Every holiday season, Sacramentans enjoy their presence in malls, churches, parties and other venues as they sit on their chairs and take pictures with kids eager to tell their Christmas wishes – they are the many faces of Santa and Mrs. Claus. One of these Santa Clauses is Stefan Michael Philpott, 53, a painting contractor who lives in Yuba City. He has played the role during the holiday for three years. He worked as a Santa at a local Walgreens in his neighborhood in Yuba City and also for the Midtown Business Association at the MARRS building. For Philpott, he said he tries to prepare himself for the questions kids might ask him about Santa. Philpott said that kids have asked him,

During the cold winter nights, the colorful Christmas lights on homes around town bring warmth to the hearts of passers-by. Each decorated house, big and small, has its own charm – front lawns filled with Santa Claus balloons and figures, brightly lit reindeer, colorful candy cane lights, and even cartoon penguins and bears. Some homes have lights overflowing their rooftops and trees, and some have their lights dance to the tune of Christmas carols. Cars slow down in amazement, smiles on their occupants’ faces, as they gaze at the festive decorations. Here are the photos from some of the houses Kalyn Ruijters and I took around our neighborhoods – East Sacramento, South Sacramento, and El

Little kids all over look forward with excited anticipation to Santa coming into town. They know he has a list that shows who’s been “naughty” and who’s been “nice.” Saturday night several hundred “naughty” people attended Trash Film Orgy’s (TFO) showing of “Don’t Open Till Christmas,” a film directed by Edmund Purdom. The film was one of several films featured at the Crest Theater’s “Santa's Cool Holiday Film Festival.” Doors opened at 10 p.m. for an 18 and older crowd that had been waiting outside the Crest Theater. Audience members dressed in costume were given a discount on admission. Once inside the Crest Theatre, a Christmas tree was decorated and included gifts that were given

Show the NBA you don't need their back-to-back B-ball to enjoy the holiday spirit. During those lulls in family "How have you been?" catching up, endless high calorie snacking, and playing (breaking?) the kid's brand new toys, enjoy local holiday programming made by your neighbors right here in Sacramento County. Here's the schedule of special events - a "snapshot" of our Christmas weekend programming on Channel 17 and streamed on our web site at www.AccessSacramento.org - ENJOY - Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Saturday, December 24, 2011 “Celebration Of Lights” – 9:00am “Kid’s Corp Christmas Special” – 11:30am “Giving – Winter Wonderland & Raley Field” – 12:00Noon “Terry Moore

Skip the crowded malls this Saturday and bring your wish lists and your camera down to the MARRS Building to visit Santa’s Workshop! Santa and his elves have opened up their workshop for the past two Saturdays and this Saturday they are inviting the whole family, even the pets! Residents and visitors are invited to visit Santa’s Workshop at the MARRS Building from 11am-4pm. Pets are welcome to come down from 2pm-4pm. Grateful Dog Daycare will even be on hand to give the photogenic pooches a special treat. The MARRS Building is located in the heart of Midtown at 20th & J Streets. MARRS retailers invite all, big and small, to join them at this festive event. Retailers at MARRS include Pete

There’s something about toy trains that captures the imagination of adults and children alike. This year’s “Small Train Holiday” at the California State Railroad Museum is drawing a steady stream of wide-eyed admirers to its special displays of toy and model trains over Thanksgiving weekend. Grown-ups and kids clustered around the working train displays run by avid toy train operators. Joe Montgomery’s train layout includes treasured trains from his youth. When he was a boy, his father traded several bushels of corn to a store-owner so that his son could have a pre-1950s Marx electric train. Montgomery played with the set for years until called into the armed services, and now he comes ev

Fifteen semi-trailers for sound stage, all bedecked in red and white, brought Radio City Music Hall's Rockettes to Sacramento. Wedensday, the Rockettes went out to dance in Sacramento for Christmas on a national 35-city tour. Right as the red curtains went up, the crowd started buzzing, and they were off, first the legs, then the whole row of dancers came out to give the crowd what it was waiting for. With a cheesy Santa cheering up the crowd and the dancers dressed as reindeer in glowing antlers, the show began. The sound stage and setup were two of the most spectacular parts about the show, from LED projection screens giving a history of the Rockettes and their time with Radio City Mu

Sacramento County Historical Society's holiday display at 1001 K Street formally opened on November 26, but its operation continues through the beginning of the New Year and it attracted attention from passersby even before the display formally opened. The display uses figures originally built by the Gaffney Display Company in the 1950s, used in Breuner's Department Store holiday display windows. This tradition began in Sacramento in 1934, continuing until 1974. Gaffney figures were used throughout the Breuner's chain, but have been absent from K Street for decades. More information on the historic Breuner's displays can be found in this article: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/4

