Christmas in San Francisco (2025)
Holidays
Christmas in San Francisco (2025)
Everything to do in SF on Christmas Eve and Day to help you escape family
East Bay’s New 40,000 Sq. Ft. Japanese Supermarket Opens Jan. 31, 2026
Brand New, East Bay, Groceries / Supermarkets
East Bay’s New 40,000 Sq. Ft. Japanese Supermarket Opens Jan. 31, 2026
Tokyo Central brings fresh sushi, ramen, snacks, and Japanese groceries to Bay Street Emeryville
Oakland to End Free Sunday Parking in 2026
Oakland, Transportation
Oakland to End Free Sunday Parking in 2026
Sunday meter enforcement begins in January 4 with a 30-day warning period
One of the Bay’s Best Views Returns After 15-Year Makeover
Bay Area Updates, Outdoorsy
One of the Bay’s Best Views Returns After 15-Year Makeover
Hawk Hill reopens with upgraded trails, lookouts, and 360-degree Bay views
SF Is Tearing Down the Infamous Chinatown “Bridge to Nowhere”
City Insight, San Francisco
SF Is Tearing Down the Infamous Chinatown “Bridge to Nowhere”
The long-hated pedestrian bridge over Portsmouth Square is finally coming down

Wednesday, December 24

$1 Wing Wednesdays at Underdogs Cantina (SoMa)
Wednesday, December 24 – 4:30 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*No admission charge. Wings are $1 each.
| Underdogs Cantina
$1 Wing Wednesdays at Underdogs Cantina (SoMa)

Join us for Wing Wednesdays at Underdogs Cantina with $1 Wings from 4:30pm – Close! $1 Wing Wednesdays | 4:30pm to Close Underdogs Cantina, 128 King St. (Across from ballpark), SF FREE (No Cover) $1 WINGS from 4:30pm – Close Happy Hour from ...Every Wednesday

PIER 39’s Dazzling 60′ Tree Xmas Eve Lighting Show
Wednesday, December 24 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Pier 39
PIER 39's Dazzling 60' Tree Xmas Eve Lighting Show

The Holidays are HapPIER at PIER 39! Get into the spirit of the Season at PIER 39 while shopping, dining and strolling The PIER. An awe-inspiring Christmas tree has welcomed millions of visitors at the Entrance Plaza of PIER 39 every holiday season since 1983 ...

“Hook-Up Horror Stories” Stand-Up Comedy Show (SF)
Wednesday, December 24 – 7:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free with RSVP
| The Function
"Hook-Up Horror Stories" Stand-Up Comedy Show (SF)

We’ve all had bad dates. Lets hear SF’s top comedians make you laugh about them! Bad dates make great comedy. 💘 First 50 RSVPs get in FREE – claim yours now (7p + 8:30p shows) Welcome to Tindervention—the stand-up show where SF’s top comedians spill their most outrageous dating ...Every Wednesday

Free Peet’s Coffee Day (Christmas Eve 2025)
Wednesday, December 24 – 5:30 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*One free complimentary brewed coffee or tea per person. Donations are encouraged. Participating Peet's only
| Peet's (Bay Area)
Free Peet's Coffee Day (Christmas Eve 2025)
For 2025, again Peet’s is treating Peetnicks to a free small drip coffee or brewed tea on Christmas Eve, December 24 at participating locations. Free Peet’s Coffee on Christmas Eve Wednesday, December 24, 2025 | All day (call your local Peet’s for hours) Participating Bay Area Peet’s Coffee ...
Japanese Tea Garden’s Free Xmas Eve Admission (Golden Gate Park)
Japanese Tea Garden's Free Xmas Eve Admission (Golden Gate Park)

The Japanese Tea Garden provides visitors from around the world with an opportunity to experience the natural beauty, tranquility, and harmony of a Japanese-style garden in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Originally created as a “Japanese Village” exhibit for the 1894 California ...Every Wednesday

Union Square’s Xmas Eve “Winter Walk” 2025 (Final Day)
Wednesday, December 24 – 10:00 am - Ends at 9:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Lower Stockton Street
Union Square's Xmas Eve "Winter Walk" 2025 (Final Day)

San Francisco’s signature holiday event, Winter Walk, returns to Union Square from December 13–24, 2025 for a 12-day celebration that transforms two blocks of Stockton Street into a festive holiday destination. This year’s Winter Walk will feature a holiday marketplace, interactive vendors, food trucks, family-friendly stage ...

