers’ Market this Sunday – 10 am-2 pm, California/Alaska. (WSB is a community co-sponsor of the Pancake Breakfast.)
For Metro, today is Mark McLaughlin Day, a tribute to the driver murdered on the job on the day after Thankgiving in 1998, including a 4 pm moment of remembrance for drivers if they can stop safely. Here’s the system alert:
Metro bus service will pause for a moment of reflection and remembrance for transit operator Mark McLaughlin at 4 pm today.
Metro operators will honor the legacy of operator Mark McLaughlin, who died tragically while driving Route 359 in 1998. Operators throughout the system will pause for a moment of silence at 4 pm today to honor Mr. McLaughlin. Operators participating in the annual remembrance will stop only where and when it is safe to do so. Operators will not pause service if they are traveling on highways or on roadways where there is no place to safely pull over.
This Metro Matters post from two years ago has the backstory.
The “then” (above) and “now” (below) photos are from Mountain to Sound Outfitters (WSB sponsor) proprietor Greg Whittaker, accompanying this message of gratitude as the shop at 3602 SW Alaska marks its 16th anniversary:
We wanted to say a big Thank You! to West Seattle for supporting our ski and snowboard shop for 16 Years. Thanksgiving Day 2009, it was a herculean effort to put the final pieces in place as we opened our doors for the first time. We ran home at 6:00 pm to shovel some turkey in our mouths, then came back, cracked open some cold brews, and finished all the final pieces of the puzzle as we opened our doors for the first time on Black Friday 2009, finishing early in the morning of our opening. Friends, family, and the core ski and snowboarders came out and helped us celebrate. We are still here and ready to serve our community of riders. Pray for snow and keep on coming back for services, rentals, gear, and stoke!
As noted in our West Seattle Holiday Guide, M2S is also having a 16-percent-off Black Friday/anniversary sale. Shop hours are 10 am-6 pm today and every day except Sundays, when M2S is open 11 am-5 pm. (And online 24/7!)
Not only is Thunder Road Guitars (6400 California SW; WSB sponsor) having a Black Friday/Small Business Saturday-weekend sale – 20 percent off many items – and giveaway, they also have a reason for you to visit today even if music is not (yet) on your shopping list: What might be Puget Sound’s most-famous food truck is out front until 2 pm today! This year the Dick’s Drive-Ins burger-and-shakes truck is selling to everyone, not just TRG customers. More info about the sale is on the Thunder Road website (where you also can shop if you can’t get to their store).
Thunder Road proprietor Frank Gross and crew hope to see you this weekend! (No purchase necessary to enter the giveaway drawing – just stop by the store by Sunday, as the drawing is happening Sunday night.)
(WSB photos: Above, peninsula’s first tree arrivals, at West Seattle Nursery in mid-November)
Though some tree sellers started early – West Seattle Nursery (5275 California SW; WSB sponsor) had some when we covered their Open House two weeks ago, and the inventory has increased since! – today is the traditional start of Christmas tree season. Returning this year, as reported here earlier this month, Tony’s Trees at 35th SW and SW Barton:
Proprietor Anthony Morella says he’s a relative of the Genzale family, which had a tree lot here until last year (not to mention the renowned produce stand).
Tony’s is the southernmost West Seattle tree lot. The northernmost is Trees By The Sea, back at 2536 Alki SW this year, the spot that holds Wheel Fun Rentals during the warmer months:
Trees By The Sea’s Tiffany just told us their hours while the trees last will be 10-8 Fridays (though they opened at 8 today), 8-8 Saturdays, 8-7 Sundays, noon-7 Mondays-Thursdays. Also back this year, the Holy Rosary School Tree Lot:
It’s on the north side of the school, next to the playground, and a percentage of proceeds goes to nonprofits. Other tree sellers in West Seattle and White Center include hardware stores – Junction Hardware (44th SW and SW Edmunds), McLendon Hardware in White Center, and The Home Depot (Delridge Way SW and SW Orchard). Some years there are pop-ups – there was one at the Farmers’ Market, for example – so if you see a tree lot we haven’t mentioned, please let us know! (And we’ll keep updating the list in our West Seattle Holiday Guide.)
