Christmas

Local Christmas Tree Sales Kick Off in Arlington

By Kalina Newman

With the Thanksgiving holiday over, the Christmas season now begins. And for Arlington residents in search of a Christmas tree, there are a number of options around the county for finding the perfect pine.

The Optimist Club of Arlington began its annual sale Friday in Wells Fargo Bank lot along Lee Highway (2213 N. Glebe Road). All workers are volunteers from around Arlington, including members of youth athletic teams, high school honors societies, and Optimist Club members. The lot will be open every day until December 23, with the following hours:

  • Monday through Thursday: 2-8 p.m.
  • Friday: 12-8 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

The Clarendon United Methodist Church, meanwhile, is selling trees and wreaths to support a variety of the church’s mission projects. The volunteer-run lot — at the intersection of 7th Street N. and N. Irving Street  — will be open until December 21, or until supplies sell out. The schedule is:

  • Sunday: 12-6 p.m.
  • Monday through Friday: 6-8 p.m.
  • Saturday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

The Arlington South Lions Club is hosting its annual Christmas tree sale at the corner of S. Four Mile Run Drive and Columbia Pike. The sale continues until December 22, or until the club run out of trees. The lot is open:

  • Weekdays: 12-7 p.m.
  • Weekends: 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

The Knights of Columbus kicked off its 25th annual Christmas Tree Sale on Saturday at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Center near Crystal City, at the corner of 23rd Street S. and S. Hayes Street. The Knights are selling most trees for between $35-90, though some larger and more expensive trees are available. The lot hours are:

  • Weekdays: 6-9 p.m.
  • Weekends: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

“As usual, we feature fresh cut Fraser and Douglas Fir trees in varying sizes up to 9 feet,” the Knights said in a press release, noting the sale will end on Dec. 22 or when the supply of trees runs out. “We will also have wreaths in 3 sizes (10″, 16″, and 24″ measured from the inside wire), white pine roping available by the foot, and tree stands. Come early to get the best trees!”

Additional Christmas tree sales to check out include a fundraiser for Mount Olivet United Methodist Church (1500 N. Glebe Road) and its boys and girls scout troops. The sale will be held this weekend, beginning on Friday, December 6 from 4-9 p.m.

At St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (400 Lorcom Lane), two hundred Christmas trees have been delivered, with sales continuing this weekend. On Saturday, the trees will be available from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and then on Sunday the lot will be open from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Peter Golkin 

Holiday Cheer Event Coming to Rosslyn Next Week

By Kalina Newman

With Thanksgiving right around the corner and the winter holidays quickly approaching, a festive day-long event is coming to Rosslyn next week.

Hosted by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID), Rosslyn Cheer will take place on Wednesday, December 4 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., and then from 5-7:30 p.m, at the Central Place Plaza (1800 N. Lynn Street)

During the lunchtime hours, there will be free hot chocolate, holiday cookies for sale, and a performance from an a cappella group.

Later in the evening at 5 p.m., the H-B Woodlawn Chamber Singers will be performing and a holiday food and drink bar will be offered.

Throughout the day, the BID will host its annual Rosslyn Holiday Clothing Drive, where they will be collecting warm hats, coats, sweaters, sweatshirts, and gloves. All items will go towards the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network.

“Rosslyn Cheer is a time for the community to come together and kick off the holiday season, from the tree lighting in Central Place Plaza to the lighted buildings across our distinctive skyline,” said Rosslyn BID president, Mary-Claire Burick. “The highlight will be a performance from Rosslyn’s new school, H-B Woodlawn, who have brought their own light to the neighborhood since moving in this September.”

H-B Woodlawn, meanwhile, held a Thanksgiving parade along Wilson Blvd this morning.

Melwood Presents Miracle on 23rd Street

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

The time-honored Arlington holiday tradition, Miracle on 23rd Street, returns this year on December 6 in Crystal City and is better than ever.

Last year more than 400 neighbors and families from across the area kicked off the holiday season with Miracle’s festive community tree lighting and pictures with Santa Claus. Plus, this year Melwood will be offering “Poinsettias with a Cause” grown by individuals of differing abilities for just $10 (supplied will be limited).

Melwood, one of the leading nonprofit employers of people of differing abilities and wounded veterans in the Greater Washington D.C. area, is pleased to host this event which has run for more than 50 years. This year we are also announcing a new partnership with the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), so please bring canned food to donate at the event.

“Melwood is proud to keep the Miracle tradition alive and make it even better this year.” said Cari DeSantis, President and CEO of Melwood. “This is our neighborhood and we are excited to be a part of this vibrant community. This past year, we started abilIT on this campus, an innovative program to train individuals of differing abilities and injured veterans for high-demand IT jobs.”

The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, December 6, at 750 23rd Street South in Crystal City. Admission is free and you can register at this site.

The celebration begins with the traditional lighting of the Christmas tree and the much-anticipated arrival of Santa, escorted by Arlington’s Police and Fire Departments. Photo opportunities with Saint Nick, face painting, hot cocoa, cookies, virtual reality experience and sales of poinsettias grown by our individuals of differing abilities will all be part of the festivities.