20th Anniv. of SF’s 12 ft. Tall “Sugar Castle” at The Westin St. Francis
Wednesday, December 24 – All Day | Cost: FREE | The Westin St. Francis
20th Anniv. of SF's 12 ft. Tall “Sugar Castle" at The Westin St. Francis

The Westin St. Francis’ iconic Sugar Castle celebrates 20 years of holiday magic in San Francisco. This nearly 12-foot-tall, 1,000-pound masterpiece features more than 20 towers, 15 illuminated rooms, and a running train, bringing a whimsical French château to life in the heart of the ...

2025 Xmas Eve “IlluminOdyssey” Interactive Light Experience
Wednesday, December 24 – 10:00 am - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: $27.95*
*$27.95 Adults; $23.95 Children, Students & Seniors
| CuriOdyssey
2025 Xmas Eve "IlluminOdyssey" Interactive Light Experience

lluminOdyssey is back! Catch the light November 15, 2025 through January 25, 2026. Inspired by the science of light, IlluminOdyssey is an immersive, interactive installation that will mesmerize kids and adults of all ages*. CuriOdyssey’s four-level Redwood Hall will transform into a glowing forest of ...

SF’s Festive Larger-Than-Life Ornament Trail 2025 (Final Day)
Wednesday, December 24 – 11:00 am - Ends at 6:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Cable Car Turnaround (Market/Powell)
SF's Festive Larger-Than-Life Ornament Trail 2025 (Final Day)

SF’s Ornament Trail is back in Union Square, bringing 11 oversized holiday ornaments created by local artists to Powell Street and the surrounding area. Running daily from December 6 through December 24, the free, self-guided trail invites you to take a holiday walk through downtown ...

San Jose’s Xmas Eve “Skate Under the Palms” Ice Skating
Wednesday, December 24 – 11:00 am - Ends at 10:30 pm | Cost: $21*
*$21 includes skate rentals
| Downtown Ice (San Jose)
San Jose's Xmas Eve "Skate Under the Palms" Ice Skating

Located at 120 S. Market St., the downtown San Jose rink opens on Wednesday, November 26, and operates daily through January 19, 2026. Skate in true California style. A local tradition since 1994, Skate Under the Palms, formerly known as Downtown Ice in San Jose, ...

2025 Macy’s Holiday Windows: SF’s Cutest Puppies & Kittens | Nov. 21 – Dec. 31
Wednesday, December 24 – 12:00 pm - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Macy's (Union Square)
2025 Macy's Holiday Windows: SF's Cutest Puppies & Kittens | Nov. 21 - Dec. 31

Get ready for a heartwarming holiday tradition as adoptable rescue animals return to Macy’s 39th Holiday Windows, bringing joy and cheer to the festive displays. Macy’s, in partnership with the San Francisco SPCA, aims to inspire families to consider the joy of adopting a furry friend, reminding ...

Christmas Eve at San Jose’s “Christmas in the Park”
Wednesday, December 24 – 12:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free, but donations are accepted
| Plaza de Cesar Chavez
Christmas Eve at San Jose's "Christmas in the Park"

Christmas in the Park is an annual holiday tradition that takes place in the heart of downtown San José at the Plaza de Cesar Chavez. For over 45 years, this whimsical walk-thru event has brought people from all over the Bay Area together during the ...

SF’s 2025 Macy’s Union Square Great Christmas Tree Dazzles
Wednesday, December 24 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Union Square Park
SF's 2025 Macy's Union Square Great Christmas Tree Dazzles

This iconic landmark, Macy’s Great Tree in Union Square, returns decorated in an abundance of festive ornaments and glimmering lights to light up Union Square throughout the holidays. 2025 update – The official lighting quietly took place on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. San Francisco’s most ...

