21 unique things you didn’t know (or did you?) about Christmas in San Diego

Christmas in San Diego hasn’t always looked the way it does today. Long before boat parades, light festivals, and ice rinks by the bay, the holiday here was shaped by war, faith, electricity—or the lack of it—and a city still figuring out who it was. Some of the region’s most enduring Christmas traditions emerged not from spectacle, but from circumstance.

1. Poinsettias and Christmas in San Diego
San Diego played a central role in making the poinsettia a Christmas icon. The Ecke family of Encinitas, starting in the 1920s, developed techniques to grow fuller, indoor-friendly plants and marketed them nationwide. By the mid-20th century, San Diego had become the heart of poinsettia cultivation, and the bright red blooms became a holiday staple. Today, public displays in Balboa Park and the San Diego History Center continue the tradition, keeping the city’s poinsettia legacy alive.

2. Julian, Early 1900s

The mountain town of Julian, renowned for its apple orchards, emerged as a holiday destination for San Diegans in the early 20th century. Local newspapers promoted festive visits during the apple harvest season, which coincided with the Christmas season. Residents celebrated with community dinners, tree lightings, and apple-centered treats like pies and cider, creating one of Southern California’s earliest small-town Christmas traditions.

3. San Diego Trolleys

Before cars were widespread, trolleys connected the city during the holidays. Shoppers rode them downtown, families visited Balboa Park, and visitors explored Old Town. In the 1930s and 1940s, holiday decorations often adorned the streetcars themselves, offering riders a moving light display. For many, a trolley ride was as much a part of the season as holiday treats or gifts.

4. The Whaley House Holiday Haunt

This Old Town Whaley mansion, long considered haunted, hosted holiday candlelit tours and storytelling events. Visitors could explore the historic architecture while hearing ghostly tales, blending festive traditions with local lore. For decades, families enjoyed a spooky twist on Christmas, creating memories that combined history, mystery, and seasonal cheer.

5. Balboa Park December Nights

Today, a citywide festival, December Nights, started as a modest holiday lighting tradition decades ago. Early celebrations illuminated museums and gardens, providing a magical escape in mid-December. Families would stroll the park at night, enjoying music, performances, and seasonal refreshments. The event set the stage for the modern, large-scale festivities that now draw visitors from across the region.

6. Historic Gaslamp Quarter Lights

The Gaslamp Quarter has been decorated for the holidays since the early 20th century. Strings of lights transformed Victorian streets into a festive wonderland. Holiday shopping, caroling, and social gatherings made the area a popular destination long before modern nightlife took over. The twinkling streets remain a historical backdrop for seasonal celebrations.

7. San Diego’s Christmas Parade

San Diego’s first known Christmas parade occurred in the 1920s. Horse-drawn floats, marching bands, and costumed performers delighted downtown crowds. It was a far cry from today’s motorized, elaborate floats, but it captured the spirit of community celebration. The parade helped establish a seasonal tradition that would continue and evolve through the decades. The annual event lives on and draws thousands.

8. Old Town Posadas and Dulce Navidad

Among the many celebrations like this one above in Horton Plaza, Old Town State Historic Park has long honored traditional Mexican Las Posadas with nativity scenes, music, and piñatas. “Dulce Navidad” celebrations offered sweets, games, and cultural traditions for families. These events connected locals and visitors with the region’s 19th-century roots. They remain a living example of San Diego’s multicultural holiday history.

9. Coronado Holiday Boat Parade

Since the early 1900s, Coronado’s boat parade has featured festively decorated vessels gliding across the bay. Early displays relied on lanterns and electric lights, drawing crowds who marveled at the sparkling boats. The parade reflects both the city’s maritime heritage and its commitment to holiday tradition. Visitors continue to gather each December to watch the lights shimmer across the water.

