The big winner of the Scripps Ranch News-24/7 Realty Home for the Holidays Lighting Contest was submitted by Joe Billitti. The home lighting display, located at 10921 Elderwood Lane, earned the "Norman Rockwell Award," winning a $250 gift card to Home Depot.

The Noman Rockwell Award is given to the home with "truly elegant displays that accentuate and coordinate with the beauty and elegance of the home."

This is the judges' statement for the Billitti home lighting display: "What is more elegant than syncing a light show programmed to their own radio channel and amazing, beautiful display! This is an ongoing historic SR delight!"

The theme for this year's contest was "Home for the Holidays." Anyone with a home in Scripps Ranch who decorated the outside of their home with holiday lights that are visible to the public from the street was eligible to enter the contest. There was no charge to enter. Judging and prizes were provided by 24/7 Realty, the sponsor of the entire event. Signs for the entrants were created and placed by 24/7 Realty.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) continues its decades-old mission of keeping track of Santa Claus and his reindeer on their journey from the North Pole to every home in the entire world to deliver presents on Dec. 24, Christmas Eve.

Santa will land his sleigh on each roof, drop into each home and leave Christmas presents overnight. NORAD, buried deep within a shelter in Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, is the only organization in the world with the tracking capability to keep an eye on Santa’s incredible trek throughout the world.

NORAD’s mission tracking Santa Claus on Christmas Eve is in its 65th year. It started when a local Sears ad in a Colorado Springs newspaper had a big image of Santa and encouraged children to call a printed phone number to speak with Santa. Unfortunately, there was a typo and the phone number was that of NORAD. That number led directly to the top-secret red phone that was only used for global emergencies. More phone calls rang and, once the men at NORAD realized what was happening, they began answering the phone to let the callers know the progress of Santa’s sleigh.

Today, NORAD will continue its Santa Claus mission.

Scripps Ranch Theatre (SRT), in conjunction with Oceanside Theatre Company (OTC), celebrate the holidays with "A Christmas Carol: A Radio Play." 

Join these two theater companies from the studios of "WOTC Radio" for an encore presentation of this adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic tale of miserly curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge and his visit from the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. An OTC original adaptation, this is great fun for the whole family.

Watch this encore presentation free of charge as a holiday present from Oceanside Theatre Company and Scripps Ranch Theatre.

Originally, these two theatre companies planned to livestream the performance of "A Christmas Carol: A Radio Play" from the stage of the Brooks Theatre in Oceanside this year. Due to the current COVID-19 situation, the two companies have adjusted. Instead, they will provide a filmed version of the 2018 version of "A Christmas Carol: A Radio Play" for free to the community. This encore version was filmed Dec. 23, 2018. The production is available to watch Dec. 19 to Jan. 3 this year. This is the link: http://scrippsranchtheatre.org/christmascarol2020.

"Theatre looks so different this year and the San Diego theatre community has adjusted. We are looking forward to sharing some holiday tradition with our audiences of all ages in a safe way," said Ted Leib, OTC artistic director and director of "A Christmas Carol: A Radio Play." "We are happy to join forces with Scripps Ranch Theatre once again to share this holiday classic."

Being a small, independent musician was already a tough gig before the pandemic wiped out in-person concerts, but a Scripps Ranch resident has big ideas for how to soften the cultural blow.

Jam the Wire, an independent music broadcasting website started by local musician Steve Wolff, is small but certainly progressive. The site depends on crowdsourcing to cover the financials, giving independent musicians a place to publish videos of their work while bringing in some cash. Money earned through the site will also be distributed to charities.

While the music industry today is ruled by powerhouses such as Spotify and YouTube, Wolff said these outlets have never served the needs of smaller indie artists.

"I think I've made a total of $30 bucks in four years of having my stuff on Spotify," Wolff said, noting these platforms are overwhelmed with big-name artists. "So, you realize this isn't really a good business model for small, independent musicians who just want to record and write and release songs."

