Charles Wheal

by Nancy Whelan

December 2010 — The 2010 holiday season on the Coastside is brimming with festive activities and live entertainment. Whether you get in the spirit through creative expression, live performances or community caroling, here are a few ideas for passing the time with friends and family.

Indulge your creative spirit.

Dive into festive projects with family members or a group of friends. Art has a way of soothing the soul and provides a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

The Shoppes at Harbor Village in Half Moon Bay are hosting a variety of artistic activities this season. Half Moon Flowers offers festive wreath-making workshops to groups of five or more participants on Mondays and Tuesdays. Award-winning floral designer Leila Simms will walk you and your friends through a step-by-step process that results in each of you walking away with a beautiful holiday wreath that you can keep or give as a holiday gift. Contact halfmoonflowers@gmail.com for more information.

Golden Bough

The Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay will offer a holiday cookie decorating class on Saturday, Dec. 18, for children ages 5 to 12. Kids will create sugar cookie bouquets, sample their own creations and leave with a complimentary chef’s hat. Reservations are required, with space limited to 14 children. Call 650-712-7667 to reserve.

Try something new.

Add some cultural flavor to the holidays by taking the entire family to see The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge presented by Pacifica Spindrift Players through Dec. 12. Call 650-359-8002 to reserve tickets.

Join the Pacifica Historical Society and attend its annual Christmas party at the Pacifica Castle on Dec. 5, from 1-4 p.m. Membership fees are $20 for an entire family and $15 per individual. The annual members’ party offers a rare opportunity to wander around the castle enjoying each room at a leisurely pace. This is a fun local group that produces multiple fundraisers each year, and members can pick and choose from a wide range of activities. Call 650-359-5462 for more details.

Mingle and make merry.

Seaside Singers

The Coastside holiday music scene is tingling with celebration. Don’t miss the fifth annual Festival of Holiday Music at the Mildred Owen Concert Hall in Pacifica on Dec. 10. The fabulous Seaside Singers will perform Christmas carols in the Spanish and Catalan languages; they’ll be followed by the third-grade choruses from Vallemar and Ocean Shore schools and the Sessler Guitar Ensemble. The audience will participate in a seasonal sing-along, too. Special admission prices are $10 for families and $8 for single admission, and proceeds benefit Pacifica Performances.

Another opportunity to enjoy Christmas carols is during the annual Community Christmas Carol Concert, held on Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, on the northwest corner of Highway 1 and California Avenue in Moss Beach. Free to the public, this event features carols performed both by local choirs and the audience.

If you prefer a Celtic holiday, catch Golden Bough at 4 p.m. on Dec. 19 at the Mildred Owen Concert Hall in Pacifica, as the trio performs rare carols from Ireland and Scotland. Order online via www.pacificaperformances.org.

Marty Williams

Catch the ever-growing wave of riveting musical performances at the Music Box lounge, adjacent to Pasta Moon in downtown Half Moon Bay. The Charles Wheal trio performs traditional blues and roots on Dec. 13 and Erik Deutsch, a pianist and composer who works with Norah Jones, will perform on Dec. 18. Then on the 19th, Marty Williams — the great local jazz musician who just played and released his new CD in November and drew a crowd of 150 people — returns for another night of great jazz entertainment. If you can find a spot at the adjoining bar, be sure to try a Candy Cane Martini or a Peppermint Patty!