10. Historic Ice Rinks

Balboa Park once hosted an open-air ice rink in the mid-20th century, giving locals a taste of snowy holiday traditions in Southern California. Holiday skating was a special treat in a city that rarely saw snow. Today, seasonal rinks at Liberty Station and other locations like Hotel Del carry on the tradition, offering winter experiences for all ages.

11. Historic Hotel Holiday Displays

San Diego’s grand hotels often competed to create memorable holiday decorations. Early 20th-century displays featured decorated lobbies, live music, and seasonal refreshments. Guests and locals alike visited to see the festive artistry and experience holiday luxury. These traditions helped establish the city’s reputation for holiday elegance.

12. Mission San Diego de Alcalá Celebrations

The historic mission hosted posadas and nativity displays for centuries. Families visited to participate in processions, prayers, and seasonal music. These religious and cultural observances connected modern visitors with the region’s Spanish colonial past, offering a holiday experience grounded in history.

13. Historic Holiday Shopping Districts

Downtown San Diego in the early 1900s came alive with holiday shoppers. Streets were decorated with lights, merchants displayed seasonal goods, and early department stores offered window displays that drew families from across the region. The city’s festive shopping traditions laid the foundation for modern holiday retail experiences.

14. San Diego Civic Holiday Events
City leaders hosted public celebrations, concerts, and tree lightings in civic spaces. From the 1920s onward, these gatherings emphasized community and shared festivity. Residents often attended outdoor concerts or civic Christmas parties, enjoying music and local entertainment.

15. Historic Neighborhood Decorations

In residential districts, families often decorated with candles, wreaths, and early electric lights. These personal displays created festive streetscapes that neighbors would enjoy together. The practice helped shape the city’s communal holiday spirit.

16. San Diego Zoo Seasonal Displays

Even before large light shows, the Zoo featured seasonal decorations and holiday-themed exhibits. Visitors learned about wildlife while enjoying festive displays. The combination of education and holiday cheer created an enduring San Diego tradition.

17. Magical Cruise

The Bahia Resort is home to the majestic, 19th-century-style William D. Evans sternwheeler — San Diego’s only paddlewheel boat offering holiday cruises: the Jingle Belle Cruises, a San Diego holiday tradition on Mission Bay that continues on December 20, 22, 23, 24, 2025. 

18. Point Loma Lighthouse decorations

Families stationed at the Old Point Loma Lighthouse in the late 1800s brought small trees and handmade decorations despite the remote location.

19. Beachside Christmas picnics

Early 20th-century newspapers reported families celebrating outdoors at the beach, taking advantage of the region’s mild winter weather.

20. Department store window displays

Stores such as Walker Scott contributed to the visual landscape of the holidays with elaborate seasonal displays and promotions.

21. World War II Christmases (1941–1945): San Diego Under Blackout Conditions

After Pearl Harbor, San Diego became a key Pacific defense hub, and wartime blackouts were enforced along the coast—even during the Christmas season. Residents were required to darken homes and businesses at night to prevent the city from being silhouetted against the shoreline. Holiday lighting was restricted or discouraged, resulting in Christmases that were noticeably quieter and more subdued than the brightly lit celebrations that would follow in later decades.

Christmas in San Diego has never been a single tradition, but a series of moments shaped by the city’s growth and the times it faced. From wartime restraint to modern spectacle, each generation has left its imprint on the season—quietly redefining what the holidays mean along the coast.

Sources

San Diego History Center photo and archival collections
San Diego City Clerk Archives
San Diego Historical Society
San Diego Archives Clerk’s Office
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Wikipedia / public-domain images of U.S. warships at the San Diego Naval Repair Base
Times of San Diego photography and reporting, including coverage of the Botanical Building, Mission San Diego de Alcalá, and Hotel del Coronado
Historical newspaper archives, including the San Diego Union and Evening Tribune
Evans Hotels archives, including information on the William D. Evans sternwheeler
Local oral histories and family collections, such as the Sefton family collection
San Diego Tourism Authority photography and historical records
National Archives and Records Administration documents, including WWII coastal blackout regulations and civic records