West Seattle, Washington
03 Sunday
(File photo, Forest Lawn on Memorial Day)
For the first time since 2019, Forest Lawn Cemetery is bringing back the traditional West Seattle Memorial Day ceremony this year. (Here’s our coverage of the last event, pre-pandemic.) All are invited to the remembrance event next Monday (May 27) on the green in the cemetery (6701 30th SW), 2 pm, for speakers, music, and refreshments.
(Photo by James Tilley – ‘Bey the Bald Eagle in a very focused dive’)
6:01 AM: Good morning and welcome to Monday, February 19th, Presidents Day. Here’s what you should know:
TRANSPORTATION
Transit – No Water Taxi service today; Metro is on a regular weekday schedule; no planned state-ferry changes; here’s the Sound Transit holiday plan
Traffic cameras – Here’s our page of West Seattle-relevant cameras; the citywide map is here
Parking – No charge today for pay-station spaces on city streets in neighborhoods with them
OTHER SERVICES
Schools – Closed
Libraries – Closed
Parks facilities – Here’s what’s closed and what’s open
Mail – Holiday for most USPS facilities/services
Banks – Holiday
WEATHER
Mostly cloudy, chance of rain, high in the low 50s.
EVENTS
Check the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar – a highlight for tonight is 7 pm comedy at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way) – check here to see if any tickets are left.
If you see news – including traffic trouble – please call or text 206-293-6302 when you can do so safely – thank you!
It’s almost Lunar New Year, and our West Seattle Event Calendar has three listings for Year of the Dragon celebrations open to all:
WSHS, FRIDAY NIGHT: The photo above is from West Seattle High School students who are organizing a Lunar New Year celebration for tomorrow night (Friday, February 9), 7-8:30 pm. Festivities will include potluck-style food and a student fashion show, and the students say, “All are welcome!”
VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER, SATURDAY AFTERNOON: A lion dance and flag-raising are part of what’s planned at the Vietnamese Cultural Center of West Seattle (2236 SW Orchard), 1-3 pm Saturday (February 10), and you’re invited.
SEATTLE CHINESE GARDEN, FEBRUARY 24: Then in two weeks, the Seattle Chinese Garden on the north side of the South Seattle College parking lot (6000 16th SW) celebrates Lunar New Year with a Lantern Festival, 11 am-3 pm Saturday, February 24. See the schedule here.
A bit of post-holiday news is still trickling in … including this report from Judy Pickens on how the Fauntleroy Church Festival of Trees‘ food-drive competition turned out:
Last month’s Festival of Trees hosted by Fauntleroy Church is now history but “votes” for favorite trees put over 950 pounds of food and hygiene items on shelves at local food banks.
(This photo and next courtesy Fauntleroy Church)
Youth from the church sorted and counted more than 1,100 donations for the White Center and West Seattle food banks. Two trees garnered the most “votes” in the friendly competition: “Tree by the Sea” (crafted from driftwood by Alki UCC) and “Peace in Many Languages” (crafted from recycled components by the Petty-Johnson family).
The 13 trees in this second year of the festival included several deemed best of show, including “best celebration of diversity,” “most creative use of stuff,” and “most interactive.” Participation was open to any interested group or individual and anyone who viewed the trees could vote. The church hopes to offer this event to the community again during the 2024 Christmas season.
Festival visitors were invited to bring non-perishable food to the event and “vote” for their favorite by placing food items beneath the tree.
The extra-cold weather didn’t keep students from spending their day off as a “day on” back on Monday – the photos and report are from Lincoln Park forest steward Lisa McGinty:
Sharing some highlights from Monday’s MLK Day of Service co-hosted with students from WSHS Earth Club. 53 students from WSHS and other area high schools showed up on a cold morning to help restore our urban forests in Lincoln Park. It was a great ‘youth-leading-youth’ event with WSHS Earth Club leaders helping to guide students at restoration sites in the Park. They worked to remove blackberry, ivy, holly and trash debris found in the forest. Thanks to all the awesome students who braved the cold and shared the 💚!