For 55 years, Melwood has offered job placement, job training, life skills for independence and support services to nearly 2,600 people each year in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. To learn more about abilIT or apply to our program, see here.

The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City Celebrates the Coziest Time of the Year

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City will offer festive holiday activities to celebrate the coziest time of the year with friends, family and loved ones.

The hotel greets the upcoming season with spirited brunches, a special Sleigh Belles event with gingerbread decorating & cocktails for the ladies, delightful holiday teas and an engaging gingerbread workshop to create lasting memories.

Festivities include:

  • Thanksgiving Day Brunch — Thursday, November 28
  • Holiday Tea — Starting Friday, November 29
  • Gingerbread House Workshop — Sunday, December 8
  • Sleigh Belles — Wednesday, December 11
  • Christmas Day Brunch — Wednesday, December 25

Enjoy these one-of-a-kind offerings, and more, this holiday season!

For more information or to make reservations at The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, call 703-412-2721 or email [email protected] and follow along on Instagram @ritzcarltonpentagoncity.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Water Taxi Coming to Arlington? — The Potomac Riverboat Company, which operates a water taxi between the Wharf, Georgetown, Alexandria and National Harbor, is reportedly considering new commuter-oriented routes, includings a stop at the Pentagon. [ALXnow]

Dems Want to Boost State Affordable Housing Funds — “Virginia Democrats are salivating at what they might be able to achieve now that they’ve finally won unified control of state government, particularly when it comes to affordable housing… new money from the state could be ‘rocket fuel’ for efforts in Arlington if developers can pair that cash with existing funding.” [Washington Business Journal]

Pentagon City Mall to Host New Holiday Display — “Residents and visitors are invited to Fashion Centre at Pentagon City’s inaugural Festival of the Trees! From November 23 through December 24, a variety of Christmas trees decorated by local nonprofits, including Arlington Food Assistance Center, Animal Welfare League of Arlington, Doorways for Women and Families,” etc. [Fashion Centre at Pentagon City]

Zone 4 Leaf Collection Starts Today — Arlington County’s vacuum leaf collection effort is continuing, with crews starting to roam “Zone 4” neighborhoods including East Falls Church, Arlington Forest and Arlington Ridge today. [Arlington County]

Congregation Returns After Redevelopment — “On Sunday, November 17, Arlington Presbyterian Church (APC) celebrated their homecoming. APC returned to their former site opening a new worship, office and multi-use space on the ground-floor of Gilliam Place, a 173-unit affordable housing community developed by the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) along Columbia Pike.” [Press Release]

ACPD Hosting ‘Fill the Cruiser’ Toy Drive This Week

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County Police Department is kicking off its annual Fill the Cruiser holiday toy drive tonight.

ACPD is “asking community members to donate new, unwrapped toys to bring holiday cheer to children ages newborn-17,” the department said in a press release. “Donations will be distributed by the Police Department throughout the month of December.”

Three events are being held this week, starting tonight at Ballston Quarter mall. A fourth is planned on Black Friday — Nov. 29 — at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall.

More from ACPD (emphasis added):

Officers will collect toys at the following locations:

  • Tuesday, November 19, 2019 from 5 to 7 p.m. — Ballston Quarter — 4238 Wilson Boulevard — A cruiser will be located on the sidewalk between Ted’s Bulletin and True Food Kitchen
  • Wednesday, November 20, 2019 from 6 to 8 p.m. — Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church — 830 23rd Street S.
  • Thursday, November 21, 2019 from 6 to 8 p.m. — Lee Harrison Shopping Center — 2425 N. Harrison Street
  • Friday, November 29, 2019 from 2 to 4 p.m. — The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City — 1100 S. Hayes Street — A cruiser will be located in the food court next to the Christmas tree

Those wishing to donate toys, but unable to attend the Fill the Cruiser events can drop off donations at Police Headquarters, located at 1425 N. Courthouse Road, until Friday, December 13, 2019 at the 2nd Floor Administrative Support Unit Front Counter.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Windy Day on Tap — After a windy night, more gusty winds are expected today. The gusts are expected to reach up to 40 miles per hour locally. [Twitter]

Lions Club Seeks County Lot for Xmas Tree Sale — “Christmas is coming early for the South Arlington Lions Club. Arlington County Board members on Oct. 19 are expected to allow, for the second year in a row, the service organization to use county-government property on South Four Mile Run Drive for its annual Christmas-tree sale.” [InsideNova]

Local Affordable Housing Group Expanding — “A leading affordable housing nonprofit in Arlington County is expanding its operations into Montgomery County, another sign of a growing regional focus on preserving or producing homes that lower-earning residents can afford.” [Washington Post, Press Release]

Earthquake Drill Today — “Participate in the world’s largest earthquake drill [today] at 10:17 a.m… Go to the lowest floor of the building, drop to your hands/knees, cover your head w/your arm, and hold on to shelter.” [Twitter]

