Santa Claus

The Sawdust Festival’s Winter Fantasy gives us all something to be thankful for: We don’t have to fight the post-Thanksgiving crowds at the mall to shop for those special gifts. Opening Day ceremonies Saturday included the traditional tree lighting by Mayor Kelly Boyd — one of his last official and most heartwarming acts before handing over the gavel to his successor to be named at the December council meeting. “It was magical,” said Sawdust General Manager Tom Klingenmeier . “Listening to the people and hearing the oohs and aahs from the children when the lights went on and the three machines were pumping out snow was perfect.

BARBARA DIAMOND The holiday season began Friday in Laguna Beach when Santa Claus arrived at City Hall. Anyone who thinks Christmas is too commercial only needed to look at the faces of the hundreds of Laguna Beach kids who counted down with Santa to the lighting of the pepper tree and then escorted him down Forest Avenue to his holiday home. Adults, too, shared the fun. Police Capt. Danell Adams, who grew up in Laguna, Arts Commissioner Terry Smith and former Mayor Wayne Peterson were in the crowd at City Hall.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This holiday editorial first ran in 1897 in the New York Sun. The letter to the editor was from Virginia O'Hanlon. The author of the reply was veteran Sun editor Francis Church. The piece was reprinted annually until the Sun went out of business in 1949. We've decided to keep that tradition going at the Coastline Pilot. Dear Editor, I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so. " Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Downtown businesses stay open late tonight to welcome shoppers. That's hospitality -- Laguna-style.Laguna Beach will kick off the holiday season tonight. Hospitality Night festivities will begin at 5 p.m., leading up to Santa's 6 p.m. arrival at City Hall to light the pepper tree, the traditional signal that the holiday season has arrived in Laguna Beach. Downtown merchants will stay open late to dispense cheer to browsers and buyers at the biggest block party of the year.

Santa is making an early stop in Laguna Beach. The Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce will kick off the holiday season Friday, Dec. 1, with the 50th annual Hospitality Night from 5 to 9 p.m. in downtown Laguna Beach. Illuminated streets and carolers will welcome Santa as he parades down Forest Avenue to City Hall for the official Lighting of the Pepper Tree. Then Santa will parade down Forest to his house on the corner of Glenneyre Street. Forest Avenue will be blocked to traffic as shops stay open until 9 p.m. Many downtown businesses will have open houses.

The clouds were threatening rain and the temperature had dropped to the mid-50s, but that didn't stop families from lining up outside the Woman's Club of Laguna Beach 45 minutes early. When the doors finally opened Friday evening, it was a rush inside to stuff blue 33-gallon trash bags full of essential items and Christmas goodies. The Woman's Club hosted its annual holiday party for low-income families, who shopped for the slew of free donated items while children had the chance to meet Santa Claus and take home a stuffed animal and candy cane.

El Morro Elementary School MARILYN BEACHEMIN'S FIRST-GRADE CLASS Dear Santa, I want Barbie cruise ship, a real puppy dog, American Girl dolls and a cymbal and drum set and teddy bear. I want my mom to get a new coffee machine. I want my dad to get a new bike. Audrey Pillsbury Dear Santa, I wish for a big stuffed bear. I wish a pink bike. I also wish a big Christmas tree. Quenia Vasquez Dear Santa, I have been thinking about you. I want airbrush tattoos.

The Saloon in The Peppertree Lane will host their 5th annual Christmas party benefiting Toys for Tots on Monday, Dec. 15th from 6 to 11 p.m.  Admission will be one unwrapped new toy and will be exchanged for a ticket to their opportunity drawing.   The drawing will have an array of wonderful prizes which will be given away all night from the other tenants in the Peppertree Lane: La Rue du Chocolat, Sutton Place and Gelato Paradiso. Other prizes include gift certificates from The Montage and local restaurants such as Sorrento Grille, Zoolu Café, 230, and Thai Brothers and a Sammy Hagar signed guitar.

EYE ON ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT This week is a far cry from last week weatherwise. I gladly say bye bye to the humidity and heat and hello to the cooler breezes. Still our forecast for art and entertainment is hot, hot, hot. It includes the opening of "Ocean View" at Laguna Art Museum, a visit from Santa and a birthday celebration for beloved Woody's at the Beach. LAGUNA ART MUSEUM'S OCEAN VIEW Opening on Sunday at Laguna Art Museum, on the main level, is its newest exhibit called "Ocean View: The Depiction of Southern California Coastal Lifestyle."

Winter Fantasy organizers’ dreams were exceeded beyond anything they imagined as the opening day crowd was up more than 40% from last year. The 17th annual holiday show opened Saturday, featuring entertainment and 170 artists, in seasonally decorated booths on the Sawdust Festival Grounds. “Guests walk in and fall in love with everything — the art, the decorations, the wonderful holiday feeling and, especially, this year’s standout, the Magic Castle by Ryan Gourley at the entrance,” said Winter Fantasy exhibitor and volunteer Dennis Junka.