By Khalida Sarwari
December catches us by surprise just about every year, and right when we get used to the cold and the lights, it’s already over. Saratogans still have a few more days to make the most of the “most wonderful time of the year,” whether it’s celebrating quietly at home with family or gallivanting around town. While most have had their plans in place since late summer, some are just getting around to figuring out what they’ll do Sunday and Monday. Here is a list of events planned in Saratoga leading up to, and including, Christmas Day:
Saratoga Federated Church
Christmas Eve services: 4 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m.
The Saratoga Federated Church’s Christmas Eve services are a family service that will offer plenty to keep the little ones occupied, from a craft table to a musical sing-along, glow sticks and a live and interactive nativity. A more traditional service, complete with a choir, orchestra, carols and candles, will be held later in the evening.
20390 Park Place. For more information, visit saratogafederated.org or call 408-867-1000.
Saratoga Menlo Church
Christmas Eve services: 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., noon
The Saratoga Menlo Church offers free childcare for children younger than 4 years old.
20455 Herriman Ave. For more information, visit menlo.church/saratoga or call 408-867-0144.
WestGate Church
Christmas Eve services: 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m., 11 p.m.
WestGate is hosting a unique Christmas Eve service it’s calling “Glow,” an event that celebrates the story of Jesus’ birth. At the first four services, it will offer Christmas music, festive lights and hot coffee and cocoa and cookies. The 8 p.m. service will be a “grief shared service” for those that have experienced a loss. Child care is provided for children from preschoool through grade 5. The 11 p.m. service is a family service where kids and grown-ups alike are invited to come in their pajamas. While children’s programs will not be provided for this service, little ones are welcome to participate.
1735 Saratoga Ave., San Jose. For more information, visit westgatechurch.org/saratoga or call 408-252-3700.
Sacred Heart Parish
Christmas Eve services: 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 10 p.m.
Christmas Day services: 7:30 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Sacred Heart Parish will hold a children’s liturgy at three different times on Christmas Eve and mass on Christmas morning.
13716 Saratoga Ave. For more information, visit parish.sacredheartsaratoga.org or call 408-867-3634.
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
Christmas Eve services: 10 a.m., 5 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 10 p.m.
Christmas Day services: 10 a.m.
Friday, Dec. 29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Prince of Peace will not only hold Christmas Eve and Christmas services, but the church will open its doors on Dec. 29 for those who are looking to give in a more meaningful way this season. In partnership with the American Red Cross, the church will host a blood donation drive next Friday. According to the Red Cross, while the need for blood remains steady throughout the year, donations unfortunately tend to decline in December and especially around the holidays. Eligible donors are encouraged to set aside an hour to give blood or platelets.
All donors will receive a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last.
Appointments can be made by downloading the Red Cross Blood donor app, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
12770 Saratoga Ave. For more information, visit propeace.org or call 408-253-7167.
Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Christmas Eve services: 4 p.m., 8 p.m., 11 p.m.
Christmas Day services: 9 a.m.
The Christmas Eve services at Saint Andrew’s will feature the Saint Andrew’s Choir performing “Magnificat in B-flat” with soloists and nine instrumentalists as a prelude to Morten Lauridesen’s “O Magnum Mysterium.” The Christmas Day service will feature a radio-style reading, along with piano accompaniment, of the children’s story, “The Littlest Angel” by Charles Tazewell.
Congregants will then be encouraged to gather around the piano to sing a festive medley of Christmas carols and snack on cinnamon, apple and gingerbread treats.
The church is located at 13601 Saratoga Ave. For more information, visit st-andrews-saratoga.org or call 408-867-3493.
Saratoga History Museum
Hours: Friday and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The museum’s new exhibit, “Holiday Fun,” is made up of 14 collections from local residents featuring items such as mutoscopes, Chinese wine cups and Godzilla figures and marbles, along with a description of each item’s history.
Other items in the display include heirloom holiday drink glasses and family holiday recipes; Native American kachina dolls from the 1950s, which are wooden dolls created by Hopi artisans specifically for the tourist trade in the Southwest in the 1940s; and chess sets from different countries collected by an individual who took up the hobby at the age of 10 when he fell seriously ill and went on to become a chess champion, The exhibit is on display through January.
20450 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road. For more information, visit saratogahistory.com or call 408-867-4311.
At the movies
Finally, for the folks who like nothing better than kicking back with a big bag of popcorn at the movies after dinner on Christmas Eve or Christmas, the AMC Saratoga 14, at 700 El Paseo de Saratoga, San Jose, will be showing a slew of new movies, including “Jumanji,” “Downsizing,” “Father Figures,” “Ferdinand” and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”
For more information, visit amctheatres.com.
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Saratoga: Where to find Christmas Eve, Christmas Day church services, and other ideas