Watch this site for opportunities to help in Lincoln Park (and elsewhere!).
(WSB photos)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is more than a holiday – it’s MLK Day of Service for thousands of volunteers all over the country. Dozens of them spent today at Denny International Middle School, doing work to “revitalize” the school, much of which involved art:
Some of the art celebrates Dr. King and his words:
These fish will hang in a hallway:
Marine themes are a big part of Denny decor, since the school mascot is the dolphin:
Outdoor work was part of the plan too; many of the volunteers were on a well-deserved lunch break when we stopped by:
Today’s work was organized by City Year, which has AmeriCorps members working at Denny throughout the year.
There’s no simple way to count the number of people who join in the Alki Beach New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim – but this year just might have been the biggest yet by one measure: As we arrived in the area by car about 25 minutes before the 10 am start, parking was bumper-to-bumper further out than we’ve seen it before. And even after the official “swim,” some were still showing up belatedly and plunging in on their own. Above, our view from the center of the lineup, including the countdown; below, our view from the east edge:
Some lingered in the water for a photo op:
It was also a way to close out the holiday season:
We saw dinosaurs:
Dalmatians:
And politicians:
(That’s former U.S. Attorney and current State Attorney General candidate Nick Brown with 34th District State Senator Joe Nguyễn, both West Seattleites.) Organizer Mark Ufkes counted down the crowd by bullhorn and then joined them in the water:
His invitation to write down what you’re letting go for 2023 and your hopes for 2024 had some takers:
After all, today’s the day to retake the wheel and be the captain of your destiny:
Final note – this year’s air temperature was 41 degrees, 10 degrees below the water temperature.
(Reader photo – The Brothers’ peek appearance)
Welcome to 2024! Here’s info we hope you’ll find helpful on this holiday:
BUSES: Metro‘s on the Sunday schedule. (Fares ARE being collected today, after fare-free NYE.)
WATER TAXI: It’s not running today.
STATE FERRIES: Weekend 2-boat schedule on Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route – check for alerts here.
MORE TRANSPORTATION NOTES: No charge for street parking in areas of the city with curbside pay stations … West Seattle-relevant traffic cameras are here; see all cameras citywide via this map.
GROCERY-STORE HOURS AND OTHER BIZNOTES FOR TODAY: Though we don’t make full New Year’s Day lists because closures/changes are far fewer than on the other fall/winter holidays, we do have a few notes for today: First, grocery-store changes — Trader Joe’s is closed; PCC West Seattle (WSB sponsor) opens later (9 am); Whole Foods opens later (9 am); Metropolitan Market opens later and closes earlier (8 am-8 pm). For Costco fans, the SODO store and other locations are closed today. … Other biznotes, including a few sent in – C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor) is open 8 am-4 pm today … Grillbird is open regular hours; Freshy’s is open 9 am-7 pm, Thunder Road Guitars (WSB sponsor) is closed today but returns to regular hours tomorrow (Tuesday).
NEW YEAR’S DAY WALKS: The Emerald City Wanderers‘ New Year’s Day walks are on again ths year, starting at St John the Baptist Episcopal Church (3050 California SW). Choose the 5- or 10-kilometer walk and start between 9 and noon, with soup and snacks afterward. No fee, but donations to help cover costs are welcome.
ALKI POLAR BEAR SWIM: Be at the beach to be part of the annual tradition of running into Puget Sound with hundreds of other people at 10 am sharp, just about anywhere on the sand – here’s this year’s announcement, with a special invitation to – before going in the water – “write down what you want to leave behind from 2023 and what you want from the New Year for you, your family, and for our great nation” (there’ll be a jar to drop your wish in).
OTHER NOTES: Seattle Public Utilities customers’ trash/recycling/yard-waste pickup is on one-day delay all this week too – Monday customers get Tuesday pickup, Tuesday customers get Wednesday pickup, etc. … Seattle Parks & Recreation closure info is here … Libraries (city and county) are closed today.
