West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays Selfies with Santa are a hot (and free) ticket today! We snapped a pic of Santa between families, with a line forming shortly after he was set up in the Holiday Room at noon. He’s there – in the Junction HQ building at 4210 SW Oregon, immediately east of Shadowland – until 3 pm. The Holiday Room also will be open for Santa-less DIY photos Monday-Friday (December 4-8), 3-7 pm, as featured in our West Seattle Holiday Guide – and if you’re looking for other Santa photo ops, there’s a full-season list in our guide too!

There it is – Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s giant tree, lit tonight just steps from Seattle’s highest point (520’ at Myrtle Reservoir Park). Half its lights went on after the countdown during OLG’s “Light Up the Night” celebration, and the rest soon followed. Our video also includes some of the Christmas songs sung by the Starry Crowns ensemble and OLG student choirs:

Brian Callanan served as emcee. A spirited crowd filled closed-for-the-occasion Myrtle Street:

After the tree lighting and caroling, the volunteer-powered celebration continued inside Walmesley Center, with cookies, cocoa, crafts, and a food drive:

Presiding from the stage – next to a giving tree – was Mr. Claus himself:

You can see the OLG tree – and other lights around the church/school campus – at 35th/Myrtle throughout the season. And the Starry Crowns, who led the caroling tonight, have a Christmas concert at the church one week from tonight, 7 pm Friday, December 8.

Another illuminating holiday event is getting closer – GLOWS (Glorious Lights of West Seattle), including the West Seattle Junction Christmas tree lighting and much more. Again this year, you’re invited to design and wear a costume of light that night (Saturday, December 9) – you can enter the costume contest and win a prize! Here’s the reminder from the West Seattle Junction Association:

The Junction is hosting its second annual Light Costume Contest as part of GLOWS – Glorious Lights of West Seattle. We want you to be a GLOWS! Start getting your costume together now. If you don’t have time, we will have lots of fun lighted apparel for you to purchase on site so don’t hesitate to show up unlit. Costume contest categories:

* Best Individual – $500
* Best Group – $500
* Best Kid – $100
* Best Pet – $100

If you wish to be part of the competition, you will need to walk through the tunnel of lights. Enter from the parking lot on 42nd Ave SW between Oregon and Alaska and go down the stairs towards the back of Menashe & Sons Jewelers. From there you will walk south down the alley through the tunnel of lights. At the end of the tunnel are the judges. All costume contest participants need to move through the tunnel between 4-5 pm. Between 5:00-5:20, the judges will wander the event grounds awarding their favorites for each category with a light wand. If chosen as a favorite, you need to be at the stage on 42nd Ave SW at 5:30 pm. The community will choose the winners of each category at 5:30 pm.

GLOWS is part of West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays (with community co-sponsors including WSB) – the first HH event is this Friday (December 1st), a chocolate-and-wine tasting event – tickets still available!

(WSB file photo)

A weekend full of holiday options is approaching – and it starts with the lighting of our city’s highest-elevation Christmas tree, first tree lighting of the season in West Seattle. The tall tree outside Our Lady of Guadalupe (35th/Myrtle) starts shining this Friday (December 1) during OLG’s Light Up the Night community event – a short and festive gathering that includes singalongs and a food drive. Myrtle is blocked off between the tree and Walmesley Center (where you can place food donations in the sleigh at the entry, and shop a Holiday Gift Fair too). Bonus: Cookies and cocoa for all. Just be there by 7 pm to enjoy the sights and sounds!

P.S. If you’re wondering about the “highest-elevation Christmas tree” description – Seattle’s peak elevation, 520′, is right across 35th SW at Myrtle Reservoir Park.

Four weeks until Christmas Eve, and your West Seattle tree sellers are now up and running, as noted in our West Seattle Holiday Guide. Above, that’s the Holy Rosary School Tree Lot, north side of the campus off 42nd SW between SW Dakota and SW Genesee. They’re open daily through December 16th, 4-9 pm weekdays, 9 am-9 pm weekends, and sent a few notes:

Wreaths and cedar garland are also for sale as well as Hope Lutheran’s beautiful poinsettias.

In addition to proceeds benefiting Holy Rosary School and Hope Lutheran (poinsettias only), two local charities will also receive a portion of the proceeds: Salvation Army Hickman House and West Seattle Food Bank. Let’s work together as a community and fill the shelves at the West Seattle Food Bank. Bring 5 Cans of Food, Receive $5 Off Your Purchase!

West Seattle’s northernmost tree lot also opened right after Thanksgiving, Trees By The Sea (2530 Alki Avenue SW), which also sent notes:

We have our amazing weekly fresh cut trees available =and will be open every day from then until we sell out. We also have wreaths, garland and products available from our honey company Shipwreck Apiaries.
Hours are:
Monday-Thursday – 12-7
Friday – 10-8
Saturday – 8-8
Sunday 8-7

Also: In the south end of West Seattle, Tony’s Market (35th/Barton) has made the annual transformation into a tree lot, and in the heart of the peninsula, West Seattle Nursery (California/Brandon) is stocked with trees, and offers delivery. We also noticed today that trees are available at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market (open until 2 pm), from Three Tree Farms in Maple Valley. … Local hardware stores offer trees too: Junction True Value (44th/Edmunds), The Home Depot (Delridge/Orchard), and McLendon in White Center (16th/102nd).

(WSB photo: Santa roaming in The Junction last year)

We’ve made the list and checked it twice – and it’s likely to grow – but for now, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, here are 11 Santa photo ops in West Seattle, starting tomorrow!

