Santa Monica Pier is aglow with free holiday sights, tunes, and deals, too

Encountering all of the biggest and glitteriest and wowiest and eye-catching-est lights in town?

We're following just about anything illuminated these days, as is the way of many whimsy-seekers in the middle of December.

And just about the biggest illuminated thing around is the Pacific Wheel at Pacific Park, located at Santa Monica Pier.

In fact, the pier is a pretty bright spot, all year long, but it grows even brighter during the yuletide when a bevy of free diversions and activities roll into the surfside spot.

So you'll want to follow the Ferris wheel lights, and all of the pier's twinkle, to Santa Monica for an uplifting assortment of free seasonal pleasures.

Holiday Cheer on the Pier, the Santa Monica Pier's annual yuletide offering, is glimmering on select December dates. But do circle Dec. 19, which is when Locals' Night will pop up, pier-style, with live music in rockin' tow.

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That's the same date that will feature a return visit full of sweet spunkiness: The Bob Baker Marionette Theater will be back to prance at the pier, specifically the vintage Merry-Go-Round building.

A Holiday Car Show will also bring the vibrant vroom-vroom Dec. 19.

Other charms are afoot at the famous structure, including the opportunity to pen a letter to Santa (and given that Dec. 19 is less than a week before Christmas, you best get your wishes to the North Pole right away).

For other pier-tastic doings of a December nature, and what is set to sparkle after the jump into January, click.