This holiday season, if you have a chance, head into Balboa Park’s Botanical Building. You’ll discover 675 poinsettias! That’s what I was told by a representative of Forever Balboa Park!
There are poinsettia displays at the center of the Botanical Building, beside the fountains at either end, along windows, and here and there planted in the surrounding lush greenery.
All that holiday color is a sight to behold!
Enjoy these photographs which were taken during the first day of December Nights…
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The pieces in the gallery were all made with lathes by members of the San Diego Woodturners. You might have seen these artisans demonstrating their craft in the Design in Wood exhibit at the San Diego County Fair. (They’re the folks who create all those tops and wooden pens.)
One of the artists, Hal Gorss, was kind enough today to explain how many of these gorgeous artworks were made. A great deal of effort and skill is required.
The objects include bowls, vases, utensils, trays, decorative art and more. They’re on sale, just in time for Christmas gift giving. So why not head into Gallery 21 during December Nights and check it out!
One other thing–these good people support Turn Around for Vets, which teaches wood turning to active duty service members and veterans at the Naval Medical Center (NMC) San Diego, the Wounded Warrior Battalion at Camp Pendleton and the Veterans Affairs Aspire Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program in San Diego.
Awesome!
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Who was that in Balboa Park today, rehearsing their upcoming December Nights rock concert? It was Organ-ism, the Organ Pavilion Rock Band!
People wandering through the park settled onto the pavilion’s benches to enjoy the awesome practice session. How does the Spreckels Organ sound when accompanied by drums and electric guitar? It rocks!
Funny how the huge Christmas tree on the stage was simultaneously being tested, opening and shutting for no apparent reason. The tree will be more central to other traditional December Nights performances.
The free rock concert will be held on Friday, December 5th at 4:00 p.m. in the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. The music? Classic rock favorites!
If you enjoy holiday music, you’ll want to take a seat in the pavilion on Saturday, December 6th at 2:40 pm. That’s when San Diego Civic Organist, Raul Prieto Ramírez, will perform holiday and all-time favorites.
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The San Diego Floral Association is putting on another Festival of Trees during this year’s December Nights. The glittering roomful of uniquely decorated Christmas trees is one of the December Night’s most beloved attractions!
A whole host of San Diego and Balboa Park organizations were getting their Christmas trees ready today when I peeked into Room 101 of the Casa del Prado. The trees are decorated to reflect the organization they represent.
The Festival of Trees will actually have a special preview today, Thursday, December 4, 2025. The public can freely enjoy the sparkling displays from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Imagine the room darkened and hundreds of bright tree lights on!
There will be cookies available for purchase, too!
Of course, the trees will be on display throughout December Nights on Friday and Saturday. The Festival of Trees typically has a sign out on El Prado directing visitors in. Look for it!
Hello! Folks from the Balboa Park Senior Lounge, as they added ornaments to their (ever so slightly leaning) tree, gave my camera a big smile!
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With two days to go until December Nights, activity in Balboa Park was in high gear today!
I enjoyed another walk through the park with my camera, catching much of the action. There isn’t much time to finish the immense preparation.
December Nights, one of the largest holiday festivals in the United States, will take place Friday December 5th from 3 to 11 pm, and Saturday December 6th from 11 am to 11 pm.
Make sure to give yourself extra time for traffic and to find parking. Better yet, use public transit or one of the free shuttles. You can find the “Getting to December Nights” webpage by clicking here.
Festive red ribbons are now on the Cabrillo Bridge lamp posts.A sign and wreath bids Welcome to December Nights at Balboa Park’s west entrance.Huge crowds will stream into December Nights by foot, passing the Museum of Us and the archways of the California Quadrangle.Workers getting strings of holiday lights ready in the Plaza de Panama.Cheerful lights will be strung everywhere!Sadly, I suppose San Diego’s Community Christmas Tree encircled by its historical fence will be forgotten again. (I’ve spoken to multiple people about this over the years, but nobody seems to know or care.)The Community Christmas Center’s traditional Nativity scenes are set up already. They must have done that during the last couple days.I saw the enormous Christmas tree on the Spreckels Organ Pavilion stage being assembled!One might say the Organ Pavilion will be at the center of December Nights, with many special holiday performances.Barricades being readied in the Palisades area of Balboa Park, where there will be plenty of December Nights activity, too!Signs are up at the various parking lots.San Diego Parks and Recreation workers were all over the place, cutting grass and making everything perfect.I noticed one of the fences on the west side of the Lily Pond has been removed, now that this section of the new Central Gardens outside the Botanical Building is ready.Getting the annual San Diego Floral Association Festival of Trees ready in Room 101 of the Casa del Prado. There will be a special free preview on Thursday December 4, from 4 to 7 pm!These smiling Balboa Park Garden Stewards were on their way out to beautify the park when I happened by with my camera!Hanging stars at the Museum of Photographic Arts inside the Casa de Balboa!
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A new independent bookstore opened in Mission Hills two days ago! It’s called the Library Shop Mission Hills.
The bookstore is operated by the Library Foundation SD. It’s located in the old Mission Hills Branch Library building (925 West Washington Street), which had been vacant for about five years. Sales from this beautiful new bookstore support all 37 branches of the San Diego Public Library!
