’Tis the Season 2020

The Complete Guide to Santa Barbara’s Holiday Happenings, Virtual and In-Person

By Terry Ortega | Published December 3, 2020

Who would have considered back in March that we would still be celebrating holidays and traditions during this continued pandemic? Well, here we are. But hopefully we’ve all been enlightened to the importance of family and community.

Let the Santa Barbara Independent’s complete guide to holiday happenings assist you in planning a modified but festive agenda with safety guidelines for in-person events, such as finding the perfect Christmas tree, taking photos with Santa, walking through a nightly snowfall, dining, and, of course, shopping.

You can also choose from an array of creative virtual events, such as learning how to make sufganiyot (jelly-filled donuts) for Chanukah, perusing galleries to view and purchase artwork, shopping for unique items from museum stores, and uniting with family and friends for a ceremony to honor those who cannot be with us this holiday season.

The Independent’s wish is that our annual guide will encourage families, friends, and neighbors from all communities to find support, the time to relax, mindfulness (masks), and to have a little fun!