The Manor House on Twin Pines Lane was built in 1908, and this month it is hanging autumn. As the San Mateo Daily Journal reported, eight artists from Tangerine Arts, a group of Bay Area women artists, have filled the galleries with paintings, ceramics, mosaics and photographs for a show called "Autumn Palette." Kathy Miller Peix made a set of ceramic autumn leaves for the wall, and Sharron L. Walker's photograph "Autumn Black Oak" is also in the show.
A few doors down at 30 Twin Pines Lane is Santa's mailbox. Not far beyond, Twin Pines Lodge hosts the City's youth holiday workshop on the first Saturday in December. Less than three weeks after Belmont marked 100 years as an incorporated city, its holiday season has settled into the same park that hosted the birthday party. Almost everything the City has scheduled between now and mid-December fits on one short lane.
One lane carries most of the calendar
The October 24 Centennial Fest was planned around Twin Pines from the start. The City scheduled the time capsule ceremony in front of the Twin Pines Senior Center and Parks and Recreation Office. Then came a festival in the park and a 7:30 p.m. drone show. Palo Alto Online described Belmont on October 29 as a city that "just celebrated its centennial."
The holiday season keeps the same address. The park at 1 Twin Pines Lane holds the Belmont Historical Society's History Room, the Parks and Recreation office, the Senior and Community Center, and the Twin Pines Art Center. That's why one walk can cover most of the season:
| What | Where on Twin Pines Lane | When |
|---|---|---|
| "Autumn Palette," Tangerine Arts | Twin Pines Art Center, Manor House, 10 Twin Pines Lane | Through Nov. 29, Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. |
| Closing reception for "Autumn Palette" | Manor House | Sunday, Nov. 29, 1 to 4 p.m. |
| Winter Wonderland Workshop, ages 5 to 12 | Twin Pines Lodge | Saturday, Dec. 5, 9 a.m. to noon, registration required |
| Letters to Santa deadline | Santa's mailbox, 30 Twin Pines Lane | Dropped off or postmarked by Monday, Dec. 7 |
| Belmont Historical Society History Room | Back of the Manor House, 30 Twin Pines Lane | Reopens Jan. 10, 1 to 4 p.m. |
The Winter Wonderland Workshop packs the most into one morning: ornament design, cookie decorating, hot cocoa, and a table for writing letters to Santa. A child can write a letter at the Lodge on December 5 and drop it in the mailbox down the lane two days before the deadline. Every letter that makes the deadline gets a free personalized reply from Santa and his elves. Registration for the workshop goes through Belmont Parks and Recreation's online portal.
The History Room is the one park stop that closes for the season. It opened for a single November afternoon on November 8, and the Belmont Historical Society lists January 10 as its next opening. The art center stays open four afternoons a week, so the Manor House is still worth stopping into.
Two evenings when the season leaves the park
The City's 2026 Holiday Events page lists two events away from Twin Pines Lane. Both are on Thursday evenings, one week apart.
On Thursday, Dec. 10, Fire Station 14 at 911 Granada St. hosts Santa at the Firehouse and Toy Drive with San Mateo Consolidated Fire. The evening runs in two parts:
- Sensory Santa, 5 to 5:30 p.m. This is a calm, registration-only half hour for youth with sensory needs. It includes Santa photos, therapy dogs, holiday characters, snow and crafts. Registration is through Parks and Recreation.
- Santa at the Firehouse, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. This part is open to all ages with no advance registration. It offers photos with Santa and holiday characters, snow, hands-on crafts and refreshments. Sensory Santa families are welcome to stay.
Both parts are free. The City asks every guest to bring at least one new, unwrapped toy for a child in need.
On Thursday, Dec. 17, the Belmont Police Santa Parade runs from 5 to 8 p.m. The City says it will share the turn-by-turn route before the parade. On parade night, the Belmont Police Department's X account tracks Santa's progress live.
