Toys for Tots

Shoe & Sock Drive

Heart to Hands

Teddy Bear Toss

Little Italy Toy Drive

Comfort & Joy 2023

• Deck The Halls | Through Thursday, Jan. 4 | 3 p.m. | Nason’s Beer Hall, 570 J St., San Diego | Free | Enjoy holly, jolly cocktails with over-the-top decor at this festive pop-up bar in partnership with ugly sweater company Tipsy Elves.
• SPHS Music Department: 2023 Holiday Music Concert | Monday, Dec. 4 | 7:30-9 p.m. | California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd. | $10-$16 | Students from San Pasqual High School’s dance, orchestra, choir, and color guard perform in small groups and as soloists.
• Rod Wave | Monday, Dec. 4 | 8 p.m. | Pechanga Arena, 3500 Sports Arena Blvd., San Diego | $75+ | The rapper and songwriter has arrived with his “Nostalgia” tour featuring Ari Lennox, Toosii, and Ellmatic.

• Jimi Hendrix Celebration | Tuesday, Dec. 5 | 8 p.m. | Belly Up, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach | $16-$28 | Musicians like Bob Bucciarelli and Jeff Moore pay tribute to the rock icon.
• Sonja Morgan | Tuesday, Dec. 5 | 8 p.m. | The Observatory North Park, 2891 University Ave., San Diego | $53-$172 | The Bravo! star answers your burning questions during the “Sit Down with Sonja” show.

• Holiday Festival | Wednesday, Dec. 6 | 2-9 p.m. | Hotel del Coronado, 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado | Free | Catch a grand entrance by “Skydiving Santa,” performances from Coronado students, ice skating, the “All That Jazz” light show (5-9 p.m.), and festive fireworks.

• Mission Bay Holiday Boat Parade of Lights | Saturday, Dec. 9 | 5:30-7 p.m. | Mission Bay San Diego, Mission Bay, San Diego | Free | See festively-lit and decorated boats parade around Mission Bay, and check out the fireworks, holiday music, merry food and beverages, and special prizes at the designated viewing spots.*

• San Diego County has partnered with a team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology to evaluate the Shallow Rental Subsidy Program — an initiative designed to prevent senior homelessness with rent assistance. The assessment seeks to track how many recipients were able to remain in housing.

• The University of Louisville Cardinals and the University of Southern California Trojans are coming to San Diego. The teams will face off at the 44th DIRECTV Holiday Bowl. The gridiron game — with its new title sponsor — will kick off Wednesday, Dec. 27, 5 p.m., at Petco Park.

• Lighthouse Ice Cream in Ocean Beach is temporarily closed for repairs due to damages after an electrical fire. The decades-old scoop shop said no one was hurt, but expects the rebuilding process will take a few months.

• Leaving San Diego? According to Redfin, 29% of local users searched for real estate to purchase outside of the San Diego metro area in October 2023. Odds are, they were looking at Las Vegas; it’s the most-searched destination outside San Diego County. (Redfin)

• San Diego Mojo, the city’s new pro women’s volleyball team, has hired Deitre Collins-Parker as its assistant coach, joining head Coach Tayyiba Haneef-Park. Collins-Parker has decades of coaching experience and served as the head women’s volleyball coach for San Diego State University from 2009 to 2019.

• After losing a dog to a coyote attack, local couple Paul and Pamela Mott invented CoyoteVest to keep pups safe. The multi-layered, spiky vests resist attacks from predators. The couple has sold 100,000+ units so far — the local biz even appeared on “Shark Tank.” (NBC 7)

• Have you seen Gio in Little Italy? The elf will be hiding in the community, hanging out at a new location each day, until he returns to the North Pole after Christmas. If you need clues to find him, you can check the Little Italy Association’s social media pages.

• San Diego has many unique destinations, but only one was featured on TheTravel’s “10 Unusual Places You Can Visit In California.” The list included Potato Chip Rock in Poway, the unique formation that’s definitely worth the hike. (TheTravel)

• Masterworks is a platform that helps you invest in multi-million dollar art by names like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso, for just thousands – not millions. When Masterworks sells a painting, like the 16 it’s already sold, investors can get a return. 6AM City readers can skip the waitlist to join.**

• Hanukkah + Menorah Lighting | Thursday, Dec. 7 | 5 p.m. | Liberty Station, Central Promenade | Free | The Chabads of Downtown San Diego and Pacific Beach host this annual celebration.
• Hanukkah Celebration | Sunday, Dec. 10 | All day | Sesame Place | Included with admission | Enjoy dreidel games, kosher food, and a menorah lighting with “Sesame Street” characters.
• Menorah Lighting Ceremony | Tuesday, Dec. 12 | 5-7 p.m. | One Paseo | Free | Led by the Chabad Jewish Center of Rancho Santa Fe and Rabbi Levi Raskin.
• Hanukkah Under the Stars | Tuesday, Dec. 12 | 5-9 p.m. | Mission Valley Mall | Free | Gather at Nordstrom Rack Court to see the mall’s new menorah display.
• Chanukah Celebration | Tuesday, Dec. 12 | 4-6 p.m. | The Forum Carlsbad | Free | Light the menorah with the Chabad La Costa.