Paul won a coloring contest at the Magnolia Albertson's. The prize was a $15 gift card, which I applied to our groceries. Freeloader no more!

Out for a walk at Ballard Locks and saw this tree dotted with nests and comorants. It was technically a color image, but of a black tree and black birds against a grey sky.

Here you can see that distinctive Batman pose.

Trekked up to Bothell for Evergreen Christmas Lights, 6-9 p.m. every night through Christmas Eve. Impressive light show, cookies, train, photo station, snowfall — all free.

Keener's Christmas is a beacon of Christmas joy you can spot from a mile away. Every square inch of this home, on the border between Bothell and Woodinville, is covered in lights. Loved driving through, but I'd hate to see their electric bill.

Wackiest Christmas experience this year: Mr. Kringle's Inventionasium, where Santa's workshop meets Pee Wee's playhouse.

The premise: Kids help Santa invent new toys. The toy you create is genius: pick a hand-puppet form, then the accessories velcro on.

You walk through a warren of small rooms, and encounter a fantastical character in each one. Blue eyelashes, gemstone freckles, I was impressed with the costuming. In the final room, you get a one-on-one with Mr. Kringle. Also genius: parents can fill in a questionnaire ahead of time and Santa magically knows all about the kid.

Who should go: I'd say it's best for ages 5-8. Paul is 9 and he loved the puppet-making. Preschoolers are ok if they're spunky, younger kids might find the characters scary. Good for people who love improv.

Cost: $40 per person, which seems fair for live theater.

It's in its first year in Seattle, 17th year in Cleveland. The owners of a new immersive theater company in Seattle licensed the production from Cleveland. The building is across from Lumen Field, and not well marked.

Verdict: I though it was weird. The kids thought it was great.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time! I happened to be loitering outside the Nutcracker house in Ballard when the owners stepped outside to take a picture.

I wrote about this house during the pandemic, and I'd only ever talked to John on the phone. John and Scott were even nicer and funnier in person. John is the principal harpist for the PNB orchestra, and Scott refinishes antique furniture. This year is the 10th year they've displayed the Sendak nutcrackers at their storybook cottage.

Where: 9016 Loyal Ave NW
When: Roughly Thanksgiving to New Year's each year

My Seattle Times story (from 2021): https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/ballard-nutcracker-house-returns-after-year-of-uncertainty/

'Twas the night before a Christmas, and a retired grandpa was blowing huge bubbles to make people smile. (He's on FB as Bubbles of Joy.) A fellow 8th grader and her mom handed out free cups of cocoa. On a dead-end street, we watched "Frosty the Snowman" projected on the side of a house, complete with audio. Olympic Manor is the best.

Merry Christmas!

Wait, the holiday light season isn't over yet! Tulalip lights runs through Jan. 12. I almost didn't go — it was an hour's drive, in the rain, in the dark. (Is it just me or are headlights way brighter now?) While the wet roads made the drive harrowing, they also made MAGICAL reflections.

Exit 200 off I-5, next to the Seattle Premium Outlets. Lights are FREE to look at, and parking is free too. You can go skating on a tiny rink with real ice ($15) and pick up dinner at the food trucks (fry bread, $8).

Who is nuts enough to go to Snowflake Lane the weekend before Christmas, on a clear night? Me, apparently.

The last time we tried Snowflake Lane, the boys were so little and the crowd was so aggressive, I vowed we'd never do it again. But we happened to be near Bell Square, so I gave it another try. Tonight's mob was mostly civil, except for a group of pushy Mainlanders. The performers radiated positive energy and handed out lollipops to the kids.

Snowflake Lane is a 20-minute parade every night at 7 p.m., between Bell Square and Lincoln Square, through Christmas Eve.

The Edgewater Hotel's Six Seven restaurant (because it's on Pier 67).

Patience. This year we made a gingerbread village and it's the first year our houses are actually structurally sound. The trick is building the night before, then waiting a day to decorate. Doh! 10 years of collapsed houses before I finally figured this out.

Garden d'Lights ranks high in terms of value and fun. It's in its 30th year at the Bellevue Botanical Garden. Some of the other holiday events feel very commercial, like they're constantly hitting you over the head for more money (AHEM ENCHANT), but the vibe at Garden d'Lights is very low key and charming.

The garden is free the rest of the year, and a big team of volunteers puts on the light show. I don't know my flowers well enough, but the lights are shaped like real flowers (lupines, crocuses, lilacs, etc.).

There's none of the surge pricing nonsense and add-on fees; everyone is a flat $8, kids 10 and under are free. You can park in their lot for $5, or as the sign straight up tells you, head a little further down the road and park for free.

When we visited, the JCC hosted a few tables where kids could decorate menorahs and dreidels with sparkly stickers. It's no pressure and very sweet, exactly what the holidays should be.

It's not Christmas without a visit to Swansons, which turned 100 this year! A big birthday for a small business in our young city.

Fog, colored lights, ethereal music... Hear me out, what if they played something with a beat, so middle-aged moms could relive their clubbing days? (While their kids die of shame.)

Do Astra Lumina once, you won't regret it. But save a little money by parking on the street, which is easy in West Seattle, instead of in their lot.

Phew! My last story for 2024, in today's Seattle Times. This one was such a joy to write, one I've been researching for the past decade!

6 fun itineraries around holiday lights, link here.

Made the cover of the weekend section, and got an A1 tease! iykyk