ASTRA LUMINA: The celestially inspired light show continues on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, opening at 5 pm. Tickets and info here.
‘4040 HOUSE’ LIGHTS: Last night this season to see the music-synched light show at 4040 47th SW, 6-9 pm – the display’s creator asks that you park on Andover or Dakota if you’re driving to see it.
If you see/hear news, please text/call 206-293-6302 – we appreciate your tips 24/7/365 (or, this year, 366)!
That’s Ryan, creator of the music-synched lights at “The 4040 House,” handing out candy canes on Christmas Eve. The photo was sent to us by a reader who visited that night, and sent others too:
We have the occasion to publish them because Ryan asked us to let you knoe there’s just a few more nights to see the display (previously featured here two weeks ago):
The final nights of the 2023 sound and light show at 4040 House are coming up?
The show runs every night from 6-9 through New Year’s Day.
A very special thanks to those who have stoped by and a major shout-out to all of our neighbors on 47th AVE SW.
The display has a website, 4040house.com – full address is 4040 47th SW, between Dakota and Andover, and a reminder: “We ask if people drive down, please park on Dakota or Andover and walk over.”
Two opportunities for holiday giving are concluding shortly, so we’re reminding you one more time:
DAVE NEWMAN STATE FARM INSURANCE AGENCY WARM CLOTHING DRIVE: In conjunction with the West Seattle Food Bank/West Seattle Helpline, the agency (a longtime WSB sponsor) is collecting donations of clothes, coats, and shoes through the end of this week. (For undergarments and socks, please donate only new and unopened packages.) Please drop off your donations at 3435 California Ave SW. The office is open for donations today until 5 pm, tomorrow 9 am-5 pm.
GIVE JOY FOR WESTSIDE BABY: Through month’s end, the West Seattleite-founded, White Center-based organization helping babies and kids still has two ways to participate in their holiday “joy drive”:
*Send warm items our way through our Amazon Wishlist
WestSide Baby is organizing the drive to “ensure that children in our community have the basics they need, like diapers and safety equipment – and also that they have the opportunity to experience extra joy this season.”
New Year’s Eve will be fare-free on most transit services again this year. Here’s the info from an announcement sent by King County:
King County Metro: Buses will operate on their regular Sunday schedule and be fare-free from 3 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, through 3 a.m. Monday, Jan. 1. Other Metro services operating fare-free include DART, Metro Flex, Community Van, and Access service.
King County Water Taxi: The water taxi will operate fare-free on Dec. 31 but will be out of service on Jan. 1.
Sound Transit: Link light rail and Sound Transit Express buses are fare-free from 5 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, to 3 a.m. Monday., Jan. 1. The Sounder Game Train will be available for the Seahawks game and will be fare-free. Sound Transit will operate extended 1 Line rail service on New Year’s Eve, with 15-minute, late-night service. The last southbound trip will leave Northgate Station for Angle Lake Station at 1:57 a.m. The last northbound train will leave Angle Lake Station for Northgate Station at 1:40 a.m. For New Year’s Eve, the T Line will run extended service every 20 minutes until the last train departure.
Seattle Streetcar: Both streetcar lines will operate fare-free on regular Sunday service hours. The South Lake Union Streetcar will operate on New Year’s Eve until 12:30 a.m. to accommodate fireworks viewing downtown.
Seattle Monorail: The monorail will collect regular fares and will operate from Westlake to the Seattle Center until 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. After the evening’s events at Seattle Center, service to Westlake will run from 12:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.
For the fare-free-on-New-Year’s-Eve services, fares start up again at 3 am New Year’s Day (Monday, January 1).
