That’s one of two sites in the heart of The Junction where you can tap into Hometown Holidays activities till 4 pm today (and again noon-4 the next two Sundays) – HH HQ at California/Alaska in front of KeyBank. There you’ll find info and items on sale including Junction T-shirts and wreaths and candy on behalf of Pathfinder K-8 – sixth graders Stella and Shea are selling “Chocolate for China” to help pay for the class trip next summer:

Also from that spot, you can hop aboard the mule-drawn carriage – the mules are getting a lot of love:

From there, venture northeast across Walk-All-Ways to the storefront east of Cupcake Royale, where you’ll find Santa – posing here with West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival Junior Court Princess Kaitlin:

There’s a suggested $10 donation for Santa pix taken by professional photographer Donna Ryan (goes to local nonprofits). They’d taken about 30 photos in the first hour today but there was no wait when we went by. If you need someplace to get out of the cold, there’s a corner with kids’ crafts:

And the business that used to inhabit the storefront, Swee Swee Paperie (alive and well online!), is hosting a gift-wrap stand there too – gorgeous gift wrap’s free with a $50+ purchase from participating Junction businesses:

Again, this is all happening in The Junction till 4 today, noon-4 pm the next two Sundays (except the mules are skipping next Sunday); many stores have special events too – at CAPERS till 3 pm today, for example, celeb chef Kathy Casey is signing her latest book “Sips and Apps.” Next Hometown Holidays event: Thursday night’s West Seattle Art Walk, 6-9 pm, is also a Shop Late event – we’ll have details as the week goes on. (The Art Walk, as always, stretches to venues all over West Seattle as well – full list here.)