San Francisco's holiday celebrations are ramping up.

Thanksgiving is less than a week out, which means Christmas lights are strung, trees are rising, and shoppers are hitting the streets.

In Union Square, Macy’s will host puppies and kittens up for adoption from the San Francisco SPCA starting this weekend through January 1. The agency is still looking for volunteers to encourage holiday shoppers to consider gifting themselves or a loved one with a new pet this year.

The tourists’ tree at Fishermans Wharf will be illuminated during a celebration tomorrow that starts at noon.

The event offers a chance to hang out with your favorite Disney characters, write letters to Santa, and do museum-worthy arts and crafts, all before the tree lighting at 6:00pm.





The tree at Pier 39 in 2016.

On Monday, the Market Street Association is hosting its 10th annual lighting of the snowflakes that adorn the city's main thoroughfare.

City officials, ballerinas, and Dickens characters will gather at the Powell and Market cable car turnaround to countdown to the tree lighting. The event started in 2008, with 94 snowflakes adorning light poles from 3rd to 5th Streets, and today boasts 324 snowflakes spanning Market from Main to 9th Street.





Ghirardelli Square will host its 53rd tree lighting ceremony on November 24th, with Santa and special winter treats at the square’s vendors.

Macy’s is for the 28th time setting up a tree in Union Square. The tree will be lit around 6:50pm on Friday, November 24th.

The lighting ceremony will start at 6:00pm and includes performances by the San Francisco Boy’s Chorus, Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, and other performers.





Macy's Union Square Tree in 2016.

On Saturday, November 25th, the Winter Walk in Union Square will close off Stockton between Geary and Ellis streets to offer a pop-up of food trucks, beer and wine gardens, live performances, and other family-friendly holiday experiences.





Just up the street a few blocks, the Fairmont atop Nob Hill will transform its lobby into a holiday wonderland, with a 25-foot-tall, 35-foot-wide gingerbread house adorned with 1,650 pounds of candy and 3,300 pounds of icing, towering behind a 23-foot-tall tree in the main lobby.

On Monday, November 27th, the Castro Merchants Association and San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus will celebrate the lighting of the tree and menorah at Castro and 18th streets.





On Wednesday, November 29th, 555 California’s tree will be ablaze with red and orange lights again, part of an All-Star Holiday Culinary Kickoff event with all proceeds going to the All Stars Helping Kids foundation’s Fire Zone Relief Project.

December

For the 12th year in a row, the Rainbow World Fund is decorating a tree that will be displayed in the rotunda of City Hall from December 4th through January 4th.

This year’s World Tree of Hope, adorned with origami cranes and messages of peace and love, will be unveiled at 6:00pm with a performance by the San Francisco Boys Chorus and a blessing by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

The Civic Center’s tree lighting will happen the following evening, on Tuesday, December 5th. Starting at 5:00pm, there will be cookies, hot chocolate, and music curated by Another Planet Entertainment.

The 88th annual holiday tree lighting at McLaren Lodge in Golden Gate Park takes place on December 7th at 4:00pm. There will be carol singing, "snow" to play in, and a visiting Santa. This is the first year the event will culminate with a new light installation at the Conservatory of Flowers.





The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will take over the ice rink at Union Square for the eighth annual Drag Queens on Ice on December 7th. It's a joy for spectators, and any paying customers could enjoy up to 60 minutes frolicking amongst the city's best-dressed.

The Presidio will get festive on Friday, December 8th, with a tree lighting near the Main Post, family activities at the Presidio YMCA, and a lantern-light holiday stroll.

When does your favorite San Francisco holiday decoration get unveiled this year? Let us know in the comments.