Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas & Seasons Greetings!

You might have to hunt for a “snowy Hallmark Christmas” in Southern California, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t know how to get in the holiday spirit. Although it might surprise people outside of real estate, a lot of great real estate activity takes place in the last month of the year. From home buyers sneaking in a pre-approval before the end of the year or a seller having a preemptive conversation about listing in January, December can be a productive month. 

 

If you are looking for cost-efficient ways to celebrate the holidays without breaking the bank, here are seven festive things to do: 

  1. Christmas Lights – Look at Christmas lights in Hastings Ranch in Pasadena, Thoroughbred in Rancho Cucamonga, or Naples in Long Beach. Many neighborhoods have restrictions about whether you can drive or walk the streets due to high traffic. Here is information for Thoroughbred: https://www.cityofrc.us/holidaylights
  2. Watch a Christmas Movie – Elf, Miracle on 34th St, A Christmas Story, Home Alone, It’s A Wonderful Life. Choose 1 or do a movie marathon after a long day of shopping. Bring out the popcorn and open a tin of cookies. 
  3. Build a Gingerbread House – Use a gingerbread kit, make homemade gingerbread, or use graham crackers and build the best house you can! Decorate with candy canes & gum drops! 
  4. Outdoor Ice Skating – Bundle up and go ice skating outside in a local rink. Irvine Spectrum, downtown Burbank, or downtown LA. 
  5. Ugly Christmas Sweaters – Find your holiday sweater and have a contest with friends & family. Thrift stores are a great place to look if you don’t have anything in your closet. The ugliest sweater wins! 
  6. Drive Up to the Snow – Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead, Idyllwild, Mount Baldy. Make sure to be prepared with snow chains, warm clothes, and check traffic conditions before heading out since SoCal snow can create traffic jams. 
  7. Chocolate Advent Calendars – Pick up a 24-day countdown calendar at Aldi, Trader Joe’s, or Target and enjoy a piece of chocolate every day before Christmas. It’s okay if you have to catch up on a week of chocolate! 
It is never too late to start a holiday tradition whether it is with your office, your family, or friends. What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? 

 

Many of our warmest holiday memories have to do with the home — a decorated mantle, the front porch poinsettias, and the family gathering around the Christmas tree in the front room. The holidays can be a tough time if it is the last year in a family home or if your family home was sold last year — if that is you, KALEO agents hope you can find comfort and peace this month. 

Enjoy your egg nog, hot chocolate, or apple cider!

This content is not the product of the National Association of REALTORS®, and may not reflect NAR's viewpoint or position on these topics and NAR does not verify the accuracy of the content.