In case you forgot, if you have solid waste pickup service via Seattle Public Utilities, the schedule is on one-day delay this week and next week, since there are no pickups on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. And starting today, pickup crews will take your Christmas trees and/or holiday greens – here’s the SPU how-to:
Customers can compost trees and holiday greens for free from December 26 – January 31. Customers should remove all decorations, cut the tree into sections – 4-foot or less – and place tree sections or bundled greens next to their food & yard waste cart on their regular collection day. Apartment residents may place up to two trees next to each food & yard waste cart at no charge (SPU recommends customers reach out to their property manager about their collection day and when to set out their tree). Customers can also drop off up to 3 trees less than 8 feet in length at a Transfer Station.
For more details and to find out what to do with your holiday items once you’re done with them, check out SPU’s lookup tool at seattle.gov/utilities/WhereDoesItGo.
(File photo, by Robert Spears)
Just six nights until we say farewell to 2023 and hello to 2024. We’re still building the list of what’s happening around West Seattle for New Year’s Eve – so far it includes some traditional favorites, like the Emerald City Wanderers‘ 5K/10K walks and the Highland Park Not-So-Silent-Night Parade, plus new events like Soul Train NYE at Revelry Room/Jet City Labs in The Junction and a sparkling-cider toast at West Seattle Arcade on Alki. Of course hundreds if not thousands will line the downtown-facing shore (and other viewpoints) to watch the Space Needle fireworks, lights, and drone shows from across the bay. If you’re presenting a New Year’s Eve (or Day) event we haven’t listed in the Holiday Guide already, please send the info – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
The Christmas People sent out a call for cookies … and home bakers answered the call. Here’s the note of gratitude we received today to share with you:
Generous West Seattle and other residents donated 9,100 cookies over three days. Fourteen shelters – including Sunnydale Village, Mary’s Place Burien, Riverton Park Immigration Encampment – received cookies and provisions. (This afternoon) we (were) preparing the third dinner for distribution to 6 shelters. Altogether we will sned out 1420 meals, 2000 lbs. of bulk provisions, and the cookies.
This is our 25th year. Thank you for helping us help others.
Rev. Fred Hutchinson, Co-Founder
The Christmas People Foundation
(WSB photo – ‘Burma Shave-style’ signs along 59th south of Admiral)
Merry Christmas! Here’s info we hope will be useful on this holiday:
BUSES: Metro‘s running on the Sunday schedule.
WATER TAXI: Not operating today.
FERRIES: (updated) Back to 2-boat service, on a weekend schedule – check the alerts page for status/changes.
MORE TRANSPORTATION NOTES: No charge for street parking in areas of the city with pay stations … West Seattle-relevant traffic cameras are here; see all cameras citywide via this map.
COFFEE SHOPS OPEN TODAY: We found eight – listed in our Holiday Guide.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS OPEN TODAY: Fourteen are on our list – see it here. (And please let us know of any additions/changes!)
GROCERY STORES OPEN TODAY: Again this year, as noted in our Holiday Guide, only the three Safeways (Roxbury, Admiral, Jefferson Square) are open (8 am-5 pm) – all other West Seattle grocery stores are closed until tomorrow.
CHURCH SERVICES TODAY: Three of the churches on the list in our Holiday Guide have Christmas Day services.
OTHER NOTES: Trash/recycling pickup is delayed one day all week (next week too) … Seattle Parks closure info is here … Libraries (city and county) are closed.
SEE A MOVIE: The Admiral Theater (2343 California SW) is open this afternoon/evening – first screening of the day, 3 pm.
ASTRA LUMINA: Celestially inspired light show continues tonight on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, opening at 5 pm. Timed tickets and info here.
If you see/hear news, please text/call 206-293-6302 – we appreciate your tips 24/7/365 (366 next year)!
