A San Diego Christmas | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Relationships

A San Diego Christmas

Better than any white Christmas ever could be

23
A San Diego Christmas

As a San Diego native, I've never had a white Christmas. Christmas Day is a snowless, generally sunny day, usually with temperatures somewhere between 65 and 70 degrees. Being in Boston has made me think a lot more about how nice it would be to have one of those movie-style Christmases, with a fireplace and snow falling outside the window, with big puffy coats and mittens and hot mugs of cocoa.

But then I thought about all of the amazing things about a San Diego Christmas, and realized that I wouldn't change any of those traditions for all the crackling fireplaces in the world. So here are the five best things about a San Diego Christmas, and why no amount of snowmen or cute beanies could ever be better.

1. The beach-ball Christmas tree.

Every year, someone donates a huge Christmas tree and it gets put up right on the beach. It gets decorated with beach balls, and the sight of the tree with a backdrop of blue, crashing waves is unbeatable.

2. Boogie-boarding down sand-dunes.


When winter rolls around, little mountains get built on the beach, stretching all the way from the tide-pools to Tower Four. On days when it's a little too chilly to actually go in the water, the next best thing is grabbing your boogie-board and sliding down the sand-dunes. It makes you feel as cool as Julie Andrews mattress-surfing at Princess Mia's twenty-first birthday party.

3. The Christmas Parade

I know there are Christmas parades all over the place, but there's something special about the one we have every year in Ocean Beach. It's such an intrinsic part of the community, a collective picture of what OB is all about. Everyone comes together to create this incredible symbol of togetherness; it's what Christmas is all about.

4. Garrison Street

Again, there are a million different streets decked out with Christmas lights, but Garrison is special. Is it really Christmas if you don't spend a night with your friends, sipping hot chocolate and snacking on sugar cookies while admiring the lights? (No, no it's not).

5. Christmas Eve picnics


One thing you definitely can't do if you're enjoying a snow-ridden Christmas –– Christmas picnics. It's probably one of my favorite traditions. You gather your friends and family along with an armful of Christmas cookies, fresh fruit, and hot cider, and head on down to the cliffs to watch the sunset.

Christmas in San Diego is a little unorthodox. It doesn't match with any of the Christmas movie stereotypes, and most San Diegans will spend much of the holiday season with their front doors open to let in the warm air. There's no snow, outdoor ice-skating is a struggle, and anyone in a puffy-coat is ridiculously extra. But Christmas in San Diego comes with traditions that make celebrating the holidays a hundred times better than it would be anywhere else, so you won't find me dreaming of a white Christmas any time soon.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

5 Things To Do That Are Better Than Writing A Paper

Don't waste your time trying to write that paper when there are so many more interesting things you could be doing.

7823
computer keyboard
Unsplash

Writing a paper is never fun and is rarely rewarding. The writer's block, the page requirement, be specific, but don’t summarize, make sure you fixed any grammatical errors, did you even use spellcheck? and analyze, analyze, analyze.

Papers can be a major pain. They take up so much time and effort that by the end of the process you hate yourself and you hate the professor for making life so difficult. Questions of your existence start roaming in your mind. Am I even cut out for college if I can’t write a single paper? Am I even capable of taking care of myself if I lack the energy to open my laptop and start typing?

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons Why Sisters Are The Best

Who could be a better friend than your own sister?

4712
sisters
Taylor Hooper

I can barely remember back when I was the only child. Most would say it’s because it is extremely difficult to remember things as a toddler but I would say it's because I was bored until my sister came along. My mother always says how important the "sister bond" is and with every year that passes I realize how right she is. Instead of writing a novel about all of the wonderful things there are about having a sister I decided to list a few of them instead.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

How To Adult

You're gonna make it after all.

5367
how to adult
Twitter

It is the time of our lives that we are beginning to enter the adult world and most of us, if not all of us, have no idea what we are doing. It's like starting a video game, but skipping the tutorial. We're all just running around aimlessly hoping we accidentally do something right that moves us along the right path. Now that graduation has just happened, or is right around the corner for some of us, it's time to start thinking about how we are going to take care of ourselves once we are on our own.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

7 Signs You're A Starbucks Addict

I'll be the first one to admit I'm addicted to Starbucks.

3267
drinking coffee
Tumblr

If you’re anything like me, you love a good cup of coffee. My coffee always comes from Starbucks; I refuse to drink it from anywhere else. Over the years, it’s become one of my biggest addictions. So, if you are aware that you’re a Starbucks addict as well, or maybe you need to check to see if you’re an addict, here are seven ways to tell.

Keep Reading...Show less
people  in library
Photo by redcharlie on Unsplash

College involves a whirlwind of emotions, whether it’s from the stress of an assignment (or twenty), or from fighting with your roommate. It can be overwhelming at times and it’s important to take a step a back and calmly think things over. Maybe gain some perspective. The following aren’t foolproof tips and may not apply to you, but I was able to find success with them (hope you do too!)

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments