Christmas 2026 falls on a Friday, so the holiday is a long weekend and December is a long run-up. In San Carlos the season starts in the middle of downtown, with a free street party on Laurel Street. This guide covers that night, where to cut your own tree, where the trees we buy actually come from, what flowers to put beside the tree, and when to order if you are sending to family or friends.
✨ Night of Holiday Lights: Friday, December 4
The City of San Carlos holds its Night of Holiday Lights downtown on Friday, December 4, 2026, from 5:00 to 8:30 p.m. The festivities fill Laurel Street from San Carlos Avenue to Cherry Street, with the main stage on Cherry Street. It is a free community event, presented by the San Carlos Parks & Recreation Department with the Parks and Recreation Foundation of San Carlos. On the program:
- Family fun and kids’ activities, and arts and crafts.
- Festive lights, a holiday show and snow.
- Hot chocolate and holiday goodies, plus beer and wine for sale.
- Music. Emcees Lori & RJ start things off at 5:00 p.m., and the band Wild Child plays the main stage from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
- Performances by the Tide Note Singers, Broadway Babies & Kids, San Carlos Children’s Theater, Peninsula Lively Arts, the Tap Dancing Christmas Trees and a tribute to Stevie Wonder.
- Special appearances by Santa Claus and the Snow Queen.
There is also a youth vendor section for entrepreneurs in grades 4 through 12. The application deadline on the city’s page is November 13 at 11:59 p.m., so that one is for young sellers who want a table. If you are heading to dinner or a friend’s house afterward, a small arrangement from us makes an easy thank-you. The same Friday is the first night of Hanukkah, so our Hanukkah 2026 guide may help if you are celebrating with neighbors too.
🌲 Cutting Your Own, Over the Hill
For a tree you cut yourself, one well-known choice is Santa’s Tree Farm and Village outside Half Moon Bay. It opened in 1974, 2026 is its 52nd year of selling trees, and it is a 487-acre choose-and-cut farm. They hand you a saw and send you into the field. Trees in the field go up to 13 feet tall, and pre-cut trees up to 9 feet are in the barn. The farm’s schedule for 2026:
- Tree cutting: November 14 to December 23, weekends 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine.
- Santa’s Village, the train and Mrs. Claus’ kitchen: weekends from November 21 to December 13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Santa visits: Friday, November 27 and weekends from November 21 to December 13, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with no Santa on December 5.
Check the farm’s own site before you go, since hours can shift with the weather. Half Moon Bay is also on our delivery list; see our Half Moon Bay delivery page.
📦 Where Store-Bought Trees Come From
If you buy a tree from a lot rather than cutting one, there is a good chance it was grown in Oregon. Oregon is first in the nation for Christmas trees: in 2023, the most recent year with federal data, Oregon growers sold 3.17 million trees, and more than half of Oregon’s trees are sold in California. Noble fir makes up just over half of Oregon’s sales, and Nordmann and Turkish fir are a small but growing share known for holding their needles longer. Oregon State University’s Extension Service says the single most important thing for a real tree is water, especially in the first few days at home, and that sugar and alcohol additives are not backed by science. Our own addition: keep the tree away from heating vents and the fireplace, and check the stand every day.
🌹 Flowers to Put Beside the Tree
- Red or white roses in a simple vase, for the dinner table or a side table.
- Amaryllis. Tall, bold and long-lasting. Our holiday flowers and greens guide covers amaryllis, paperwhites, holly and pet safety.
- Fresh greens. Cedar, fir and pine in an arrangement bring the scent of the season, and they last in water.
- Low centerpieces. For a table full of dishes, low and compact keeps everyone’s sight lines open.
Our fresh-cut flower care tips work in December as they do the rest of the year, and the warm rooms of the holidays make fresh water even more important.
📅 The 2026 Christmas Calendar
- Thursday, November 26: Thanksgiving.
- Friday, December 4: Night of Holiday Lights on Laurel Street.
- Thursday, December 24: Christmas Eve.
- Friday, December 25: Christmas Day.
- Thursday, December 31: New Year’s Eve.
We deliver seven days a week, including the weekends around Christmas. Order early, and pick the delivery date you want when you place the order. If you are sending to someone in Redwood City or Belmont, our Redwood City and Belmont delivery pages list the areas we cover.
🎁 Who to Send Flowers To
- The host. A low arrangement for the table.
- Family far away. Many of us on the Peninsula have relatives across the country, and flowers arriving at their door say you are thinking of them.
- A neighbor, a coworker, a teacher. Our flowers and gifts under $50 page is a good place to start.
- Someone who is alone for the holiday. A plant that lasts past January is a good gift; see plants and gardens.
📋 The Short Version
- Night of Holiday Lights is Friday, December 4, 5:00 to 8:30 p.m. on Laurel Street, and it is free.
- Santa’s Tree Farm in Half Moon Bay cuts trees November 14 to December 23.
- A store-bought tree may well have been grown in Oregon, and water is what keeps it fresh.
- Roses, amaryllis and fresh greens go best beside a tree.
- Christmas is Friday, December 25. Order early; we deliver seven days a week.