Everyone has a great time at the 2015 December Nights celebration in San Diego’s glorious Balboa Park!
Saturday was the second day of the December Nights holiday event in Balboa Park. (It’s 2015, and we’re coming to the end of Balboa Park’s centennial year. It has been a real blast!)
I walked around randomly and took a bunch of photos during the afternoon, while it was still light outside. This year December Nights was just as wonderful as ever! At night, the lights came on and the scene was pure magic!
Tens of thousands stream into Balboa Park from across the Cabrillo Bridge. December Nights is one of the largest holiday festivals in the United States.This nice lady in an information tent usually works at the Balboa Park Visitors Center.Folks in Santa hats enjoy dancing at the Gator by the Bay stage in the Plaza de Panama.Lots of unique Christmas gifts were out on display for purchase throughout Balboa Park during December Nights.Of course, you can buy mistletoe from this guy near the Natural History Museum!One of many fun images near the Old Globe Theatre that celebrate local author Dr. Seuss’ classic book How The Grinch Stole Christmas!Kids by the Botanical Building paint a huge community canvas during December Nights.A close-up photo of colorful holiday-themed artwork painted by creative kids!Poinsettias of many colors fill the amazing Botanical Building.Mother duck and ducklings are a bit wary of all the excited humans crowding about the reflecting pool.One of the several Santas in Balboa Park will be stationed here at the Casa del Prado once night falls.Children file onto a stage on the Casa del Prado patio. Joyful dancing could be seen here throughout the day.Another Santa Claus will be stationed here in the evening near the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.Some fun holiday decorations next to an artist studio in Balboa Park’s Spanish Village.Christmas presents dangle from a tree in festive Spanish Village during December Nights.Many glittery, colorful Christmas trees could be seen throughout Spanish Village.A funny Jungle Bells banner near the entrance to the world famous San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park.The one and only light up cotton candy! Just wait until it’s dark!Folks are buying goodies at the cookie shack near the Spreckels Organ Pavilion during December Nights.Another Santa will be seated in the colonnade at the organ pavilion, welcoming many kids.In mid-afternoon, the Peninsula Singers community choir was performing on stage beneath the giant Christmas tree.These folks enjoying a December Nights concert are dressed for the season.Deep friend bacon, cheesecake, candy bars, candy and cookies! Yikes! This stand is by the ride-filled fun zone, in front of the San Diego Air and Space Museum.These guys preparing food are in front of the Japanese Friendship Garden.Performers in folk costume wait behind the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages stage during December Nights in Balboa Park.Traditional costumes, holiday food from many nations and cultures, and cheerful crafts were found around the International Cottages!
Santa Claus is ready to leap from a helicopter onto the deck of the USS Midway aircraft carrier museum on San Diego Bay!
Santa has been known to make some pretty grand entrances. But this one takes the cake!
Jolly old Saint Nick paid a visit to San Diego today, and arrived by air as usual. He dropped in by parachute, landing atop an aircraft carrier!
A Toys for Tots toy drive is being held on Navy Pier next to the USS Midway Museum. Bring two new toys and you’ll receive free admission to the very popular museum. The Marines have a huge truck they need to fill up! Santa will be performing a whole bunch of parachute jumps throughout the day. Bring the kids!
Look! Here comes Santa Claus! I guess Rudolph and the other reindeer are getting lazy. Or maybe they’re just resting up for Christmas.
Old Saint Nick nimbly descends from the blue sky in order to greet the nice boys and girls of San Diego. Beats using a sooty chimney.Santa doesn’t need a tailhook when landing atop a huge aircraft carrier. Just a sturdy parachute!The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and the USS Midway Museum are collecting toys today at Navy Pier. And Santa will be parachuting several more times! Just for fun!A guy checks out an ejection seat during the Toys for Tots toy drive on Navy Pier. I wonder if Santa has one of those on his sleigh?Marines collect toys to help spread holiday cheer, with downtown San Diego’s skyline in the background.Here’s smiling Santa, with Mrs. Claus! Spectacular entrance! They wished me a Merry Christmas! And the same to you!
