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Today’s Forecast

57º | Mostly sunny | 5% chance of rain | Sunrise: 7:22 a.m. | Sunset: 5:06 p.m.
 

🎄 Who in SJ can out-Griswold the Griswolds?

Which San Jose neighborhood has the best holiday light display?
A holiday light display in Willow Glen: a brightly lit two-story home, with a white star over the doorway, "Merry Christmas" in red lights, white light deer, a white light angel, multi-colored light gifts, and a brightly lit dancefloor.
Willow Glen isn’t the only neighborhood in San Jose to show off during the holidays. | Photo by SJtoday staff
We asked where you go to see holiday lights in San Jose, and today, we’re putting your favorite neighborhoods on blast.

Spoiler alert: Some neighborhoods go so hard, Clark Griswold would weep from jealousy.

Twinkle, twinkle, Christmas star — we’re judging you from inside our cars.

Willow Glen

Nearly every street glitters, with snowflakes draping across each avenue. One house hosted a Christmas-themed dance party in their driveway, and on another corner, a group of high school students sold hot chocolate + cookies for $1 each to benefit Sacred Heart. Score: Hot chocolate/10

Red and white candy-canes line this house's lawn, with a green christmas tree, three blue snowmen, stars, and lanterns.

This Rose Garden home’s display is a real tree-t.

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Photo by SJtoday staff

Rose Garden

Many homes opt for the simple, yet elegant approach. One mansion, along University Avenue, hung twinkling stars along the branches of an enormous tree. Another home projected the words “Merry Christmas” on the side of the house. Not a cohesive experience, but there’s plenty to enjoy. Score: Twinkling stars/10

Northside

Significantly more sparse, it appears homes in Northside are still in the process of putting together their displays. However, one house’s flickering arches pulsed and strobed to unheard music. Score: Strobing lights/10

Three yellow lighted arches with multicolored disco-balls line the sidewalk, with blue twinkling lights along the roof of the house, red and white candy-cane shaped lights in the yard, and three multi-colored palm trees on the right.

Bright arches appear to be en vogue in San Jose this year.

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Photo by SJtoday staff

Hayes-Edenvale

A few displays dot the map, but most homes opted for the classic string of bulbs across the top of the garage. A single menorah (the first we’d seen in this entire trip) lit up a window. One home stood out — rings of lights light up the yard’s palm trees + shrubs. Score: One menorah/10

Cambrian Park

Only a few homes opted for any kind of light display, and most were either a simple string along the roof or a ring around the window. It was a relatively dark ride, with barely a twinkle from 85 to the Pruneyard. Score: Nearly dark/10

If you see any cool holiday light displays in your neighborhood, let us know.
 
