'Its a Wrap Party' - Images by Fabian Lewkowicz

Volunteers wrap gifts at Santa Monica Place during the  'Its a Wrap Party' on Thursday, December 18, 2012.   Community leaders, volunteers from the Police Activities League (PAL), Downtown Santa Monica Inc., and Santa Monica Place, wrapped more than 250 gifts which were collected during the Winterlit "Best Gift Ever" community gift drive. Gifts collected will be distributed this Thursday at PAL to children who might otherwise go without presents.

Santa Monica Nativity Scene - Images by Fabian Lewkowicz

The Santa Monica Nativity Scene is an annual display of the Christmas story which has been staged at Palisades Park since 1953, has been relocated to 2716 Ocean Park Blvd. The interdenominational display includes 14 scenes with life-size figures depicting events surrounding Christ's birth. (Monday, December 17, 2012)

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Workers from Paragon Steel install the overlook structure at the 6-acre park site currently known as Palisades Garden Walk on Monday, December 17, 2012. The park will provide an important gateway with a strong connection to iconic Palisades Park and the Santa Monica Pier. The park is located between Ocean Avenue and Main Street, directly across from City Hall. Construction on Palisades Garden Walk began in spring 2012 and is estimated to be completed in late August 2013.

Nine flames burn on a public menorah at Santa Monica Blvd and Third Street Promenade marking the last night of Hanukkah on Saturday, December 15, 2012.

The new 17,550-square-foot Apple Store opened today at 1415 Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica (Saturday, December 15, 2012)

Owners of Yarnover Truck Barbra Pushies (right) and Maridee Nelson lead a finger knitting and crocheting workshop during LA Craft Experience’s 'GIFTED: A holiday market for uncommon goods' at the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday, December 15, 2012. Yarnover Truck is your local yarn store on wheels, implementing the incredibly lucrative food truck business model and applying it to a mobile yarn store. The truck will make appearances at a variety of local events, including street fairs, craft fairs, art and music festivals, food truck events, and Farmer’s Markets throughout Southern California. Additionally, the Yarnover Truckwill be hosting its own events and available for private parties. Their goal is not only to sell yarn, but to increase awareness and provide needlearts education, with a focus on knitting and crocheting

Kiwanis Club of Santa Monica member Margarita Rozenbaoum, 23, rings the bell at the Third Street Promenade during Salvation Army's  Red Kettle Day on Friday, December 14, 2012. Red Kettle Day is a competition among  local service clubs to see which club can raise the most money for the Salvation Army.The Red Kettle campaign, the oldest annual charitable fundraiser of its kind in the United States helps raise money for those who need it most in communities nationwide - providing toys for kids, coats for the homeless, food for the hungry and countless social service programs year-round.

Rabbi Eli Levitansky from Chabad in Simcha Monica, leads a Menorah Parade down the Santa Monica Pier on Thursday, December 13, 2012.