(Alki photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Welcome to Christmas Eve 2023! Mostly from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and Event Calendar, here’s what’s up in the hours ahead:
CHRISTMAS EVE GIFT SHOPPING: Shop local! Many stores are open at least part of the day today. Here are the hours we have so far for retail shops on the WSB sponsor team:
Emerald Water Anglers (4502 42nd SW), 9 am-2 pm
Lauren’s Jewelry (Westwood Village), 10 am-4 pm
Thunder Road Guitars (6400 California SW), 10 am-1 pm
The Bass Shop (6400 California SW), 10 am-1 pm
Alki Bike and Board (2606 California SW), 10 am-3 pm
Mountain to Sound Outfitters (3602 SW Alaska), 10 am-1 pm
Moon Room (5902 California SW), 11 am-5 pm
Canna West Seattle (5440 California SW), 8 am-8 pm
Another shop that let us know they’re open for last-minute shopping:
Avalon Glassworks (2914 SW Avalon Way), 10 am-1 pm
(additions below – thanks)
My Three Little Birds (4736 California SW), 10 am-4 pm
Alair Seattle (xxxx California SW), 11 am-4 pm
Dylan Clothing Shop (3270 California SW), 11 am-4 pm
Seattle Yarn (2701 California) – open until 4 pm
West Seattle Arcade (2758 California SW), open until 6 pm (gift cards available)
Anyone else? Email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – and we can add you to the list!
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at 9 am at rotating locations – today it’s C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Yes, the market is open today! Regular hours, 10 am-2 pm, regular spot in The Junction (California SW between Oregon and Alaska).
THE CHRISTMAS PEOPLE STILL NEED COOKIES: Home-baked cookies to help The Christmas People sweeten the holiday for people in need can be brought to West Seattle Coworking (9030 35th Ave SW; WSB sponsor) 1 pm to 4 pm.
CHRISTMAS EVE GROCERY-STORE EARLY CLOSINGS: All West Seattle grocery stores close early tonight – earliest is 5 pm (Trader Joe’s), latest is 9 pm (WSB sponsor West Seattle Thriftway) – full list of tonight/tomorrow grocery-store info is in the Holiday Guide.
CHRISTMAS EVE CHURCH SERVICES: Our list in the Holiday Guide includes services for 13 churches (some of whom are skipping regular Sunday-morning services to focus on tonight).
ASTRA LUMINA: Celestially inspired light show continues tonight on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, opening at 5 pm. Timed tickets and info here.
Something for our calendar – one-time or recurring? Or for the West Seattle Holiday Guide (which we continue updating through New Year’s)? Please email us the info – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
The most-mischievous Santa’s helper to appear in West Seattle each holiday season is at Easy Street Records right now – Cocoa Cris Cringle! Until 8 pm, you’ll find him at Easy Street Records for “foto fun”:
$20 gets you a turn with Cocoa Cris Cringle (with props if you want, including hats) – kids and pets welcome too. (If you somehow haven’t been to Easy Street yet, it’s on the northwest corner of California/Alaska.)
(Added: Reader photo, from 600+ cookies baked by Tibbetts United Methodist Church ‘and friends’)
From The Christmas People, who are collecting homemade cookies through tomorrow, an update and a request:
We need a volunteer to help collect cookies on Sunday, December 24 at West Seattle Coworking, 9030 35th Ave SW, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The volunteer who was scheduled continues to be stuck at Iceland Airport due to a volcano eruption.
Home-baked Cookie response has been amazing. Residents of West Seattle have been incredibly generous. First day collection on Friday yielded over 3,000 cookies. Cookies are distributed to 10 shelters in King County area.
This week we have distributed more than 2000 lbs. of dry, staple supplies to 8 shelters. Saturday, Sunday, Monday we will deliver 1750 snacks, lunches, and dinners to 6 shelters.
To volunteer please call Rev. Fred Hutchinson, Christmas People Co-founder, at 206-719-4979 or email pialley@jps.net. This is our 25th year. We are are a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit.
If you’re in The Junction shopping/dining, you might hear the holiday sounds of We Carolers 3 – they’re busking on the northeast corner of California/Alaska, raising money for local food banks, until 1 pm.
P.S. If you missed them, here’s how to donate money to local food banks: West Seattle Food Bank here, White Center Food Bank here.
