Tag archives: holiday

On Saturday, December 28, the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara became a beacon of warmth and connection as it hosted a vibrant Hanukkah celebration. Organized by Rick Oshay and Teresa Kuskey, this gathering brought together over 70 guests for an evening steeped in tradition, music, and joyous camaraderie. With the themes of light and […]

This year’s Holiday Window Decorating Contest on Coast Village Road brought a new level of vibrant energy and festive creativity to the community, with businesses decking their windows with amazing elements – from shimmering lights to nostalgic touches of music and lyrics, and even a few nods bringing 5th Avenue NYC vibes!  The judges were […]

The ballet, The Nutcracker, is a perennial holiday favorite for its recognizable melodies and a touching storyline set during the Christmas season. This story is an introduction to a multisensory concept that I just put to the test, and with delicious results: Does pairing Tchaikovsky’s sweeping music with wine heighten your enjoyment of it? Or […]

Adam’s Angels celebrated their fifth annual Holiday Community event at the Veterans Building when more than 100 volunteers prepared 650 meals of both meat and vegetarian lasagna, salad and dessert to make sure no one was left hungry during Yuletide. A ‘pop up shop’ had racks of new jackets, warm gear and shoes provided by […]

It’s Merry and Bright at the San Ysidro Ranch now through New Year’s, with festive décor, music, and twinkling lights from the resort entrance and throughout the restaurants, cottages, and outdoor gardens. Holiday trees colorfully decorated were placed in key locations and the Speakeasy has an array of 2,500 twinkling ornaments cascading from the ceiling.  […]

Santa Barbara’s holiday season shimmered to life at “A Glamorous Holiday Affair,” a dazzling celebration hosted by Michele Janin, Tom Linebarger, Jamie (our own Montecito Journal wine columnist) and Joel Knee. Their 3rd annual Montecito holiday soirée brought together over 70 of Santa Barbara’s beloved residents for an evening of elegance, style, and festive cheer […]

The most looked forward to holiday party behind the hedgerow in Montecito is the Casa del Herrero Soirée, titled Home for the Holidays, held this year on Saturday, December 14.  Upon entering, guests were greeted by lovely ballerinas from the State Street Ballet, celebrating The Nutcracker. Spanish guitar études by Chris Fossek filled the atmosphere. […]

It was certainly a Nutcracker with a difference when State Street Ballet – alongside the Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra conducted by Brian Asher Alhadeff, and a chorus of youngsters from the Music Academy of the West’s Sing! Project and the State Street Ballet Academy – joined in the spectacular production at the Granada. […]

Quire of Voyces under founder and musical director Nathan Kreitzer was in fine form at St. Anthony’s Chapel for its annual Yuletide concert. Traditional favorites like “Away in a Manger” and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” were on the menu with the 11-part concert wrapping with “Silent Night.” A joyous afternoon full of Christmas spirit.

The Santa Barbara Rescue Mission (SBRM) Women’s Auxiliary held its annual Bethel House Christmas Tea for its women in recovery program on Wednesday, December 11 at the home of Susan Hughes. Organizing the event were newly appointed SBRM Women’s Auxiliary President Cindy Anderson,with Auxiliary members Dianne Davis, and Kirsten Walters. This beloved holiday celebration for […]

The holiday cards are (hopefully) in the mail and the easy gifts have been checked off, wrapped, and lovingly crammed under the tree. But what to do about those harder-to-gift people in your life? Well, here are some options. Happy hunting.  Books are the gift that keeps giving. A literary favorite can be read until […]

Montecito Association Hosts 4th Annual Parade of Lights, Cars, and Holiday Spirit The Montecito Association’s 4th Annual Holiday Car Parade took place on Saturday, December 14 at 5pm. The celebration started at 3 pm in the Upper Village with a Sip ‘n’ Shop and live music by Maitland Ward. Signing up to be in the […]

Starring as the Duchess in The Ghosts of Haddon Hall – the 2024 production of “The Christmas Revels: A Winter Solstice Celebration” this weekend – is a real full circle moment 11 years in the making for Gillian Conway. The Montecito native saw her first Santa Barbara Christmas Revels as a family outing back in […]

“Extraordinary” was the theme at the Women’s Economic Ventures annual holiday appreciation fête for the League of Extraordinary Women at the downtown eatery Gala. Restaurateur Tara Penke, who catered my 71st birthday bash in July, and organization CEO Nicki Parr celebrated a year of impact for WEV – which has been supporting women in their […]

Santa Barbara Historical Museum had more than 300 lunar-tics at the Members Holiday Soirée under a full moon, which also marked the opening of two new exhibitions: The Chair, featuring seating through the ages, and J. Walter Collinge, displaying the photographer’s images of our Eden by the Beach before and after the 1925 earthquake. The […]

Social gridlock reigned when Santa Barbara Beautiful threw its annual Yuletide bash at the Voice Gallery in La Cumbre Plaza with 100 guests. Since its founding in 1965 the organization has planted 13,000 trees in our Eden by the Beach as well as placing colorful murals in the Library Plaza and the area at the […]

Lobero Associates hosted its annual holiday tea at the University Club while collecting toys for CALM, which fights child abuse. Established in 1972, the associates have raised more than $1.5 million – purchasing a Steinway grand piano, updating the historic theater’s bathrooms and replacing the theater’s ancient curtain, and undertaking innumerable other tasks. Paula Bottiani […]

For the past 15 years, the nonprofit organization Mothers’ Helpers has supported low-income families in Santa Barbara county by providing them access to essential baby items. This holiday season, the organization is hosting a Christmas program that allows community sponsors to purchase and wrap gifts for selected families, bringing a bit of magic and cheer […]

If you want to take in all of the choral programs happening this weekend, you’d better figure out how to clone yourself quickly. By some quirk of fate, or quirky communication between them, seven different mostly choral concerts are taking place this week, including an astonishing five between Saturday and Sunday, four of them from […]