Sunday, November 27, 11:45am-2pm. Advent Festival: games, crafts, food and fun for all ages at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette. Have questions? Call (925) 283-3722.

Friday, December 2 through Sunday, December 4 Santa's Bag Boutique at the Lafayette Community Center, 500 St. Mary's Road, Lafayette.
Lots of delicious handmade treats, jewelry, ornaments and holiday sparkle will be on sale to benefit the Lafayette Community Center Foundation. Don't miss out on quite possibly the best toffee you have ever had. A wide variety of gift baskets from area merchants will be available at the silent auction, hint: think coffee, books, wine and more. Admission is free. 12/2, 11am-7pm; 12/3 and 12/4, 9am-5pm. For more information, call Judy Gregerson at 510-918-2280 or email santasbag@comcast.net.

Saturday, Dec. 3, 1-2pm. Nutcracker Storytime with Diablo Ballet. Enjoy a sweet holiday treat with this special retelling of the classic fairytale featuring dancers from the Diablo Ballet. Don't forget to wear your favorite dancing finery! Lafayette Library and Learning Center, Community Hall, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. (925) 385-2280.

Sunday, December 4, 5:30pm, Tree of Lights
Hospice of the East Bay invites the public to participate in its 25th annual Lafayette Tree of Lights ceremony at the corner of Mt. Diablo & Lafayette Circle East, near the Round Up. Each light on the tree is symbolic of a life and will shine in honor or memory of a beloved friend or family member.

Sunday, December 4, 7pm. Master Chorale at Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian church, the area's longest performing Korean Choir group. The evening will feature both Korean and English language holiday pieces. Tickets are $20 a piece, available at the door, 49 Knox Drive, Lafayette.

Friday, December 9, 1:30-3pm: Annual Holiday Concert and Fundraiser - Performance by Rossmoor and Moraga Community Chorus at the Live Oak Room of the Lafayette Community Center, 500 St. Mary's Road. Get in the holiday spirit with a festive afternoon of music, caroling, light refreshments, and a chance to win wonderful raffle prizes. Funds raised will go to support the Lamorinda Spirit Van paratransit program. Call 284-5050 to reserve a spot. $3 for member and $5 for non-members.

Saturday, December 10, 4pm and Sunday, December 11, 4pm, "This Shining Night" featuring the Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Church Festival Choir, 49 Knox Drive, Lafayette. This is great way to listen to some of your friends and neighbors raise their sixty plus voices - number of participants, not actual ages - performing traditional choral-orchestral music for the holiday. Tickets are free, but organizers ask that your reserve seats via their website at lopc.org or for more information contact Sharon Francis at (925) 283-8722 x 264.

Saturday, December 10, 10am. Beginning students from the Lafayette campus of The Contra Costa Children's Chorus will perform "Winter Awakenings" at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 1601 Mary Drive in Pleasant Hill. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children 14 and under. Please email: programs@childrenschorus.org to reserve tickets and pay at the Will Call table on the day of the event.

Sunday, December 11, 4pm, Christmas with a Flourish at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette, featuring The OSLC Choirs with an ensemble of professional instrumentalists.A festive mix of jubilant, contemplative and just-for-fun holiday music from our singing and ringing choirs. This concert features the choral music of Texas composer Randol Alan Bass, opening with his haunting arrangement of the ancient chant/carol, Personent Hodie, and ending with his dazzling carol medley, Christmas Flourish. Add our tradition of a glittering reception in the Fellowship Hall, and you have a delightful holiday experience that will leave no Christmastone unturned! For questions call: (925) 283-3722.

Monday, December 12, 7:30-9pm. "Winterfest," Maestro Duane Carroll will lead the 45-member Contra Costa Wind Symphony as they perform seasonal favorites with special guests - members of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, in the LOPC chapel, 49 Knox Drive Lafayette. Although they usually perform at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, the exceptional musicians of the Wind Symphony with singing special guests will rock the house with a variety of familiar seasonal selections including "Silver Bells," "Rhapsody for Hanukkah" and "Sleigh Ride." The concert will include an audience sing-along. Admission and parking are free.

Holiday Fun at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center: Holiday Cards Craft on Thursday, Dec. 8, 3:30-4:30pm In the Children's Room. Toddler Holiday Dance Party, Monday, Dec. 19, 10:15-11:00am In the Homework Center. Wear your party clothes and celebrate the holidays with music, dancing, and fun! This is a special event just for little ones ages 2-5. LLC is located at 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette; (925) 385-2280.

Friday, December 23, 8:00pm, Temple Isaiah - Join us for a Shabbat service with a special Chanukah celebration. We'll have a Chanukah sing-along and treats after the service. Don't forget to bring you menorah to light. Questions? Call (925) 283-8575.

