Before Christmas begins, this Santa-inspired spot celebrates autumn

HOLIDAY RULES? They definitely exist, and for good reason: There is a merry order to doing things when the sparkliest season is on the horizon. You don't forget to add a bow before giving a gift, you always remember to stir in chocolate chips before baking peppermint cookies, and feeding the reindeer before the big Christmas Eve flight? Santa Claus has it at the very top of his to-do list. And before the holidays arrive, there are the pumpkin-scented celebrations of fall, the merrily eerie autumn doings that always show up before Christmas commences. And at Skypark at Santa's Village, fall fun plays a festive role each October, just ahead of when the adorable attraction gears up for its busy holiday stretch.

PUMPKINS IN THE PINES... is the name of the autumn-inspired festivity, which sprout around the Lake Arrowhead-close attraction each weekend in October. That means opening day is just ahead — it's Oct. 5 — and the whole wholesome scene will wrap up Oct. 27, the final Sunday of the month. A "parkwide pumpkin patch" is part of the brisk-air'd scene, while puppet show with "Sleepy Hollow" themes adds to the seasonal charm. Activities, treats for sale, a costume parade, and spots for snapshots also weave through Pumpkins in the Pines. An added bonus: It's a little cooler, on the whole, up the mountain, and you may even time your trip just right for the whole leaves-going-gold phenomenon. For admission prices, details, and more reasons to get "pump"-ed, pop by this page now.