Events
Tuesday, Dec. 5
  • Polar Play Days | Through Monday, Jan. 15, 2024 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | The Tech Interactive, 201 S. Market St., San Jose | $28-$34 | These STEM workshops include building ice hotels, creating snowmen with mushroom bricks, and catching special features in the IMAX Dome Theater.
  • Tully Night Market | Tuesday, Dec. 5 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | Tully Community Ballfields, 800 Tully Rd., San Jose | Free | This fall market is back with gourmet food trucks, local vendors, and live entertainment.
  • Karaoke Night | Tuesday, Dec. 5 | 8-11:45 p.m. | Renegades Bar, 501 W. Taylor St., San Jose | Free | Enjoy local talent or step up to the mic yourself at this weekly event.
Wednesday, Dec. 6
  • Fantasy of Lights | Through Dec. 30 | 6-10 p.m. | Vasona Lake County Park, 333 Blossom Hill Rd., Los Gatos | $30-$ | Drive through 1.5 miles of holiday magic, featuring large, animated displays and your favorite holiday tunes.
  • Succulent Wreath Class | Wednesday, Dec. 6 | 5:30 p.m. | Tessora’s Barra di Vino, 234 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell | $75 | Create your own Grapevine Wreath + embellish it with a variety of holiday decorations.
Thursday, Dec. 7
  • Enchant Christmas | Through Sunday, Dec. 31 | 5:30-10:30 p.m. | PayPal Park , 1123 Coleman Ave, San Jose | $25-$33 | The larger-than-life light maze experience, based on original stories, returns to PayPal Park with photo ops, a holiday gift village, an ice skating trail, and more.
  • The Grinch Painting Party | Thursday, Dec. 7 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Wheelhouse of Willow Glen, 1173 Lincoln Ave., San Jose | $40 | Bring your own canvas and join your friends and community for a festive, Grinch-themed painting party.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Real Estate
  • A new study by Zillow indicates more South Bay landlords are willing to cut a deal with potential renters. 51% of new listings include discounts on utilities + free months of rent. Zillow cites new construction projects, low interest rates, and high vacancy rates as possible reasons. (NBC Bay Area)
Weather
  • Get a bucket and a mop… wet weather is coming back to the South Bay this week. Expect a quarter to half-inch of rain tonight through Friday in San Jose. Officials encourage residents to keep an eye on collecting water and report blocked storm drains.
Shop
  • Need a last minute holiday gift? Shop local. SJ Made’s Winter Wonder Market is happening the weekend of Saturday, Dec. 16-Sunday, Dec. 17, showcasing ~150 local makers, artists, designers + small businesses. The event will take place inside Westgate Center, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., with free admission and parking.
Community
  • The Q Corner has moved to a new location on Senter Road in south San Jose. Sharing a building with the county’s Social Services Agency, the organization is launching a new Gender Affirming Care Clinic on-site called “colleQTive.” Drop-in hours are Tuesdays through Thursdays, 1-5 p.m.
Development
  • The VTA Park and Ride lot near the Capitol Light Rail Station will become a new affordable housing development. The apartments are being developed by MidPen Housing, and will be set aside for individuals making up to 60% of the area’s median income. The timeline for the project remains unclear. (The Mercury News)
Seasonal
  • SJ is getting snubbed. Visit California released their list of Golden State towns with the “most holiday spirit.” Windsor, Petaluma + Livermore made the list, but San Jose did not. Even though the great 408 is host to more fantastic winter events than any other Bay Area town on the list... we’re not salty.
Shop
  • Have an active loved one on your shopping list? Upway delivers rigorously inspected, certified, and 99% pre-assembled e-bikes from top brands (think: Specialized, Aventon, and Super73) directly to your doorstep — with free express shipping when you use code TREE.*
Finance
  • With one of the “best reward cards of 2023,” enjoy exceptional rewards on purchases and a $300 welcome bonus. And start racking up those rewards.*
Civic

🌳 New trees in Seven Trees

Seven Trees partners with Lowes to revitalize undeveloped plot in east San Jose
A group of volunteers in "rebuilding together silicon valley" t-shirts pose behind an American Flag.
The organization will continue work in Seven Trees through 2024. | Photo courtesy Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley.
The Seven Trees Neighborhood Association is partnering with Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley, the City of San Jose + Lowe’s to revitalize an undeveloped plot of land in east San Jose.

As of this morning, a team of ~70 volunteers have started work on planting three oak trees near Cedro Street + Cas Drive, and more improvements around the Seven Trees Community Center.

Under Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley’s “Building a Healthy Neighborhood” program, volunteers have worked on critical residential repairs throughout Seven Trees, and are committed to continuing the partnership through 2024.

Over the past two years, Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley + Lowe’s Hometowns have helped to fund improvements to under-resourced communities throughout the US.

The Seven Trees Neighborhood Association says future projects include landscaping for a local playground, sidewalk repairs, and creating Seven Trees-specific murals.
The Buy

The Buy 12.05.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
The ultimate gift for the year of Barbie: the Barbie Dreamhouse 2023. Can we get one of those spiral pool slides for our house?
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The Wrap
 
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Today’s edition by:
Gregg
From the editor
If you’re already starting to panic over those impending shipping deadlines, remember you can always shop local with some fancy San Jose digs.
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