SEASONAL SHIMMER? It can really run the glow gamut. Tiny bulbs are plentiful, and colorful metal trees, and snowmen that have that inner illumination. Finding a little bit of everything incandescent in your own town or neighborhood isn’t too difficult as December dawns, but coming across a lovely row of luminarias? You may have to venture to Albuquerque, Tucson, or Santa Fe, which prefers the term “farolitos” for this particular tradition. But there are places in California that go full luminaria, or farolito, if you please, including a Claremont destination that has become synonymous with this end-of-the-year display: California Botanic Garden. So popular is the glowful gathering that it now happens over several nights, but booking your spot ahead of time is a must.
DEC. 5 IS NIGHT ONE… for the 2025 festivity, which wraps Dec. 20. There are six evenings in all, and tickets are $21 for an adult and $16 for students, seniors, and children. The lanterns, which are created from small paper bags, votives, and sand, add an ethereal prettiness to the pathways of the garden, while live music and artworks add to the uplifting atmosphere. And if you’re seeking sweets and sips that feel a little festive? Those, too, will be part of the evenings. Warm beverages are free, but if you’d like a spirited addition, that’s available for a fee. Details? Follow the flicker, flicker, flicker to this site.
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