SF’s Epic “Photosynthesis” Light Show | Conservatory of Flowers
Wednesday, December 24 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 11:59 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free to watch from outside the building.
| San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers
SF's Epic "Photosynthesis" Light Show | Conservatory of Flowers

Light up the season with Photosynthesis, This beautiful light art installation was developed in partnership with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and was designed by Lumigeek with music by Tim Digulla. The installation uses special projectors to transform the all-white glasshouse into a ...

SF City Hall’s Brand New Animated Light Show (Christmas Eve)
Wednesday, December 24 – 5:30 pm - Ends at 11:59 pm | Cost: FREE | San Francisco City Hall
SF City Hall's Brand New Animated Light Show (Christmas Eve)

San Francisco City Hall has debuted a brand new holiday installation: City Hall Winter Lights, a free projection mapping show that turns both the Polk Street and Van Ness Avenue sides of the building into a giant animated storybook. The month-long display runs nightly through ...

SF’s Holiday Ice Skating Session at Union Square (Christmas Eve)
Wednesday, December 24 – All Day | Cost: $22 | Union Square Park
SF's Holiday Ice Skating Session at Union Square (Christmas Eve)

One of San Francisco’s favorite holiday traditions returns for the 2025-26 holiday season. Since 2008, The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square has delighted children and adults with its holiday-themed ice park located in Union Square. Gather your family and friends for a beloved ...

Jewish Comedy on Xmas in a Chinese Restaurant (Dec. 24-26)
Wednesday, December 24 – 8:30 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: $76*
*$30 virtual / $70-100 in-person
| Imperial Palace Restaurant
Jewish Comedy on Xmas in a Chinese Restaurant (Dec. 24-26)

The 33rd Annual Kung Pao Kosher Comedy: Jewish Comedy on Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant takes place both in-person at the Imperial Palace Restaurant in San Francisco’s Chinatown AND livestreamed on Dec 24-26, with two shows a day. Comedy legend Elayne Boosler headlines this San ...

Thursday, December 25

PIER 39’s Dazzling 60′ Tree Christmas Lighting Show
Thursday, December 25 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Pier 39
PIER 39's Dazzling 60' Tree Christmas Lighting Show

The Holidays are HapPIER at PIER 39! Get into the spirit of the Season at PIER 39 while shopping, dining and strolling The PIER. An awe-inspiring Christmas tree has welcomed millions of visitors at the Entrance Plaza of PIER 39 every holiday season since 1983 ...

Hecklers Welcome: SF’s First Stand-Up Comedy Show That Invites Heckling
Thursday, December 25 – 7:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free with RSVP
| The Function
Hecklers Welcome: SF's First Stand-Up Comedy Show That Invites Heckling

Welcome to Hecklers Welcome!, San Francisco’s only stand-up show where you get to talk back. This is not your average comedy night—this is a full-blown verbal brawl, where comics come ready to spar and the audience gets a license to heckle. Got jokes? Bring ’em. Got beef? Air ...Every Thursday

Free Parking Meters + Christmas 2025 Parking Rules in SF (How Not to Get a Ticket)
Free Parking Meters + Christmas 2025 Parking Rules in SF (How Not to Get a Ticket)
On Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25, 2025 and New Year’s Day, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, the following parking regulations will not be enforced anywhere in the city: Parking meters (all meters, including color-capped and Pay or Permit), white zones, nightly street sweeping (street cleaning 12am-6am) will not be ...
Free Admission Day for Christmas at San Francisco Botanical Garden (2025)
Thursday, December 25 – 7:30 am - Ends at 4:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and daily from 7:30-9 am
| San Francisco Botanical Garden
Free Admission Day for Christmas at San Francisco Botanical Garden (2025)

The San Francisco Botanical Garden is one of the most diverse gardens in the world. A unique urban oasis, the garden is a living museum within Golden Gate Park, offering 55 acres of both landscaped gardens and open spaces, and showcasing over 9,000 different kinds ...Monthly

SF’s 20th Anniv. of 12 ft. Tall “Sugar Castle” at The Westin St. Francis
Thursday, December 25 – All Day | Cost: FREE | The Westin St. Francis
SF's 20th Anniv. of 12 ft. Tall “Sugar Castle" at The Westin St. Francis

The Westin St. Francis’ iconic Sugar Castle celebrates 20 years of holiday magic in San Francisco. This nearly 12-foot-tall, 1,000-pound masterpiece features more than 20 towers, 15 illuminated rooms, and a running train, bringing a whimsical French château to life in the heart of the ...

