It’s a White Christmas in SoCal’s Big Bear

No need to dream about a White Christmas. Big Bear Lake is Southern California’s top destination for a Christmas setting with snow-covered pine trees, the scent of fresh oven-baked gingerbread cookies, caroling sidewalk musicians and a kaleidoscope of Christmas lights that adorn the Big Bear Village. Maybe this year, a mountain holiday should be added to your yuletide traditions!

Christmas in the Village

Big Bear Village gets merry and bright with its annual Christmas in the Village celebration that kicks off the holiday season Friday, November 29. This feel-good Christmas gathering includes strolling musicians, children’s choirs, and of course Santa Claus. The traditional Christmas tree lighting ceremony is a brilliant display of bright lights that blend in beautifully with the natural alpine winter background. The tree lighting ceremony is from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the corner of Pine Knot Avenue and Village Drive. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will greet folks at the Santa House until 9 p.m., and then they’ll be available on weekends for visits during the holiday season leading up to Christmas from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Find Santa Everywhere

Santa Claus has figured out that Big Bear is the closest thing in Southern California that resembles his hometown, and he plans to take a break from his busy schedule to do some skiing and snow tubing in Big Bear. Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, both renowned destinations in the winter-sports industry, plan to have most of its lifts open by Christmas. Santa will be at the Snow Summit base area Saturday, December 14 and Saturday, December 21 from 12 p.m.- 3 p.m. for picture taking.

Good old Kris Kringle will also make his way over to Big Bear Snow Play on Saturday, December 21 and Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain on Sunday, December 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The snow-covered hills at Southern California’s premier tubing parks provide a magical holiday ambiance. Children visit with Santa inside the parks’ lodge where they can tell him their Christmas wish list and pose for pictures. It’s free to visit with Santa, and parents are encouraged to bring a camera to take photos of their kids with Santa Claus. All-day snow-tubing passes, which includes tube rental and Magic Carpet uphill lift are $35. Even Santa is expected to take a few runs down the snowy hills via inner tube. Big Bear Snow Play is located at 42825 Big Bear Blvd. and Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain is located at 800 Wildrose Lane.

Santa’s Christmas Cabins

Hit the slopes during the day and at night enjoy a cozy cabin next to a crackling fireplace. This holiday, make a getaway to Big Bear a memorable one. Santa’s Christmas Cabins by Gold Rush Resort Rentals gives its guests a wide selection of cabin rentals to choose from. Santa’s Christmas Cabins has accommodations to fit all tastes and budgets from lakeside to at the base of the ski slopes. Santa’s Christmas Cabins can accommodate couples, small families, and groups of up to 15. Many of its rentals are pet friendly, too. Anyone who wants to experience a white Christmas is advised to book now, especially to get the best choices for specific amenities.

Decorate your Cabin

Those who plan to rent a cabin during the holiday season and wish to deck the halls with boughs of holly, can rest assure they won’t need to drag everything up the mountain. Interiors on Fox Farm Road will do it for them. Anyone who has ever dreamed of having a stylish magazine look & feel for the holiday season is in good hands with Interiors, Big Bear’s premier home furnishings and design center. Interiors offers a holiday décor service that helps make the holidays in the mountains a more memorable experience from high-quality pre-lit decorated Christmas trees, wreaths and centerpieces customized to the guests’ choice of theme and colors. The decorating service covers all aspects from entryways to mantles to exterior trees or the entire house. Interiors showroom, located at 41968 Fox Farm Rd. transforms into an ultimate Christmas Shoppe that is sure to dazzle guests who opt to do their own decorating or just want inspiration. The 16,000 sq. ft. showroom displays a wide assortment to decorate their cabin from ornaments to stockings to tabletop vignettes. To reserve Interiors’ holiday décor service visit here.

Holiday Shopping

A slice of the North Pole is nestled right in Big Bear Village at A Christmas Store ‘N’ More. Here visitors will find everything Christmas all year round! This store brings smiles for those seeking that one-of-a-kind Christmas décor item. There is a little bit of everything Christmas here including Jim Shore collectibles, Department 56 Snowbabies, Hummel figurines, train sets, toys, clocks and Christmas books.  A Christmas Store ‘N’ More is located in the Village at 620 Pine Knot Ave. Call 909-878-0114 for details.

Another shop that embodies the holiday season is Mountain Witch Tea Company and Country Store. This old-fashioned mountain country store features specialty foods and handcrafted gifts made from local Big Bear residents. Customers return year after year for its homemade holiday jams, such as apple cinnamon or spiced cranberry. It also offers a variety of fun mountain-themed Christmas tree ornaments such as an Airstream camper, lumberjack and Bigfoot. Mountain Witch tea Company is located at 40641 Big Bear Blvd. For more info log onto www.MountainWitchTea.com .

For all there is to see and do in Big Bear this holiday season visit www.BigBearGuide.com .