Here’s our annual reminder that it’s not too late to let us know about West Seattle retail hours on Christmas Eve and food/drink businesses’ hours on Christmas Day. All the info we have compiled so far – including the grocery-store hours list for Christmas Eve/Day – is toward the end of our West Seattle Holiday Guide page (which has a list of church services, too, and New Year’s Eve/Day events). Direct link to our first take of the Christmas Day restaurants/bars list is here. We’re still checking for additions; if you can help by providing info, please email westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Again this holiday season, we told you several times about the Winter Wander Scavenger Hunt, organized by Alice Kuder as a fun community event and a boost for local businesses. Alice has sent us her report on how it all turned out:
Now that the snowflakes have settled from this year’s Winter Wander Scavenger Hunt, I’d like to thank the 128 teams of West Seattle Wanderers who sneered at the rain and rejoiced in the sun to embrace the challenge.
Over the course of the 10 days, players scouted out 15 local businesses and 10 decorated homes (above, the Berkowitz-Vargas home) to snap and submit 733 selfies! Altogether, Wanderers racked up 1,407 entries into the prize bag drawing.
Prize donations from local businesses filled four duffle bags with approximately $200 worth of merchandise in each one. The three lucky teams to win the duffles by means of random drawing are: (including those shown above and below) Team Murray, Tata Tochter Time, and Puzzling Pete.
Many teams donated to the local food bank and Toys for Tots to earn extra entries into the prize drawing.
The $100 Grand Prize went to Paxton Phillips (above) for earning the highest number of entries. He accumulated 81 points by solving all 25 clues, submitting a team selfie, and donating 23 cans of food.
This was the fourth year for the Winter Wander Scavenger Hunt. REALTOR® and owner of Just in Case, LLC, Alice Kuder, is the originator and orchestrator of this free annual event. She hopes it is already becoming a West Seattle holiday tradition for all community members to anticipate and enjoy. Winter Wander 2024 will run from December 6-15.
Many thanks to the volunteers who helped make Winter Wander a reality, including Randy Winn, Shelley Barouh, Dora-Faye Hendricks, Malu Santos, Robert Peckyno, Alyssa Granlund, Mic Christian, Laura Berkowitz, Nathan Rasmussen, Pam Phillips and the many community members who hosted yard signs in their front yards.
Following is a list of the 15 local businesses who enthusiastically participated in Winter Wander 2023 and the associated clues. How many could you have solved?
Clue: Feathered flyers daily roam, for carbs and coffee at this home
Solution: The BirdhouseClue: Shop online, shop in store, consign your goods for sports galore
Solution: Second Gear SportsClue: Fine French pastry you will see at this Junction patisserie
Solution: Panterelli PatisserieClue: Surfing and cycling never stop at West Seattle’s oldest bike shop
Solution: Alki Bike and BoardClue: We shall bake with gluten no more, at the sign of the aerial pinafore
Solution: Flying Apron Bakery and CafeClue: Your morning drink, we will prepare, no need to stop and brush your hair
Solution: Bedhead CoffeeClue: This Junction restaurant is sure to please, its haute cuisine is classic Lebanese
Solution: PhoeneciaClue: If you don’t like your flab, and you want to get fit, then our awesome lab is the place you should hit.
Solution: HIIT LabClue: Looking to sell? Looking to buy? Her groovy clothes are hip and fly
Solution: Funky Jane’s ConsignmentClue: Whether you’re a lefty or not, these guys will cut your hair right.
Solution: Southpaw Barber ShopClue: Roses are red, violets are blue, the lights on our cars are red and blue, too
Solution: SW Precinct, SPDClue: If you’re going round in circles, and you don’t have time to think, those funny shoes should clue you in, you’re at the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Solution: Southgate Roller RinkClue: Work at your own pace in our flexible office space
Solution: West Seattle CoworkingClue: For food and drink, when you want to go out, find the sign with the bird and umlaut
Solution: Locol Kitchen and BarClue: If on cider you are focused, head to Alki to the _ _ _ _ _ _
Solution: Locust Cider
Five notes in case you haven’t seen these in our West Seattle Holiday Guide:
(WSB file photo)
COCOA CRIS CRINGLE: The most-fun Santa photo opportunity of the season is almost here. Cocoa Cris Cringle will be in the house at Easy Street Records (California/Alaska) 4-8 pm this Saturday (December 23rd). $20, all ages welcome, pets too.