(No, not decorations – that’s 1.5 mm Craterium Minutum on a twig, photographed by Rosalie Miller)
Shop local! Enjoy the sunshine! Here’s what’s happening today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Guide:
‘WE AIN’T BUYING IT’ DEMONSTRATION: West Seattle Indivisible was planning to demonstrate outside Westwood Village Target until 10 am. (2800 SW Barton)
FREE INDOOR PLAY: “Stay and Play” is open 10 am-11:30 am at Arbor Heights Community Church (4113 SW 102nd), with toys for the little ones and coffee for their chaperones.
DUWAMISH LONGHOUSE NATIVE ART MARKET: This is your first annual chance to buy from Native artists and crafters the weekend after Thanksgiving. 10 am-5 pm each day through Sunday. Food vendors too. And parking on both sides of WMW. (4705 West Marginal Way SW)
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER The center is open for plant-shopping Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
DICK’S DRIVE-IN TRUCK & SALE AT THUNDER ROAD GUITARS: 11 am-2 pm, the Dick’s Drive-In burgers-and-shakes truck is at Thunder Road Guitars (6400 California SW; WSB sponsor) as the shop launches its megasale (store opens 10 am)!
OTHER LOCAL SHOPPING SPOTLIGHTS: See the “Shopping Spotlights” section of the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide!
BLACK FRIDAY LOCAL MARKET: Shop small and local at Tim’s Tavern in White Center, noon-6 pm. (16th SW & SW 98th)
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Visit the Log House Museum (61st/Stevens) to learn about local history – open noon-4 pm today.
QI-GONG: Natalia‘s Friday sessions are 12:30-1 pm at La Choza (10401 47th SW).
TASTING ROOM AND WINE BAR: Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) is open 5-9 pm Fridays. Stop in to sip, or buy a bottle.
COFFEEHOUSE MUSIC: 6-8 pm, Whateverly Brothers at C & P Coffee. (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor)
FREE TEEN SWIM: 6-7 pm at Southwest Pool (2801 SW Thistle), free swim session for ages 13=18.
LIVE AT EASY STREET: 7 pm, Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter, celebrating their Record Store Black Friday release, free, all ages. (4559 California SW)
SPINNING: DJ Vitamin D at Revelry Room (4547 California SW), 9 pm.
‘MAKE IT LOUD’ SKATING:Tonight, Skate-araoke with Baby Ketten Karaoke – 9 pm at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW). 21+. $20 cover/$5 skates.
If you have something to showcase on our event lists or calendar, please email what/when/where/etc. info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(West Seattle Junction traffic cam. Shop local!)
6:01 AM: Good morning! It’s the day after Thanksgiving – Friday, November 28, 2025 – check our West Seattle Holiday Guide for seasonal info!
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
The forecast for today: Sunny, high in the low 50s. Sunrise will be at 7:33 am; sunset will be at 4:21 pm.
SCHOOLS TODAY
Closed.
TRANSIT TODAY AND TOMORROW
Washington State Ferries – The Triangle Route is on the three-boat schedule, with M/V Cathlamet, M/V Kittitas, and M/V Sealth. Vessel Watch will show you which boat is where; ferry alerts will update with any changes. Regular schedule today.
Metro buses – Back to regular weekday schedule and routes.
Water Taxi – regular West Seattle service, fall/winter schedule.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the view looking west. Also note, maritime-opening info is again available via X (ex-Twitter):
1st Avenue South Bridge:
Delridge cameras: In addition to the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see this WSB page.
See a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
Over the next four weeks, holiday music will ring out abundantly around West Seattle. One big event this weekend: The Byrd Ensemble‘s “Ceremony of Carols“ vocal concert, 8 pm Saturday (November 29) at Holy Rosary Catholic Church (42nd SW and SW Genesee) – here’s the summary:
Join the Byrd Ensemble for an English Christmas program featuring Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols and Gustav Holst’s Four Old English Carols, with harpist Elizabeth Landis. Accompanying these classics are Christmas motets by Renaissance composers William Byrd and Thomas Tallis.
The Byrd Ensemble, under artistic director Markdavin Obenza, is sponsoring WSB right now and offering a 30 percent discount for tickets to Saturday’s concert if you use the code WSBLOG when you check out – go here.
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