Wolff said allowing these artists to post content on Jam the Wire puts the power back in their hands.

This is a contrast from big-name streaming services, where "you're leaving your own destiny up to these companies and their algorithms," he said.

The website has hosted about 10 musicians since it launched in September, and Wolff said bringing on new talent is his top priority.

Among the artists currently on the site is Scripps Ranch resident Gregory Haddow, a local musician who described his vocals-free style as "soft guitar music."

"The whole process of creating a song … it's a lot of work and it's very time consuming," Haddow said. "And when you have completed it, it's nice to just have one other avenue where you can publish your material and get feedback on the quality."

Before coronavirus struck, Haddow's weekends often included playing backyard gigs and performances for private parties. He said having the opportunity to post on Jam the Wire means more time to grow and develop his musical abilities.

"Right now, during the pandemic, this is a great opportunity for musicians to keep developing their core skills and publishing their material," Haddow said.

Wolff said he hopes the site can continue to expand in the following months, providing a niche outlet for smaller artists with original content.

"Obviously, for all of us, it's been a super weird year, but not without its opportunities as well as its challenges so far," Wolff said.

An unofficial Scripps Ranch holiday tradition is underway as residents have begun decorating some of the trees in a small nature park on the west side of Spring Canyon Road just south of South Brookville Drive.

Simple ornaments and garlands are beginning to appear on the trees of all sizes in the area. Most noticeable is the fact that a few of the small, barren trees that appear to be struggling have been the first to be adorned this season. These "Charlie Brown" trees bear a few shiny tinsel garlands and some ornaments. Two of the large pine trees – standing on each end of the park – are wearing what appear to be strings of hand-made hoop decorations.

There are plenty more trees waiting for decorations.

(StatePoint) This holiday season may look a bit different due to social distancing, but just because everyone is not physically together, doesn't mean your family can't share its favorite traditions.

The Olesen family of O&H Danish Bakery knows how important holiday traditions are to feeling connected to loved ones. Now in its fourth generation, the family-owned and operated bakery is sharing its best tips for creating holiday cheer from anywhere:

• Celebrate virtually: In asurvey commissioned by O&H Danish Bakery and conducted by SWNS Media Group and OnePoll, nearly 80 percent of respondents say time with family is their favorite part of the holiday season. Whether your tradition is a Christmas movie marathon, a caroling session around the piano or eating certain foods and baked treats, you can enjoy these activities together over video chat this year.

• Plan ahead: When it comes to ordering gifts and specially baked treats, make sure to account for busy schedules and congested delivery services to ensure all your goodies arrive on time. Take note of shipping times and policies, as well as ordering deadlines for each company. 

• Create hygge: Evoking the sights, sounds and aromas of a typical holiday season will help make this year feel more cheerful. Take a cue from Danish culture and embrace hygge. Pronounced "hoo-ga," it means creating a cozy atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life, such as the warm glow of candlelight or a steaming cup of cocoa – and there is no better time of year to do it than the holiday season.

• Share traditional foods: The sensory memories that good food creates are powerful. In fact, 44 percent of people say the holiday spirit wouldn't be the same if they didn't have their traditional holiday dessert.

(StatePoint) Give your home a warm and cozy vibe this fall with a few DIY projects that are sure to add seasonal cheer to any space. Whether you're looking for a rainy-day activity to keep kids busy or searching for affordable décor options, these fall craft ideas are a great place to start. All you need is your creativity and a few supplies.

Celebrate fall foliage

Add fall flavor to a tabletop or mantel by filling mason jars with wheat and dried baby's breath flowers. Give the mason jar an elevated look by wrapping it with jute ribbon and lace. Or, you can simply roll coordinating scrapbooking paper into decorative cuffs that slip inside.

Give thanks

Banners are an easy way to make your own décor without spending a lot of money. DIY banners look great on a front porch to welcome guests or they can be used on a mantel. Easily create a banner with paper and duct tape. Write your own message or cut out shapes like leaves and pumpkins and attach them to twine or string.

