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A San Francisco Holiday -- Kid-Style

December 02, 2008

San Francisco goes a little nutso around the holidays. Once those outlining lights appear on the Financial District's skyscrapers, holiday events start to crop up on every corner. If you're really intent on not missing a single one, you can check out the Visitors' Bureau's entire list of festivities, but to trim it down, here are some of my favorites:

I love to ice skate, and there are once again ice rinks set up at Justin Hermann Plaza, Union Square, and the zoo, among others; at the zoo you also get to meet some cross-dressing female reindeer and -- for some macabre reason -- handle some skulls and antlers. If you are near the Embarcadero, check out the obsessive Snow Village at the Hyatt Regency.

For those into a little more hands-on fun, one local favorite is the Gingerbread Extravaganza at the Bay Area Discovery Museum which runs on various days off between now and Christmas. The Randall Museum has a lower-key (and cheaper) Craft Workshop this Saturday, as well -- worth checking out.

Finally, as long as you're up Castro Hill and if you're into ridiculous lighting displays, then it has to be Tom & Jerry's place, 3650 21st Street, above the Castro.

That's what says a San Francisco holiday season to me -- how about you? Any favorite traditions you'd care to share?