The trees raffled off at the Rancho Santa Fe Library this December start out bare. On Thursday, December 3, from 3 to 5 p.m., people can come to the branch and decorate a donated tree or wreath for the Holiday Tea. You bring your own supplies, and the library has scissors, glue and the basics ready.
Eight days later, those same trees and wreaths go to raffle winners at the Holiday Tea, which raises money for the Library Guild of Rancho Santa Fe. A lot of the 2026 calendar works the same way. Most of the season's events are run by the community's own organizations. Many ask you to make something, sing something or give something, and the few with ticket prices are mostly modest ones. The dates below are in the order you'd live them, starting a week from today.
Thursday, November 19: the Garden Club's centennial brunch
The Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club was founded in 1926, so this holiday season closes out its 100th year. Its Holiday Brunch & Speaker Series is Thursday, November 19, at 10 a.m. at the Secret Garden. This year's talk is "An Expert Arborist's Guide to Healthy Trees & Plants." Tickets are $25 for members and $40 for guests, so non-members are welcome too.
The Club's other December date is for members only. The Holiday Wreath Making Workshop is Monday, December 14, at 10 a.m., also at the Secret Garden, and the Club supplies the materials. If you've been meaning to join, the brunch is a good chance to meet the people who'd be making wreaths next to you a few weeks later.
Saturday, November 21: flowers before the greenery
Two days later, the library starts its own season with Floral Arranging, led by George Speer, at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 21. Supplies are provided. Space is limited, so sign up at sdcl.org/ranchosantafelibrary or call the branch at 858-756-2512.
That's the first of three library workshops this season where you make something at the table. The full lineup ran in the San Diego Union-Tribune's "Love Your Library" column on November 7, and every event in this post that happens at the branch comes from that schedule.
Sunday, November 22: a market where sales go to charity
The Village Church opens its Alternative Christmas Market 2026 on the church patio on Sunday, November 22, from 10 a.m. to noon. After opening day, the market moves online and returns on Sundays through December 24. Donations go to the participating charities.
Because it runs until Christmas Eve, it's a practical stop for gifts throughout December, and the money goes to charities, not to retailers.
Thursday, November 26: the night someone else cooks
Thanksgiving is the one holiday on this list where the whole job is sitting down. Lilian's at The Inn is serving a four-course Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, November 26. Seatings run from 1 to 8 p.m., the price is $195 per person plus tax and tip, and bread service is included. San Diego Magazine's 2026 Thanksgiving guide lists the same seating window and price.
The rest of the season asks a little more of you, starting the following week.
December 3 to 11: the life of a raffle tree
The library's tree program runs over nine days, so it helps to see the steps in order.
- Thursday, December 3, 3 to 5 p.m. Decorating afternoon at the branch. Bring your own ornaments and trim, and the library provides scissors, glue and other basics.
- December 3 through Wednesday, December 9. If you'd like to decorate at home, drop off a finished tree or wreath any time in this window. For questions, call the branch at (858) 756-4780.
- Friday, December 11, 1 p.m. The Holiday Tea opens with an adults' tea and live holiday music.
- 2 to 4 p.m. Family time with crafts, snacks and glitter tattoos.
- 3:30 p.m. The raffle. The decorated trees and wreaths go to the winners, and the money raised goes to the Library Guild.
So the same neighbors who decorate the trees on the 3rd may be the ones buying raffle tickets on the 11th, and either way the money stays with the Guild. The library's last workshop of the season comes the next morning. Holiday Centerpieces, taught by Wendy Barnet, is Saturday, December 12, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. You'll build an arrangement from faux florals, greenery, pinecones and embellishments, with all supplies provided. Registration is required and opens Tuesday, December 1, online or at 858-756-2512.
The first weekend of December, hour by hour
December 4 through 6 is the busiest stretch of the season, and the events are spaced out well enough to fit several into one weekend.
| When | What | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Dec. 4, 11 a.m. | Blue Christmas Service of Remembrance | Village Church Chapel | Not listed |
| Sat., Dec. 5, 9 a.m. | Breakfast in Bethlehem | Village Church Fellowship Center | $7; ages 0 to 2 free |
| Sat., Dec. 5, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Wild Winter Family Festival | Helen Woodward Humane Education Campus | Free |
| Sun., Dec. 6, 4 to 5 p.m. | Carols in The Village | Lawn at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe | Free |
The Blue Christmas service on Friday is a quiet service of remembrance. The church welcomes anyone who has lost someone, along with anyone else who would like to attend.
On Saturday morning, two events start at 9 a.m. Breakfast in Bethlehem is at the Village Church Fellowship Center. Across the community, Helen Woodward Animal Center hosts its Wild Winter Family Festival until 1 p.m. at the Humane Education Campus, 6447 Helen Woodward Way. The Center describes it as a free community event with animal encounters, crafts, cookie decorating and Santa, and every child goes home with a free gift. Since the festival runs four hours, a family can finish breakfast and still have most of the morning left there.
Sunday afternoon brings the season's biggest sing-along. Carols in The Village is the Village Church's annual carol night, held on the lawn at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, 5951 Linea Del Cielo, from 4 to 5 p.m. The church promises twinkling lights, a hot cocoa stand and cookies. It's free for all ages, and seating isn't provided, so bring a blanket or folding chairs. Four o'clock in early December gives you the last of the daylight, and the lights come up while people are still singing.
Book these before the date
One church event needs some planning ahead. The Women's Christmas Luncheon is Wednesday, December 9, at 11:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Center, and ladies and their friends are welcome. Tickets must be bought in advance by December 2, and there are no same-day walk-ins. That deadline lands the day after library centerpiece registration opens on December 1, so it's easy to handle both at once.
Sunday, December 13: the carols come back, with an orchestra
The Village Church's ticketed Christmas Choral Concert is Sunday, December 13, at 7 p.m. This year the choir performs Bach's Magnificat and Heather Sorenson's Carol Cantata, with an orchestra, and the program includes an audience sing-along. A week after carols on The Inn's lawn, it's another chance to join in, this time with a full orchestra.
If December has you picturing where your own tree and wreaths would go, or which gathering spaces matter most for hosting, The Wright Group knows this community calendar well and is glad to talk through what you're looking for. Schedule a Call whenever it suits you.