Get cocoa cozy

Nothing is better on a crisp fall day than a cup of hot cider or cocoa. Make sure everyone in the family has their own customizable mug by using chalkboard paint. Use a quality painter's tape, such as Duck Clean Release painter's tape, to create a crisp border. Then paint on a writable area. Remove the tape and bake the mug for a custom creation that can be personalized with names or festive phrases.

Craft a welcoming wreath

Wreaths are the ultimate seasonal décor item. They are perfect on the front door to welcome guests into your home or can be used to line interior windows for a festive feel. However, store-bought versions can be expensive. Test your crafting skills with a duct tape leaf masterpiece. All you have to do is create a variety of leaves in fall hues out of colored Duck Tape: make two of each leaf, then add wire to the sticky side of one of the leaves so it can easily be shaped, place the two leaves together and repeat the steps until you have your desired amount of leaves.

Scripps Ranch Theatre and Oceanside Theatre teamed up to co-produce their first filmed reading of the play “Donna Orbits the Moon,” by Ian August.

This episode of “This is Our Town” reveals some remarkably enjoyable San Diego establishments with outdoor venues for coffee, music, dancing, dining, drinks and wonderful views.

It’s the summer of coronavirus – and to keep it from spreading we’re staying home more, foregoing big vacations and looking for new ways to entertain and educate kids who have been home for months.

Well, here’s some good news. There are still some great, fun, free or inexpensive things that kids, families and adults can do in July.

For example, you can swap out those big vacations for some shorter, nearby, get-outside, socially distanced adventures at County parks and trails! Virtually tour cool museums, watch science experiments, or learn how to grow stuff, or make stuff.

Here’s just some of the cool things you can still do in July:

County Parks and Recreation Department
Become a Track Trail-er at seven County Parks: Track trails lets kids and their families take self-guided tours on trails at seven County parks and earn rewards for “tracking” their progress in a brochure, then reporting them online by smartphone, laptop or computer. Reach certain milestones and win nature-related prizes, including magnifying glasses, backpacks and bandanas.

Track Trails can be found at Felicita County Park, Guajome Regional Park, Lake Morena County Park, Lindo Lake County Park, San Dieguito County Park, San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve, and Stelzer County Park.

Scripps Theatre Arts, a local youth theater organization that is only about two years old, has been put on pause due to the COVID-19 crisis. 

"We were in the middle of our biggest production yet, 'Beauty and the Beast.' It was going to have the largest cast, set and audience. There were over 70 kids ranging from ages 4 to 16. The production was supposed to be in May," Scripps Theatre Arts founder Alicia Gonzalez said. 

From April to May, the organization held virtual rehearsals and master classes. 

The theater group was supposed to hold three camps over the summer. However, due to the Scripps Ranch Recreation Center not being open for use yet, it had to cancel all three of them. 

Alongside the now cancelled summer camps, the third production of the year in September, which was supposed to be held at Marshall Middle School, is now cancelled as well. 

Due to the ever-changing virus situation, they have decided to go on pause for the whole summer. 

"At this point we are waiting on the Poway Center for the Performing Arts to start booking dates. Once we receive a date from the theater, we are planning to come back at 100 percent or more. The actors need a lot of support. I'm hoping the community comes out in full force to support and fills the theaters," Gonzalez said. 

The organization is mainly funded by ticket sales as well as donations from companies such as Dixieline and people who want to support those in the productions. 

The theater group has only had one production this year in February: "Once Upon a Mattress."

"With the production in February, we introduced a relatively unknown story with great success. Also, it was the most prepared that our youth had been," Gonzalez said.

Scripps Theatre Arts focuses on equity, diversity and inclusion. 

"We want to really include everyone and give children in under-served communities an opportunity and a way for some to get scholarships," Gonzalez said.