VDOT Studying Changes to Route 50 West of Arlington — “The Virginia Department of Transportation is holding a public information meeting Monday, Oct. 21 on a study of potential safety and operational improvements for three miles of Route 50 (Arlington Boulevard) between Jaguar Trail and Wilson Boulevard.” [VDOT]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Christmas Tree Pickup Underway — For residents eligible for Arlington County’s trash collection service, the special curbside Christmas tree service is currently underway. Trees will be hauled away on the regular trash collection day through Jan. 11 and turned into mulch. [Arlington County]

Shutdown Could Hurt Local Businesses — “In Greater Washington, that could mean about 40 percent of approximately 362,000 federal workers — about 145,000 — would not receive roughly $15 million per day in pay, according to rough estimates… The shutdown is likely to hit industries that depend heavily on the discretionary spending of federal workers and contractors.” [Washington Business Journal]

Would-Be Local Amazon Locations — Among the places Amazon could have gone to in Northern Virginia, if it did not pick the Pentagon City and Crystal City area for its new office campus, were Alexandria near the Eisenhower Metro station and Rosslyn, with a prominent skyline view along the Potomac. [Washington Business Journal]

Ads on Virginia School Buses? — “Advertising on the back end of school buses? It could be coming to the Old Dominion. The state legislature again this session will consider a proposal by Del. Israel O’Quinn (R-Bristol) allowing school districts to place commercial advertising between the rear wheels and the rear of the bus.” [InsideNova]

Metro Touts Fewer Fires — “Metro will end 2018 with the lowest number of insulator-related smoke/fire incidents in years – 66 percent fewer compared to 2016 – despite record rainfall this year. Water infiltration in Metro’s tunnels has historically been the leading cause of such incidents.” [WMATA]

Pre-Boarding Snafu at DCA — “A couple says their holiday trip to Virginia was ruined by a traumatic incident on their flight home. A disabled husband was forced to pre-board alone, while his sick wife had to stay behind at the gate” for a Southwest Airlines flight at Reagan National Airport. [Fox 5]

Flickr pool photo by Maryland Nomadic

Merry Christmas, Arlington!

By ARLnow.com

It’s Christmas Eve and ARLnow will now be taking a one-day break for the holiday.

We’ll see you back here on Wednesday for business as usual, with the addition of our annual countdown of top stories on the site. Can you guess what’s No. 1?

In the meantime, our team wishes you and yours a very merry Christmas.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Amazon’s Helipad in Doubt — Amazon requested that it be able to build a helipad at both of its new campuses, in Crystal City and New York City. But it’s unlikely that the company will be able to win approval for operating a private helicopter in the restricted airspace around Washington. [WAMU]

Wawa Looks to NoVa — “‘Fairfax County and Northern Virginia is a really important market for us,’ Wawa CEO Chris Gheysens was quoted as saying… ‘We are looking at strategically bending our store model to get more access to that area and plan to announce some openings in that area coming up.'” [Tysons Reporter]

Metro Holiday Schedule — Metro is operating on a reduced schedule today and tomorrow, as well as New Year’s Day. It will operate on a regular weekday schedule on New Year’s Eve, with special late night service until 2 a.m. [WMATA]

Christmas Is a Recycling Nightmare — “Your holiday wish list – or at least what it comes wrapped in – may be causing big problems for recyclers. ‘It surprises a lot of people,’ Arlington County Solid Waste Bureau Operations Manager Shani Kruljac said. Here’s the deal: a bunch of holiday-related stuff you may assume is recyclable actually isn’t.” [Fox 5]

APS Seeking Nominations for Top Cross Guards — “Arlington Public Schools is asking the public to consider nominating local crossing guards for Virginia’s Most Outstanding Crossing Guards competition… Nominations are open through Jan. 25.” [InsideNova]

Arlington Firms Awarded Federal Contracts — Ballston-based CACI has been awarded “a prime position” on a $12.1 billion U.S. Army information technology contract. Meanwhile “DTS, a small business in Arlington, Virginia, has won a $2.6 million contract with the Fish & Wildlife Services to provide IT program management and change management services.” [BusinessWire, Washington Technology]

AWLA Puts Out Call for Foster Parents Willing to Provide a ‘Home for the Holidays’

By Alex Koma

Anyone looking for some extra company for the holidays in the form of a four-legged friend might want to swing by the Animal Welfare League of Arlington sometime in the next few days.

The AWLA is looking for foster parents willing to take in a shelter pet over Christmas and New Year’s, launching a “Home for the Holidays” drive this week.

From now through Sunday (Dec. 23), anyone willing to take in a dog or cat can visit the shelter at 2650 S. Arlington Mill Drive. Foster parents will be expected to care for their animals through Dec. 27, or can apply for an extension through Jan. 2.

AWLA will provide all basic supplies for foster pets, but anyone picking up a furry boarder will likely need to bring a leash or pet carrier.

The shelter asks that participants keep foster pets separate from any owned pets, and that any “foster cats/rabbits/guinea pigs are kept strictly indoors and foster dogs are not taken to dog parks,” AWLA wrote on its website.

Anyone who decides to adopt their foster pet will also receive $25 off AWLA’s adoption fee.

The shelter has full details available on its website.

Photo via @AWLAArlington

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