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Santa is one smart cookie. The North Pole may be Kringle’s home base, but he’s spread holiday cheer and fun experiences across Northern California, from historic festivals in Gold Rush towns to an illuminated boat parade on the coast. Here are seven ways to step away from the ho-hum and try a different tradition this ho-ho-holiday season.
1 Cornish Christmas
Christmas past beckons from Grass Valley’s Cornish fair, recalling the area’s Cornish heritage and traditions. Expect a multi-sensory overload during the festivities, which begin Nov. 23. Streets teem with Christmas cheer from carolers, musicians, jugglers, the Grass Valley Cornish Carol Choir, Santa Claus and the Tommyknocker Cloggers. Historic buildings twinkle with lights. Food carts of roasting chestnuts and other delicious food and drink options line the streets, and California artists will have their handcrafted goods and decorations on display.
Details: Friday nights from 6 to 9 p.m. from Nov. 23 through Dec. 21 on Main and Mill streets in downtown Grass Valley. Free admission; http://downtowngrassvalley.com.
2 Nevada City Victorian Christmas
The Gold Rush era comes back to life during the Victorian Christmas celebrations held in the snow-capped Sierra foothill town of Nevada City. Revel in the sight of real gas lamps, twinkling white lights, wandering minstrels and singers and the cries of street vendors, hawking roasted chestnuts. Carolers stroll along in Victorian attire — and you can, too. There are carriage rides, bagpipers, brass bands and, of course, Father Christmas sightings. Bring your gift list. There are handcrafted treasures to browse, too.
Details: 1:30 to 6 p.m. Dec. 9, 16 and 23, and 5 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 12 and 19 in downtown Nevada City. Free admission; www.nevadacitychamber.com.
3 Christmas in the Adobes
Head for the coast — and a different century — for Monterey’s Christmas in the Adobes festival, which evokes the celebrations of 19th century Alta California. Stroll among the adobes, decorated for the holidays with candlelit luminaria. Enjoy festive music, living history presentations and plenty of interactive fun. Try a fandango lesson at the Custom House and enjoy bagpipes and shortbread cookies at Robert Louis Stevenson House as you explore more than 20 other historic sites.
Details: 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 7-8 at Monterey State Historic Park, 20 Custom House Plaza, Monterey. Admission is $2-$25; www.parks.ca.gov.
4 Great Dickens Christmas Fair
The last stop on the roasting-chestnuts and festival-flashback tour is the enormous party set among the winding, twilight-lit lanes of 1860 London. The annual Great Dickens Christmas Fair offers hundreds of Victorian characters and street vendors, music halls and authentic pubs, serving up hearty foods and high teas. There are seven stages with non-stop performances, dance halls and 100 Christmas shops to tempt. And kids will love the Tinsley Green Children’s Area, Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, Father Christmas Stage and the Toy Parade.
Details: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekends Nov. 17 through Dec. 23, plus the Friday after Thanksgiving, at the Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Ave., Daly City. Admission is $10-$30; https://dickensfair.com.
5 Lighted Boat Parade
In Santa Cruz, the holiday spotlight shines on the annual parade of illuminated, decorated boats gliding through the harbor on Dec. 1. Christmas trees, Santas, reindeer and elves adorn the boats, creating a colorful holiday wonderland. Families love this event, which includes hot drinks and snacks at various sites around the harbor, and a canned-food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank.
Details: 5:30 p.m. Dec. 1 at Santa Cruz Harbor, 135 Fifth St., Santa Cruz. Free admission; www.santacruzharbor.org/events and https://club.scyc.org/cruising/lighted-boat-parade/
6 Calistoga Christmas Faire and Lighted Tractor Parade
Set aside Dec. 1 for a full day of Calistoga holiday fun, starting with breakfast with Santa. There are horse, carriage and trolley rides, and plenty of live entertainment. Join the cookie swap and cake walk, and check out the crafts stations for kids and adults. Top off the day with the grand spectacle of the 23rd annual Lighted Tractor Parade. At 7 p.m., extravagantly decorated tractors, vintage trucks and fire engines take to Lincoln Avenue in all their illuminated splendor.
Details: The Christmas Faire runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Napa Valley Fairgrounds, 575 Third St., Napa. The tractor parade begins at 7 p.m. https://visitcalistoga.com
7 Theatre of Lights Spectacular
Old Sacramento’s Waterfront transforms into a 19th-century winter fantasy each year for the live-action retelling of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Using state-of-the-art technology, the spectacular entertainment unfolds on balconies and rooftops on K Street. Keep your eyes open for Jack Frost and other surprises.
Details: 6 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Sundays from Nov. 23 through Dec. 24. Free admission; www.godowntownsac.com