Christmas Events 2009
for Livermore, Pleasanton, and the Tri-Valley
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Olive wood Manger Scene.
Carved in Bethlehem from the
wood of local olive trees.
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Christmas Events 2009
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Christmas Photos
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All Events in Chronological
order Click links for details below |
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| all | Lights of the Valley (web site of Christmas lights) | |
| November 6-8 | Fri-Sun | Christmas Bazaar |
| Nov 19 - Jan 10 | daily | Pleasanton Outdoor Ice Skating Rink |
| November 20 | Friday | Magical Evening - Pleasanton Shopping |
| Starts Nov 27 | Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun most weeks | |
| November 28 | Saturday | Dream of the Snow Queen |
| December 5 | Saturday | Livermore Home for the Holidays |
| December 5 | Saturday | Livermore Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting |
| December 5 | Saturday | Pleasanton Hometown Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremonies |
| December 5 | Saturday | Symphony Concert |
| December 5-6 | Sat & Sun | Holidays in the Vineyards |
| December 6 | Friday | Valley Concert Chorale Sing along Messiah |
| December 8 | Tuesday | Handel's Messiah - Pacific Chamber Symphony |
| December 12-13 | Sat & Sun | Valley Concert Chorale Christmas Concert |
| December 13 | Sunday | Ravenswood Victorian Yuletide |
| December TBD | Saturday | Friends of the Vineyards Annual Holiday Party |
| Dec Dec 12-13, 18-20 | Sat, Sun | The Nutcracker |
| December 31 ?? | Saturday | New Year's Eve Labyrinth Walk. |
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Christmas
Bazaar Christmas Bazaar |
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Pleasanton Outdoor Ice
Skating Rink Outdoor Ice Rink by the Pleasanton Library |
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Magical Evening -
Pleasanton Shopping
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Niles Canyon Train of Lights Niles Canyon Railway Train of Lights.
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Livermore Home for the Holidays Home for the Holidays |
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Livermore Christmas Parade & Tree
Lighting This event begins with a parade down First Street at 6:00 followed by the
lighting of the Christmas Tree
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Pleasanton Hometown Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting
Ceremonies Parade begins at 5:30 PM complete with Floats, Marching Bands, Community
Groups, and more... Special Appearance by Santa Location: Main Street, Pleasanton Times: Times: 8:30pm to 8:00PM Main Street is closed from 4:00pm to 8:00pm Parade: 5:30 to 6:30 Tree Lighting following parade at about 6:30 to 7:00. More info: City of Pleasanton |
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Holidays in the Vineyards An open house at our wineries celebrates the season by sharing the joy of
special wines, crafts, music and more! All of the wineries throw open their
doors and offer very special holiday experiences for you and your friends
and family to enjoy. |
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Ravenswood Victorian Yuletide Come celebrate a Victorian Christmas at Ravenswood Historic Site.
Music, entertainment, carriage ride, food, crafts, and more. |
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New Year's Eve
Labyrinth Walk New Year's Eve Labyrinth Walk |
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Dream of the
Snow Queen The Dream of the Snow Queen |
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Pacific Chamber Symphony - Handel's Messiah The Bankhead Theatre will once again resound with the greatest of all holiday treats. The Pacific Chamber Symphony will excite us again with a special performance of Handel's Messiah. The concert will feature a chorus made up of outstanding local soloists and chorus members. Handel's Messiah is one of the monumental works in all of musical literature. It is probably the most widely performed religious work in the world. It was an instant success when it was first performed in 1742. It was written in just 24 days. In 1741, Handel was broke, tired, and discouraged. Two unrelated events converged to change all that. First, Handel's wealthy friend, Charles Jensen, gave Handel a libretto that he had written based on the bible and the book of common prayer, and asked him to provide a musical setting. Second, Handel received a commission from a Dublin charity to compose a work for a benefit performance. Handel combined these two commissions, and the result was The Messiah. On August 22, he started work on the piece, never leaving his house, and barely pausing to eat or sleep. A little over three weeks later, one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of music was complete. The work was first performed at a charitable event in Dublin on April 13, 1742, with Handel himself conducting from the keyboard. It was an immediate success. It raised 400 pounds and freed 142 men from debtor's prison. Today, The Messiah is often performed in large halls, with a large chorus and a large orchestra. The original chorus and orchestra, although large by contemporary standards, were of more moderate size. The Pacific Chamber Symphony's interpretation adheres more closely to the earlier performances, and contains many elements from the original Dublin presentation. This approach allows for more subtlety and attention to detail. In any version, however, The Messiah is an inspired and inspiring work of
art that rarely fails to elicit reverence and joy.
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Valley Concert Choral - Sing-along
Messiah Valley Concert Choral Sing-along Messiah
Valley Concert Choral
Christmas Concerts Valley Concert Choral Christmas Concerts This year's holiday concerts titled "Harmonious Holiday" features three musical selections representing a variety of music: Saint-Saens' Oratorio de Noel (Christmas Oratorio), Stephen Paulus' Christmas Dances, and Courtney's A Musicological Journey Through the Twelve Days of Christmas. A highlight of the program is the West Coast premiere of Paulus' Christmas Dances, which was first performed in Arkansas last December. "We are very excited to be premiering this new work by Stephen Paulus," says Doris Slater, the Chorale's president. "It's a wonderful piece to introduce to our audience that captures the spirit of the season." "Paulus is one of the greatest living American choral composers," explains Bush. "Knowing his music, I was anxious to share this piece with the community. It combines voices with flute and harp in creating beautiful lush chords." The Oratorio, written in the Romantic style in 1858, was commissioned by the Church of France for Christmas Eve mass. Accompanied by harp, organ and professional soloists, Bush describes it as a gentle, lyrical sacred piece that is not often performed yet is deserving of attention. Courtney's version of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" comprises every genre of music from the earliest medieval chants to early 19th century American. "It's pure fun," says Bush. "You'll hear the words of "Twelve Days" set to familiar pieces representing every period of musical history."
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Symphony Concert Livermore-Amador Symphony Hits from Four Centuries |
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The Nutcracker The Nutcracker |
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A web site listing locations suggested homes with Christmas light
displays. |
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All Christian Churches have special Christmas Eve services.
Full list of Tri-Valley Churches, and web
links
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Christmas Scriptures The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. -- (Isaiah 9:2-7)
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. -- (Luke 2:1-20)
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.” -- (Matthew 1:18 to 2:18)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. (John bore witness to him, and cried, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.’”) And from his fulness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known. -- (John 1:1-18)
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