COOKIES: Time to start baking if you’re able to donate cookies to The Christmas People! Karen sent this photo as inspiration:
The Christmas People need thousands of homemade (not store-bought) cookies for the holiday meals they’re distributing to people in need, and all you have to do is bake and drop them off at West Seattle Coworking (9030 35th SW; WSB sponsor) this Friday, Saturday, or Sunday – details are in the announcement.
COATS: Dave Newman State Farm Insurance Agency (3435 California SW; WSB sponsor) is reminding you that while some holiday donation drives are wrapping up soon, their coat drive continues through the end of this month – drop off coats and warm clothing (new or gently used) at their office on weekdays!
CHURCHES: If you’re planning to go to church for the holidays, a reminder that we have services listed in the Holiday Guide too – we issued an open call for local churches to send their service info, and many responded. Special shoutout to St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church (3050 California SW), which is advertising on WSB through Christmas to more widely extend the community invitation to worship.
CHRISTMAS TREE PRICE CUTS: Just in as we finished this roundup – West Seattle Nursery (California/Brandon) sent this update on tree sales:
We have now dropped the price to 50% off. Usually by this time in the season, the trees have been picked over, and not many pretty ones are left. But this year, we have beautiful trees that just need a good home. We give every tree a fresh cut before you take it home, so it absorbs water right away and stays fresh, and we deliver for free in West Seattle. We ask that if you opt for free delivery to please consider donating $5 to Southwest Youth and Family Services. We match all donations.
(2022 photo by Robert Spears)
It’s back for 2024 – the New Year’s Day tradition that lines Alki Beach with hundreds of people ready to at least briefly submerge themselves in the chilly water of Puget Sound! We just received the announcement from organizer Mark Ufkes:
Optimists unite! Make no mistake about it; Life continues to get better! Our nation continues to get better! Remember, the glass is always way more than half full.
Alki Beach, West Seattle, again this year. We go into the water at 10:00 am sharp on January 1, 2024. Don’t be late. Over 1,000 participated last year, so plan for a crowd. We line up and down the quarter-mile beach, hold hands, and we start counting down from 10, 9, 8 . . . We yell “Happy New Year” and, together, rush wildly into the 47-degree water, screaming with joy! Holding hands and wearing bright colors seems to help. And we are only in the water for a short time. Yes, it’s a form of mild insanity, but a lot of fun too. And the hundreds of smiles before and after is the best part.
In our home, we have a candle service every Winter solstice (December 21), generally considered the end of the year by many ancient cultures. We blow out a candle to leave behind the complexities from last year, and then light the candle again, asking the Universe, in all her infinite wisdom (because God must be a woman after all) for more opportunities to be a better person.
Since our White Center home is too small for 1,000 of you, this year, we encourage all Polar Bear participants and guests to try this;
On a small piece of paper, write down what you want to leave behind from 2023 and what you want from the New Year for you, your family, and for our great nation. There will be a giant jar on a table at Alki beach, with a sign, and lots of pens and pads of paper, so that you can write and then insert your unsigned dreams and wishes list into the jar. We will save the contents for next year’s 2025 announcement.
Life is a clean slate on January 1. Be Brave. Take a deep breath of fresh mountain air. Inhale! Exhale!! Come share the joy of being alive here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Bring your friends and family. This is your year!
Requirements; be an Optimist, be in good health, bring a towel, good water shoes, a change of warm clothes and your hopes and dreams for 2024. 10:00 am sharp. And remember, how can we believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself?
While the crowd stretches quite a ways along the beach, Mark usually shouts the countdown from the vicinity of 57th/Alki.
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