(top) Shemed Bayard, 34, hammers in the base  to a 15-foot Christmas Tree at Delancey Street Christmas's Trees lot at Santa Monica Blvd. and 18th Street on Monday, December 1, 2008. (center) Richard Avila, 25, saws through a 7 foot Christmas Tree.  (above)  Avila,  carries a 7 foot Christmas Tree on his shoulder. The Delancey Street Foundation, often referred to simply as Delancy Street, is a non-profit organization based in San Francisco that provides residential rehabilitation services and vocational training for substance abusers and convicted criminals. It reintegrates its residents into mainstream society by operating various businesses - such as restaurants, moving companies, and print shops - all of which are wholly managed and run by the residents themselves. The foundations' methods have been widely praised and have been emulated internationally.

(top) Santa Monica Kiwanis President Patty Loggins and her boyfriend Pete Larssen, prepare turkey baskets during the Kiwanis Club of Santa Monica Annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Basket Distribution community service projecton Monday, November 24, 2008, at the Santa Monica Police Activities League. The 25 turkey baskets included a complete Thanksgivings dinner with all the trimmings; Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, yams, gravy, broth, and cranberries. The baskets were distributed to families around Santa Monica. (above) UCLA Circle Key club members volunteer to transport the turkeys baskets to people in the community.

Rueben Frausto, 33, a graphic installer for I MAGIC, decorates a Big Blue Bus on Monday, November 24, 2008, as part of the transit company's annual tradition that dates back to the early 1950s with the original candy cane bus. This year's holiday bus looks like it is made out of gingerbread. The bus will start running throughout Santa Monica this Friday and continue through Jan. 2. It will run on all BBB routes rotating daily. ‘This is the only bus that looks good enough to eat,’ said Dan Dawson, marketing manager for BBB. The bus is sponsored by KJazz 88.1 FM.

(top) Artist Anthony Schmitt, 51, builds his 12th Annual 'Edgemar Holiday Tree' on Wednesday, November 19, 2008. This years art sculpture/instalation is titled, "The Thank You Tree." It is 36 feet tall, (three feet higher than last years holiday tree) and is constructed from 86 shopping carts (three more than last year). No scaffolding was needed to erect the sculpture, it served as its own scaffolding. Schmitt uses shopping carts because they are a symbol both of adundance and of those less fortunate. (above) Assistant, Eron Nelson, 34, hands Schmitt a shopping cart.

Visitors to the Third Street Promenade check out the new 25- foot Christmas tree on Saturday, November 15, 2008.

(top) Second grader, Alberto Arrazola, 7, tells Santa Claus that he wants  a pair of sneakers for Christmas during the Salvation Army's 24th Annual Holiday Shopping Spree at Sears on Tuesday, November 11, 2008. Alberto bought the brand new sneakers during the shopping spree on Tuesday. (center) Santa Monica Police Lieutenant, Dan Salerno helps third-grader Alejandro Gonzalez, 8, buy shoes during the shopping spree. (above) The SAMOHI Holiday Carolers sing at the event. Each child received $100 to spend on brand new clothes during the shopping spree at the Sears in Santa Monica. Volunteers from The Salvation Army Santa Monica Corps Community Center's Advisory Board, service clubs, businesses, and near-by schoolsl escorted and assist each child as they made their selections and purchases.Santa Claus, though not shopping, visited with the children while the SAMOHI (Santa Monica High School) Madrigal singers fill the air with the sounds of holiday music.

Artists from Scenario, Tom Zimmerman, 45, and Danny Montez, 23, decorate a 25 -foot Christmas tree at the Third Street Promenade on Monday, November 10, 2008.

(top) Artist Janet Rodriguez places flowers on to her Alfombras de Aserrin (sawdust carpet) during Edison Language Academy's Sixth Annual Day of the Dead Fall Festival on Saturday, October 25, 2008. The making of alfombras de aserrín, with its vivid colors and eye-catching patterns is a Guatemalan tradition that dates back to the Mayans. Mayans made these carpets with flowers for the kings to walk on as they made their way to Mayan ceremonies. In the 16th Century, the Catholic church altered the tradition of the alfombra and began to use colorful sawdust to create them. The Alfombras are made from hand-dyed sawdust, pine-needles, flowers, vegetables and is a community-forming tradition.