Moraga
Saturday, December 3, 6:30pm, Tree Lighting at the Moraga Commons Park (tree lighting at 7pm) Don't miss the cookies, cocoa, music and Santa.

Saturday, December 3, 5:30-8pm, Live Nativity - See the Christmas story come to life as the Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church courtyard is transformed into a Bethlehem manger.

Tuesday, December 6, 8pm, and Wed., Dec. 7, 1pm, the Saint Mary's College choirs return from the Interkultur American International Festival with a Gold Rating to sing a program of sacred music and holiday favorites. Concerts in the Chapel. Free admission.

December 8 from 11am-2pm Saint Mary's Guild is hosting a Merry Christmas Luncheon at Saint Mary's College Soda Center as a fundraiser for student scholarships. The Saint Mary's College Chamber Singers will sing a wide variety of selections; including classical, traditional, jazz, and Broadway songs. Enjoy champagne cocktails and a Christmas raffle. The price of the luncheon is $45. For more information call Jeffry-Lynn Dunne (925) 284-7750.

Friday, December 9, 7pm w/Concerto; Saturday, Dec 10th, 2 pm; Sat., Dec 10th 7pm w/ Concerto; and Sun., Dec 11 2pm: CAPA Nutcracker Ballet: Campolindo Performing Arts Center in Moraga. Tickets available online at www.ShowTix4u.com (click on California then CAPA Nutcracker). CAPA is donating proceeds from 2011 weekday student performances to fight child hunger in Contra Costa. Please bring a jar of peanut butter to any show-Donation barrels & envelopes available at all shows.)

Saturday, Dec 10, 11am-2 pm, take a Photo with Santa at the Rheem Valley Shopping Center. Bring your own camera. Holiday clowns & balloon art. You will need your Rheem Valley Shopping Center receipts totaling $25.00 or more to participate.

Saturday and Sunday, December 10 & 11, 7pm, Concert: Christmas on the Hill.
Experience a heart-warming evening of new and traditional Christmas music. At Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church.

December 13, 14 and 15. Winter Concerts by Campolindo High School Choir. Some concerts at the high school, others are at Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church. For more information, go to www.campochoir.com.

Orinda
Friday, December 2, Noon-8pm, Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4: 11am-6pm, 10th Annual Orinda Overhill Holiday Boutique. Now in its new location: 1 Tarabrook Drive, Orinda (one block from the old location - look for the signs). One-of-a-kind handmade gifts & food from over 30 local artisans. All items handmade. Lots of parking. Great Prices! A percentage of the sales of many of the artists goes to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Friday, December 2 at 7:30pm. A community sing of Handel's Messiah will be held at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 66 St Stephens Drive, Orinda, on The Messiah Sing will be directed by Minister of Music Robert Train Adams, with Festival Choir, professional soloists and chamber orchestra with harpsichord and organ. This event is an annual fundraiser for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties. Childcare is available by reservation. A free-will offering will be taken. For more information contact Brenda Free, office@ststephensorinda.org or (925) 254-3770 x10.

Saturday, December 3, 4:30-6pm, Tree of Lights, Orinda Village Square, Orinda Way. Hospice of the East Bay invites the public to participate in its 25th annual Tree of Lights ceremony. Each light is symbolic of a life and will shine in honor or memory of a beloved friend or family member. Please join the commemorative ceremony to enjoy music, poetry, remembrances by family members and friends of Hospice, and the special moment when the tree lights up. The event will feature an Orinda school chorus performance and Santa's arrival on an Orinda Fired Department fire truck. Bring your kids and your cameras - it's an annual event not to be missed.

Sunday, December 4, 4-7pm, Get In The Christmas Spirit! Annual Advent Celebration at Orinda Community Church, Fellowship Hall, 10 Irwin Way, Orinda 94563 A time for great Christmas crafts, cuisine and candlelight caroling.! All are welcome!

December Canned Film Festival. Orinda Theatre is offering special free screenings of holiday classics when you bring a canned food item to these special Saturday morning shows: December 3rd 11:30am- Home Alone; December 10th 11:30am - Elf ; December 17th 11:30am - Polar Express

Tuesday, December 6 at 6:30pm, The Twelfth Night Singers: A Concert of Carols at the Orinda Library. Dressed in 19th Century costume, the quintet will perform old and new carols which scan Christmas music from medieval time to the present. Along with the music, they will offer comments on the origins of the songs we all know so well. This program will take place next to the fireplace inside the Orinda Library, 26 Orinda Way. It is free to all. For more information, please visit the library
website at ccclib.org or telephone (925) 254-2184.