Tree lighting ceremony Friday
The Los Altos Village Association has scheduled the annual tree lighting ceremony, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday at the Community Plaza, corner of State and Main streets in downtown Los Altos.
In addition to the ceremonial lighting of the plaza tree, the Mountain View High School Madrigal Singers and the Pinewood choir will perform.
Activities include a face painter, balloon artist and craft table by FasTracKids. Santa is scheduled to make a special appearance.
Carriage rides available downtown
Downtown Los Altos visitors will have the opportunity to travel around local retail stores in a horse and carriage.
Rides will be available Dec. 9-11 and Dec. 16-18.
Reservations can be made through the Los Altos Village Association office, 949-5282, ext. 122.
LAH lights barn for holidays
Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Department has scheduled two events during the holiday season.
The annual Holiday Barn Lighting is scheduled at Westwind Barn’s Celebration with Santa Claus 1-5 p.m. Sunday. The official lighting is set for 5 p.m.
According to organizer Kathy Evans, there will be special Santa gifts for children, arts and crafts, treats and live music.
Ornaments can be hung on the Winter Wishing Tree at the old oak tree in front of Los Altos Hills Town Hall from 4 p.m. Dec. 16 through Dec. 31. Ornament crafts and snacks will be provided.
Bring ornaments, use town ornaments or fill out a wish for the New Year on waterproof paper and hang it on the tree.
For more information on these events, call 941-7222, ext. 226.
Crèche exhibit at LDS church
The 18th annual Christmas Crèche Exhibit is scheduled noon to 9 p.m. daily, Saturday through Dec. 7, at 3865 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Admission is free.
Christ’s birth is depicted through 500 nativities from 65 countries. A special children’s room features craft activities, nativity costumes, stories and marionette shows.
Live music is featured daily, with special concerts in the afternoons (weekends) and evenings.
For more information, call 493-2735 or visit www.christmascreche.org.
‘Be a Santa to a Senior’
Area retailers, along with agencies that serve older adults, have joined forces with Home Instead Senior Care to deliver gifts to isolated seniors in the “Be a Santa to a Senior” program during the holiday season.
The Los Altos-area office of Home Instead has teamed with Rite Aid in Mountain View, among other businesses, to provide presents to seniors who otherwise might not receive a gift this holiday season.
The program, running through Dec. 15, requested that non-profit organizations identify needy seniors and provide their names to Home Instead.
Christmas trees at participating businesses, such as Rite Aid, display ornaments with the first names of the needy residents and their gift wishes.
Holiday shoppers can pick an ornament and purchase the requested gift with the ornament and name attached. Volunteers wrap and distribute gifts to the seniors.
If you are interested in volunteering to help on the citywide gift-wrapping day, call 691-9671.
Breakfast with Santa at Aldo’s
The annual Breakfast with Santa is scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 10 at Aldo Los Altos. Aldo’s is located at 388 Main St.
Each child will be given a gingerbread person and some icing and candy decorations to make his or her own personalized cookie.
There will be holiday pictures and crayons for coloring. The menu will feature scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon, fruit and juice or milk.
Tickets are presale only and may be purchased at: Adventure Toys, 173 Main St.; FasTrac Kids, 941 Fremont Ave.; Lin’s Toy Cupboard, 237 State St.; Los Altos Recreation Department,
97 Hillview Ave.; Los Altos Village Association, 319 State St.; and Marion Jackstons, 163 Main St.
Gingerbread showcase exhibit Monday
The city of Los Altos showcases a gingerbread house exhibit 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday will be featuring the edible art of food artists from kindergarten to adult. The event will be held at Hillview Community Center, 97 Hillview Ave.
For more information, call 947-2790.
Holiday harp concert at United Methodist
Harpeggio Music presents its seventh annual holiday harp concert 4 p.m. Dec. 10 at Los Altos United Methodist Church.
The program includes a selection of traditional carols, classical music and a variety of holiday music. It features harp solos and ensembles, including the studio ensemble of more than 20 harps.
Celtic harpist and singer Barbary Grant will be joined by flutist and singer Aimee Aul, with whom she performs and records as the duo Brigit’s Well.
Tickets are $10-$15. For more information and tickets, call Stephanie at (408) 366-8810 or e-mail events@harpeggio.com.
Los Altos United Methodist Church is located at 655 Magdalena Ave.
Christmas sing-along
St. Luke’s Chapel in the Hills has scheduled their eighth annual Christmas sing-along and concert, 2 p.m. Dec. 11 at the church located at 26140 Duval Way in Los Altos Hills. The event will feature vocal selections by Sheila Savage and organ selections by Jay Hartley. Cookies, hot cider and hot chocolate will be served.
For more information, call 941-6524.