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Old Sacramento, what with Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, stepping out onto the Shasta House balcony for readings of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” and all. Volunteer actors from the Old Sacramento Living History Program played the roles of Clemens, Santa Claus, and an anonymous sleeper roused awake by the loud crash of Santa’s sleigh in the holiday production “Theater of Lights.” The quaint historic portion of K Street between Second and Front streets became the audience floor as a theatrical light show was presented from the balconies of buildings on either side Saturday night. Production and inspiration for this event beg

Arden Fair Mall sported well-behaved crowds today. Last night a midnight sale for the new Air Jordan athletic was cancelled when potential shoe buyers rushed mall doors and started pushing others. That sale was cancelled. This afternoon the scene seemed like a normal, bustling shopping day right before Christmas: Parents and kids endured lines waiting for Santa pictures to be taken, shoppers traversed escalators and stores,lovers sneaked kisses, clerks and delivery persons carried on. Here are some scenes:                           SacPress Photos | Kati Garner          

Join Santa at the Midtown Holiday Ice Rink for some Holiday memories on ICE! Santa's official photographer will be there to snap that last minute photo for Grandma's fridge of Santa and your little ones on the ice at the Midtown Holiday Ice Rink. Skate with Santa is from 6-8pm The Midtown Holiday Ice Rink is located at 20th & J streets in Midtown. For parking and additional information, log on to www.ExploreMidtown.org

The Midtown Holiday Ice Rink is the place to be!  School is out, Santa is near, the weather is great and the ice rink is HERE! Don't miss out on some festive Holiday fun for the whole family! The Midtown Holiday Ice Rink is open daily from 10am-10pm.  Don't miss a special Skate with Santa on December 23rd from 6-8pm! Photo courtesy of Tyler Waaler www.TylerWaaler.com

Santa welcomes his furry, feathered and scaly friends to join him for photos in his Midtown Toy Shoppe this Sunday, December 20th from 2-4pm. Photos start at $10 and proceeds benefit the Friends of the Sacramento City Animal Shelter. Santa's Midtown Toy Shoppe 1801 L Street, Suite 70 (between 18th & 19th)  

Disclaimer: the contributor of this and his wife run Movies on a Big Screen (MOBS), Sacramento’s weekly screening series of documentaries, general independent film, classics and cult titles. The following is blatant self-promotion of a MOBS event. According to Andy Williams' 1963 carol, "It's the most wonderful time of the year."  Well this year, Movies on a Big Screen has decided to restore some balance to the equation by offering two Crappy Christmas shows! On Sunday, December 20, Movies on a Big Screen will "present" the 1964 anti-classic, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, also known by the far more thrilling title, Santa Defeats the Aliens.  Briefly, this "fun-filled romp" involves

Sacramento's Carnival of Lights began with the lighting of the 50ft tall Westfield Plaza Christmas tree. This holiday season, the Carnival of Lights will delight visitors with a dazzling display of lights throughout the Central City from the waterfront through Midtown starting the week of Thanksgiving through January 3. The collaborative effort will feature architectural lighting, holiday décor, and holiday events including the Theatre of Lights in Old Sacramento and the Carnival at St. Rose at 7th & K streets. Below, are scenes of the Carnival at St. Rose and the Carnival of Lights festivities: The Carnival at St. Rose is 5-week holiday event that has transformed 7th and K streets

A 1950s Lionel train advertisement shows a father, mother, little girl and boy peering into a window display featuring a model train going through a city, over a bridge and into the mountains. The father appears to be the most interested -- head cocked, hand on his chin, ready to help his child build the toy train set. An adjacent Lionel Train advertisement shows a father sitting on the ground assembling a train set, while his son sits in the background frowning. California State Railroad Museum's "Some Assembly Required" exhibit, which opened today, featured a somewhat similar scene. Many families were in the museum, but the historical toy exhibit seemed to strike the strongest chord wi

Holidaze got you down? Looking for something outside your regular routine? Your Local Union of St. Nick wants you to bring holiday cheer to your fair city! About this time every year legions of Santa Claus visit cities around the globe bringing their own variety of holiday weirdness; Sacramento is no exception. Armed with holiday cheer, candy canes for the children, and demented gifts for the jaded, tens and hundreds of Santas have their last hurrah before returning north to complete the daunting task of preparing to deliver hand crafted toys to girls and boys throughout the world. As populations grow and the polar ice sheet melts, this time of year can be very distressing for the jolly o