Christmas Day at San Jose’s “Christmas in the Park”
Thursday, December 25 – 12:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free, but donations are accepted
| Plaza de Cesar Chavez
Christmas Day at San Jose's "Christmas in the Park"

Christmas in the Park is an annual holiday tradition that takes place in the heart of downtown San José at the Plaza de Cesar Chavez. For over 45 years, this whimsical walk-thru event has brought people from all over the Bay Area together during the ...

San Jose’s Christmas “Skate Under the Palms” Ice Skating
Thursday, December 25 – 1:00 pm - Ends at 10:30 pm | Cost: $21*
*$21 includes skate rentals
| Downtown Ice (San Jose)
San Jose's Christmas "Skate Under the Palms" Ice Skating

Located at 120 S. Market St., the downtown San Jose rink opens on Wednesday, November 26, and operates daily through January 19, 2026. Skate in true California style. A local tradition since 1994, Skate Under the Palms, formerly known as Downtown Ice in San Jose, ...

SF’s Xmas Day “Queersada” Free Queer Holiday Gathering (The Castro)
Thursday, December 25 – 2:00 pm - Ends at 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free with RSVP
| Beaux
SF's Xmas Day "Queersada" Free Queer Holiday Gathering (The Castro)
A free queer posada with food, chosen family, and a place to kick it, all in the heart of the Castro. It’s all for love of community. Let’s kick it, family! Happening on December 25th from 2-5pm at Beaux in the Castro, a FREE Queer Posada — The ...
2025 Christmas Concert & Free Vegetarian Dinner (San Leandro)
Thursday, December 25 – 3:00 pm - Ends at 5:30 pm | Cost: FREE | Badarikashrama
2025 Christmas Concert & Free Vegetarian Dinner (San Leandro)
Christmas Concert and International Vegetarian Dinner Come join us for a festive evening at Badarikashrama, a Hindu temple serving the Bay Area for more than 40 years. Enjoy a delightful Christmas Concert, and a scrumptious International Vegetarian Dinner. Badarikashrama has been offering a Christmas celebration for more than 30 ...
The Willows’ “Beer Xmas” Beer, Shots + Egg Nog (SF)
Thursday, December 25 – 4:00 pm - Ends at 12:00 am | Cost: FREE*
*Pay for what you drink
| The Willows
The Willows' "Beer Xmas" Beer, Shots + Egg Nog (SF)
The Willows will be opening for all of the Christmas orphans, the natives that need a drink after spending the day with family. All of the people that don’t celebrate or are far away from home. I’ll be opening at around 4. I’ll stay open as ...
SF’s 2025 Macy’s Union Square Great Christmas Tree Dazzles
Thursday, December 25 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 10:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Union Square Park
SF's 2025 Macy's Union Square Great Christmas Tree Dazzles

This iconic landmark, Macy’s Great Tree in Union Square, returns decorated in an abundance of festive ornaments and glimmering lights to light up Union Square throughout the holidays. 2025 update – The official lighting quietly took place on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. San Francisco’s most ...

SF’s Epic “Photosynthesis” Light Show | Conservatory of Flowers
Thursday, December 25 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 11:59 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free to watch from outside the building.
| San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers
SF's Epic "Photosynthesis" Light Show | Conservatory of Flowers

Light up the season with Photosynthesis, This beautiful light art installation was developed in partnership with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and was designed by Lumigeek with music by Tim Digulla. The installation uses special projectors to transform the all-white glasshouse into a ...

Christmas at “Lightscape”: Immersive Holiday Light Trail in Golden Gate Park
Thursday, December 25 – 5:00 pm - Ends at 8:15 pm | Cost: $32*
*Adult tix start at $32
| San Francisco Botanical Garden
Christmas at "Lightscape": Immersive Holiday Light Trail in Golden Gate Park

San Francisco Botanical Garden will transform into a glowing after-dark wonderland this winter with Lightscape, an immersive holiday light and music trail that has wowed crowds in London, Chicago, Melbourne, and New York. From November 21, 2025 through January 4, 2026, visitors can wander a ...