House of England’s Victorian gentleman with top hot and monocle!
This afternoon I enjoyed several daylight hours at the 2014 December Nights event in Balboa Park! It looks like the Christmas spirit is alive in San Diego!
December Nights, which used to be named Christmas on the Prado, is an annual holiday celebration that attracts around three hundred thousand people over two absolutely amazing days. The best time to experience December Nights is after dark, when Balboa Park from end to end is lit with thousands of lights. The scene is vast and magical. Carolers and choirs seem to be everywhere you turn. There are so many jolly Santas taking pictures with families you might think you’d arrived at the North Pole! The traditional sights, yummy smells, and cheerfully lit colors of Christmas abound.
But, alas, my camera doesn’t cope well with darkness. So here are some sunny pics from a couple hours ago!
Santa, Frosty and joyful San Diegans at December Nights in Balboa Park.Presents, ornaments and cacti in Balboa Park’s Spanish Village!An artist studio in Spanish Village behind many very colorful Christmas trees.These handmade blown glass ornaments were out on display.Artist’s message: Let there be Peace on Earth…Is this face painter by the Balboa Park carousel Mrs. Claus or a ladybug?A smiling gingerbread man greets one and all to Casa del Prado.San Diego Floral Association hosted many Christmas trees created by local folk.Sign acknowledges the Balboa Park Centennial, kicking off this weekend!Lots of vendors everywhere had holiday crafts that would make great gifts.A table full of unique Christmas stocking stuffers.One table had cool model ships! I know what this kid wants for Christmas!Kids from Colegio Ingles in Tijuana, Mexico perform in the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.Martin Luther King Jr. Community Choir sings rousing gospel music!Manger scene in one of the huts along back of Spreckels Organ Pavilion.Gingerbread House in the organ pavilion sells Christmas treats to the slowly growing crowd.Santa Claus has landed with his little reindeer on a rooftop!Huge, glorious poinsettia display inside the popular Botanical Building.It’s Wendy! No, I don’t want a hamburger today. Maybe tomorrow. Thank you!Photos with Santa will take place here and elsewhere once the sun sets.Lots of people dressed for the holidays this afternoon at December Nights in San Diego.These guys were probably informed they were naughty.
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Wow! Santa returned to San Diego in grand fashion! He’s making his big entrance over the bay using a water jetpack! Here he comes! A huge crowd on the pier just north of Seaport Village was watching with excitement this Saturday afternoon!
Wait! That’s not just a regular, ordinary, everyday daredevil Santa Claus, but the one and only Seaport Village Surfing Santa!
Surfing Santa rises high above the awestruck crowd to wave and wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Where’s his sack of presents?
Now he’s just showing off. The jolly old guy is jetting about in a circle like a certified maniac with a ridiculously huge beard. The fish below are probably frightened out of their wits. The first time I saw Santa, I was a bit spooked, too.
This happy elf and Mrs. Claus patiently awaited old Saint Nick on the pier with a huge throng of onlookers. The reindeer must be taking the weekend off.
Here he is, larger than life! Surfing Santa! He’s boarded the pier and is making his way to Seaport Village to conduct his usual Santa Claus business.
After boarding a pedicab sleigh, Surfing Santa parades down the bayside walkway while people munching pizza look on in joy and disbelief.
Santa Claus and his magical reindeer were recently seen flying through Balboa Park. A photo was snapped as he sped from the central plaza toward the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. There he is waving at happy children and thrilled park visitors!
A second photo was snapped as the reindeer lifted off into the blue San Diego sky, pulling Santa’s sleigh up and away back toward the North Pole!
Old Saint Nick has to prepare for Christmas!
UPDATE!
Santa returned the following year! Here he is!
Santa’s sleigh is back again for another Christmas in Balboa Park!The flying reindeer take once more to the San Diego sky!
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