I visited the awesome store today!
As you can see from my photos, it’s spacious inside and a very welcoming place. There are shelves and shelves full of new books for children and adults, plus oodles of gifts for book lovers. There are places where you can sit down and read, a Library Shop Scavenger Hunt, games to play, Storytime and LEGO art on Saturdays, and a whole lot to do and see!
Sign up for the Library Shop Email Newsletter by clicking here!
This week, December 1 to 7, 2025, Library Shop Mission Hills is celebrating its Grand Opening. Learn more here. During Booked For the Holidays: 7 Days of Celebration & Deals there will be author events, games, and exclusive bookstore discounts for library lovers to help with your holiday shopping.
At the front desk, during the Grand Opening, make sure to grab a handout concerning the great discounts you can enjoy!
(By the way, do you recognize this old Branch Library building? I posted photographs of community members lining Washington Street, passing its library books by hand several blocks to the new Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Harley & Bessie Knox Library! See those historical photos here.)
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This beautiful mural was painted a couple months ago. It decorates the National City Public Works building at 1726 Wilson Avenue, next to the 18th Street underpass of Interstate 5. The vibrant public art is a positive vision of life in this South Bay community.
The building and other nearby walls had previously been the target of taggers whose vandalism required repeated removal, at the expense of the city.
National City Vice Mayor Marcus Bush helped drive an effort to paint beautiful murals on the walls, instead, providing graffiti artists with a chance to earn money while creating enduring public art!
This awesome project aims to create murals all around National City!
A young gentleman whom I met during my walk told me the long wall along 18th Street opposite this mural was also painted as part of the same project. The spray painted art appeals to kids with Christmas images from Toy Story, the Grinch and more!
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Balboa Park is “decking the halls” in preparation for December Nights! Families visiting the park this coming Friday and Saturday will enjoy cheerful holiday sights and sounds and tastes, and yesterday I saw how preparations are underway!
That’s a big wreath in Spanish Village above. Below, ornaments already hang from the trees around the patio…
Spanish Village Art Center will host Holidays in the Village during December Nights. There will be hot cocoa, crafts, Junior Theatre performances, and jolly Santa, too!
There’s a festive wreath on the rear of the Balboa Park Miniature Railroad train…
The stage inside the Casa del Prado courtyard is being resurfaced in preparation for youth performances during December Nights…
Big candy canes have appeared in the House of Hospitality courtyard…
The San Diego History Center has multiple Christmas trees and many poinsettias. Their “Bataan Café” will be serving AleSmith Brewing Company beer during December Nights.
There will be food galore at the International Cottages during December Nights. Many of the cottages are already decked out for the Holiday Season.
Here’s a Christmas tree among piñatas in the House of Mexico cottage…
An angel in the House of Mexico cottage…
Christmas tree in House of Panama cottage…
A small Christmas tree in House of USA cottage…
A tiny winter scene inside the House of Germany cottage…
In the House of Finland cottage, a member was creating Sydänkori heart baskets, perfect for hanging on Christmas trees…
Most Balboa Park museums will be open free to the public in the evening during December Nights.
I found this beautiful Christmas tree inside the San Diego Automotive Museum…
Fill up the Toys For Tots box at the San Diego Automotive Museum!
Jewels of the Season has again filled the Timken Museum of Art with hand made jewel-like ornaments and bright, twinkling splendor!
The Whoville General Store featuring oodles of green Grinch merch is now open at the Old Globe!
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The San Diego Civic Youth Ballet will be performing The Nutcracker on December 10 to 21, 2025. The public was able to experience a free preview of the show this afternoon at the Sunday organ concert in Balboa Park!
The audience was amazed at the poise and grace exhibited by the young ballet dancers as they glided across the hard concrete stage. The dancers earned a huge ovation! If the selected dances in this preview are any indication, The Nutcracker will be sensational!
It was great hearing San Diego Civic Organist Raúl Prieto Ramírez providing much of the accompanying music. A world-class musician brought Tchaikovsky’s beloved holiday classic to life.
As always, the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet’s holiday performances will take place in the Casa del Prado Theater in Balboa Park. Find out more and purchase tickets by clicking here.
We also learned that 2025 is the 80th Anniversary Season of the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet!
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Super excited WWE wrestling fans gathered in downtown San Diego this morning before the start of 2025 Survivor Series: WarGames!
It seemed everyone I saw was either holding a sign, sporting a championship belt, or wearing a shirt that roots for their favorite WWE superstar! Most of the shirts commemorated John Cena’s farewell tour. He’ll be facing Dominik Mysterio in a highly anticipated match.
Savvy fans waited at the entrance to the Omni Hotel to see wrestlers jumping into cars or vans, to be transported to Petco Park.
I lingered for a while and briefly glimpsed CM Punk, and Jimmy and Jey Uso. Drew McIntyre was the one wrestler who didn’t dash into a vehicle. He greeted all the fans, took selfies with everyone, and was one very cool dude!
I then walked around Petco Park and through the Gaslamp Quarter again to take in the all the excitement.
Enjoy some photos!
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