SANTA PHOTOS IN ADMIRAL, NOVEMBER 25: Alki Bike and Board (WSB sponsor) hosts Santa for your DIY pics, noon-3 pm. (2606 California SW)

SANTA PHOTOS AND PANCAKES, DECEMBER 2: Santa photos are part of what you’ll find at the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle pancake breakfast, 7 am-11 am December 2nd at Alki Masonic Center (40th/Edmunds) – details in our calendar listing.

SANTA PAWS, DECEMBER 2: Pet photos with Santa at Windermere West Seattle (4526 California SW), 10 am-noon.

SELFIES WITH SANTA, DECEMBER 2: The West Seattle Junction Association offers Selfies with Santa from 12 pm – 3 pm in the Holiday Room at 4210 SW Oregon St. (lower level of the Senior Center of West Seattle)

SANTA AT OUNCES, DECEMBER 2: Bring the kid(s) to Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW) 2-5 pm for free photos with Santa Claus.

SANTA PHOTOS AT HIGHLAND PARK CORNER STORE, DECEMBER 3: 11 am-2 pm:

Santa is making a stop at Highland Park Corner Store! Sunday, December 3rd he’ll be here to spread good cheer and take photos with your pets (kids of all ages welcome as well!). For a $25 donation, you’ll get access to a digital library of photos taken by Erika Smith Photography. Proceeds from the photos support Forgotten Dogs Rescue. Happy Howl-idays!

(7789 Highland Park Way SW)

SANTA PHOTOS WITH GAIL ANN, DECEMBER 12-13: Two dates during Gail Ann Photography‘s holiday run at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse have limited Santa availability – book ASAP.

SANTA ON THE STREET, DECEMBER 14: Look for Santa roaming The Junction during the December West Seattle Art Walk, 5-8 pm.

SANTA AT WEST SEATTLE REALTY, DECEMBER 14: Santa Claus is expected at West Seattle Realty (2715 California SW; WSB sponsor) during Art Walk, 5-8 pm.

SANTA AND GRINCH PHOTO FUNDRAISER, DECEMBER 15-16: Photos to raise money for West Seattle-based nonprofit Stephanie’s Lifeline, 4-7 pm each day at The Blu Grouse. (9839 17th SW)

SANTA PICS AT LADY JAYE, DECEMBER 19: Santa photos will be part of the annual Lady Jaye Meat Market, 4-8 pm December 19. (4523 California SW)

Know of others? Email us soon as you can so we can add to the list! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

(Fall leaves “hanging on,” photo by Janelle Otterholt)

Happy Thanksgiving! Thanks for being here with us, whether it’s your first visit or thousandth. Here’s information we hope will be helpful on the holiday:

GROCERY STORES OPEN TODAY: This list is in the Thanksgiving section atop our West Seattle Holiday Guide.

COFFEE SHOPS OPEN TODAY: That list – including eight local indies – is also in the Holiday Guide, right next to the grocery-store hours.

RESTAURANTS/BARS OPEN TODAY AND/OR TONIGHT: 13 on the list – see it here.

PRE-TURKEY EXERCISE : Several options in the guide, highlighted by the West Seattle Runner Gobble Gobble Group Run, 8 am from Alki – bring food donations – details here.

WHERE TO FIND A FREE COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER: Four options this year:
*The Hall at Fauntleroy‘s sit-down community dinner, noon-3 pm. (9131 California SW)
*West Seattle Eagles sitdown community dinner, 2 pm-5 pm (4426 California SW)
*TheHomeSkillit.com‘s Chef Gino is cooking up a free drive-up meal at Delridge P-Patch (5078 25th SW), 4:30-7 pm.
*Admiral Pub, free dinner starting at 5 pm. 21+. (2306 California SW)

WANT TO HELP? You can drop off donations of desserts and/or warm clothing and blankets at The Hall at Fauntleroy, starting at 10 am, same address as above (south end of the historic schoolhouse).

WHAT TO DO AFTER (OR BEFORE) DINNER: The Admiral Theater is open this afternoon/evening – see the movies and showtimes here (2343 California SW).

THANKSGIVING TRANSPORTATION NOTES:
*Metro buses are on the Sunday schedule
*No Water Taxi boat or shuttle service
*Sound Transit light rail and buses, Sunday schedules
*Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run is on the weekday 2-boat schedule
*No charge for parking today on city streets in neighborhoods with pay stations
*Traffic cameras: West Seattle-relevant ones here; citywide views are available via this SDOT map

OTHER INFO:
*No trash/recycling/etc. pickup today – Thursday pickups will happen Friday; Friday pickups on Saturday (transfer station is closed today too)
*Seattle Parks‘ holiday closure list (including the West Seattle Golf Course, which is open until 2 pm)
*No Seattle Public Library services today
*USPS holiday
*Banking holiday

Seasonal info for today and beyond is in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide. We hope you will have a joyful holiday! (And if you see/hear news, please text/call 206-293-6302 – we are thankful for your tips, reader reports, photos, etc., all year long!)

Busy cooking tomorrow and suddenly realize you forgot to buy a key ingredient? No problem – the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide has grocery-store hours for tomorrow. Looking for a latte? Find an open coffee shop. Not cooking? Three free community dinners, plus open restaurants, all there. Just wanted to make sure you know, before Thanksgiving Day dawns, that we’re here for you as usual with holiday info. That includes a fun way to start your holiday, the West Seattle Runner Gobble Gobble Group Run (and food drive). And while you’re in the Holiday Guide, scroll through everything else that’s featured – Santa photos, Christmas trees, Black Friday/Small Biz Saturday events/sales … we’re continuing to add to the guide as new listings come in (westseattleblog@gmail.com if you have something to add – thanks to everyone who’s contributed so far!).