Santa surplus

It’s officially the holiday season — whoop de doo!

San Diego always shines this time of year. Between the holiday pop-up bars, Christmas trees on the beach, December Nights at Balboa Park and Santas skateboarding down the pier, our city knows how to celebrate. Pacific and Mission Beach certainly do our part. On Saturday, we’ve got a full lineup of festive activities to keep the holiday spirit going. Expect to see Santas everywhere.

The San Diego Santa Run kicks off Saturday morning along Garnet Avenue. This 5K was voted the best fun run in the U.S. by USA Today! The first wave starts at 8 a.m., with additional races for kids and dogs later in the morning. Every participant gets a Santa suit, and it’s hard not to smile when you see a mass of Santas running through PB. There’s still time to register.

After the run, the Pacific Beach Holiday Parade begins at 1 p.m. This year’s theme is “Candy Coated Holiday,” so I’m sure the floats will be especially colorful. The parade is free to attend, but you can still sign up to march.

Over in Mission Beach, SantaCon will take over Belmont Park starting at 4 p.m. The celebration includes multiple stages of DJs and a full amusement park takeover — all rides are free with your ticket.

With so much happening in one day, it’s the perfect time to bundle up, grab a hot drink and enjoy the community at its most festive. Whether you’re running, watching, dancing or simply taking in the sights, December in our beach neighborhoods never disappoints. Here’s to a joyful, lively season.