While your Thanksgiving feast may still be digesting, Christmas is intent on not missing a beat.
The plastic made-in-China Donner, and Blitzen, and Santa, and Snowmen figurines that have been adorning the shelves of your neighborhood drugstore since Halloween, are now on sale; the little light bulbs that your lazy neighbors leave hung all year are back a-twinkling; that monotonousness elevator music that drives you crazy has changed to something seasonal and a little magical, if equally repetitive. All this must mean that the 2010th celebration of an Israelis' baby's birth must be just about a month away!
If you are ready to embark into all this glorious craziness, there are plenty of Christmas themed events this week to propel you full speed ahead. Here are a few highlights.
Date: Friday, December 4, 2009
Time: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
"Jack London Square celebrates the holiday season with a very special preview of the Oakland Children's Holiday Parade floats and costumed characters. At six o'clock watch as City Officials light up the skies with Oakland's only waterfront holiday light installation and stay to listen to festive holiday music performed by the Oakland Symphony Chorus"
Date: Saturday Dec 5
Time: 2pm
"Curious George. The Raggs. Clifford. Berenstain Bears. Bob from Sesame Street. Santa. Mention the names and watch a kids eyes light up! Assemble them all into one parade, and open the festive holiday season with delight for children and the people who love them. That’s what the Comcast America’s Children’s Holiday Parade in Oakland, California is all about. The children’s favorites appear as giant helium balloons, live characters waving from cars, or dancing and singing on colorful floats parade through Downtown Oakland." Might be for kids, but that sounds pretty fun to me!
Date: Saturday Dec 5
Time: 7:30
"The Holiday Season is on its way – and OIGC is getting prepared to offer you a special concert experience. Don’t miss out – come on out to the Paramount on Saturday, December 5th for the 24th Annual Holiday Concert!"
Date: Saturday, December 5th
Time: 5 pm
"Please join us for the 1st Annual Piedmont Avenue Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Stroll! The celebration will begin at the Key Route Plaza at 41st Street and Piedmont Avenue, where a beautiful tree (graciously decorated by Nathan & Co.) will be festively and ceremoniously lit for the holidays. Children will perform holiday songs, Santa Claus will be in the house, and Professional Accordionist Salane Schultz will be performing live in the plaza! All of this will be followed by musician-led holiday caroling along Piedmont Avenue, where participating local merchants will be staying open late and hosting their own holiday receptions! Help us make this a new Piedmont Avenue tradition!!!!"
Date: Saturday, December 5, 2009
Time: 5:30 PM- 9:00 PM
The Oakland Yacht Club and Encinal Yacht Club have organized a beautiful lighted yacht parade that will sail throughout the Oakland/Alameda estuary. Jack London Square provides excellent viewing areas and restaurants to watch this magnificent holiday attraction. Please make sure to book your dinner reservations early at your favorite Jack London Square restaurant. Special performance by the Oakland Symphony Chorus will begin at 5:30PM.
Enjoy!