One more event falls between the park and the parade. Friends of the Belmont Library holds its annual Holiday Book Sale at the Belmont Library, 1110 Alameda de las Pulgas. It runs Saturday, Nov. 14, and Sunday, Nov. 15, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with discounted books and media. That's this Saturday and Sunday, and the Alameda address leads straight into Belmont's gift shopping.
The gift run splits between Carlmont Village and Old County Road
Belmont's independent shops are mostly in two places away from Twin Pines Lane. One is Carlmont Village, up the Alameda. The other is Old County Road near the tracks.
Carlmont Village has its own history marker. In the spring of 1897, before "The Call of the Wild," Jack London worked in the laundry room of Belmont Military Academy, which stood where the shopping center is now. A plaque at 1049 Alameda de las Pulgas marks the spot. These shops are within a few doors of it:
- Ladera Garden and Gifts, 2029 Ralston Ave. A full-service nursery with gardenware, home decor, gifts and flower arrangements. Its Belmont location opened in 2016. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sainted Goods, 1027½ Alameda de las Pulgas. A women-owned boutique of curated pre-loved clothing, accessories and jewelry. Open Tuesday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Jiro Cafe & Bakery, 1094 Alameda de las Pulgas. Japanese comfort food built on family recipes, with cornets and its signature Cat Bread. Open Wednesday to Sunday.
On Old County Road, The Local Spot at No. 196 shares a storefront with the Made Out of Dough bakery. It carries goods from more than 20 local makers, including candles, apparel and art. The City's business spotlight says owners Courtney Tomioka and Michele DeSmet take no commission on vendor sales. It opens at 7 a.m. Wednesday through Friday and at 8 a.m. on weekends.
Farther along El Camino, Blossoms and Botanicals and its sister shop Mystic Flora Apothecary have moved into one space at 1501 El Camino Real. The combined shop does floral delivery and gifts and holds workshops on tea, song, yoga and more. For a gift that's an outing, Session Zero at 1940 Ralston Ave. has free public gaming tables, a game library and rentable rooms, including the fantasy-themed "Castle."
Holiday dinners: rooms that go back decades, and the newest arrivals
A city that just turned 100 has restaurants that have been around for a good share of that century. The Iron Gate at 1360 El Camino Real has served classic French and Continental cuisine since the 1950s, including tableside Caesar salad, flambéed Steak Diane and Crêpes Suzette. Marvin Gardens at 1160 Old County Road dates to 1975. Lorenzo's Sandwich Shop at 911 Villa Ave. has been making hot pastrami on Dutch crunch since 1976. Iberia at 740 El Camino Real has been chef Jose Luis Relinque's restaurant for more than 30 years. It also books paella lunches for groups of 12 or more, which suits an office holiday lunch.
The newer rooms are 2026 Belmont. DARA THAI at 1480 El Camino Real opened on July 1, 2026, under Niti "Ricky" and Tanya Sammarsup. Ricky's mother, Sandy, runs the kitchen with more than 40 years of cooking experience. The menu includes Thai Tea ice cream from Mitchell's, the San Francisco ice cream maker. Treasure at 510 El Camino Real comes from the team behind Imperial Treasure in Palo Alto and has been serving craft Chinese cuisine since October 2025. In Carlmont Village, Amara at 1015 Alameda de las Pulgas serves seasonal Mediterranean plates for sharing. Truffle Poké Bar at 1073 Alameda is the company's fourth Bay Area location.
For a drink after the gift run, Alpha Acid Brewing Company at 121 Industrial Road, Suite 11, marked its 12th anniversary with a celebration on Nov. 7. It pours $5 drafts all day Mondays, holds trivia at 7 p.m. Thursdays, and releases a new beer every week. A table at Shalizaar, 300 El Camino Real, fits the centennial theme too. The Persian restaurant has been in Belmont since 2007 and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The weeks after the Santa Parade are often when homeowners who plan to list in the new year book their staging and photography. If that's your plan, Lana Morin Pierce can schedule the prep around your holidays, so the house is ready once the decorations come down. Book a Consultation.
