Capture the holiday spirit, starting this weekend
The holidays look different this year. With COVID-19 disrupting everyone’s lives, there are no parties, no potlucks, no gathering with friends in the glow of festive lights. But thanks to spins on traditional events and new offerings, there are plenty of ways to capture the spirit safely.
Hikari–A Festival of Lights:
Drive through Tanaka Farms’ 30 acres of twinkling lights. Reportedly everything has been given the hikari (“shine” in Japanese) treatment, from the sugarcane to the trees and from the tractors to the scarecrows. And on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Santa makes an appearance. The lights turn on Friday, Nov. 27, with the first car entering the fun at 5:30 p.m. Register for a date and time via https:// www. tanakafarms. com/ hikari. Monday through Thursday, it costs $49 per car, but the price goes up $10 Fridays through Sundays. Hikari runs through Dec. 10.
Christmas Train: Take a train ride through Irvine Regional Park, passing by Santa’s Village on the way to the North Pole, where Santa and Mrs. Claus will greet passengers from a safe distance. The annual event starts Friday, Nov. 27, and tickets are available through https://www. irvineparkrailroad. com/ events/ christmas-train/ for $17-$20 per person. (Activities within Santa’s Village carry an additional cost.) Space sells out fast for this event, which ends Dec. 23.
Night of Lights OC: Pivoting from Winter Fest OC, the OC Fair & Event Center offers Night of Lights OC, starting Dec. 10. The 1-mile drive-through spectacular features more than 1 million lights and animation set to music that can be accessed via smart phone or car radio. Spectators can preorder food (from tamales to sweet treats) and drink online before 10 a.m. when they buy tickets at https://nightoflightsoc. com. Sessions start at 5 p.m., running through 9:30 p.m. Earlybird pricing starts ay $39.99 for vehicles with five guests or less, but costs will increase once those tickets run out. The magic ends Jan. 10 (though it will also be closed on Dec. 24).
Taste of Merry Farm: Knott’s Berry Farm has also been pivoting this year, focusing on its dining and shopping choices. The Taste of Merry Farm event, which started Nov. 20, includes such holiday treats as Ode to Santa eggnog with candy cane cookies, Blitzen’s Christmas Tree bundt cake, Comet’s Cinnamon Bun with a maple glaze and candied pecans, and Scrooge’s Spicy Wings. Amid the picturesque settings, ticket holders can get some holiday shopping done at stores and craft booths, including the park’s famous glassblower and chainsaw carver. Tickets for the daily, ninehour event are available via https:// www.knotts.com/play/events/ taste-of-merry-farm for $40.
Holidays at the Harbor: Dana Point Harbor Partners continues its tradition of themed light displays throughout the harbor area. Travel through the light tunnel to get to the Merry Kiss Me arch, then visit Candy Cane Lane. On the first and second weekends in December, the harbor also offers a view of the 46th Annual Parade of Lights, for which boats are decorated like a “Fiesta Holiday.” The #happyharbordays continue through Jan. 3. A map of attractions is available at https:// danapointharbor.com/holidaysat- the-harbor/.
