(1) Santa Monica Police Captain Alex Padilla serves officer John Gallagher during the Police and Fire Departments Holiday Luncheon and Food Drive at the Public Safety Building on Wednesday, December 9, 2009. (2) Santa Monica Police Chief Jim Hone serves Sergeant Hernandez during the holiday luncheon. (3) Santa Monica Police Officer Jacob Holloway tells Santa what he want for Christmas during Police and Fire Departments Holiday Luncheon. (4) Santa Monica Police and Fire Departments personnel and volunteers eat during Police and Firefighter Holiday Luncheon and Toy Drive at the Public Safety Building on Wednesday, December 9, 2009.

Roseline Andre, 26, from the “Trident Army" paints David Wiley's face while promoting their new gum Trident Layers™ at Santa Monica College on Wednesday, December 9, 2009. All volunteers received $20.00 to have their faces painted and will appear on Facebook. New Trident Layers™ has three delicious layers of flavor in every piece.

The Pacific Park Wheel lights up with a personalized greeting celebrating Nathaniel Trives 75th Birthday Wednesday, December 9, 2009. Nathaniel has dedicated his life to helping others and he has come to be known as 'Mr. Santa Monica,' a Man of Many Hats; because of the high number of roles he fills or has filled in our community from police officer to Mayor of Santa Monica to College Administrator.  He currently serves on countless boards and community organizations. Nat has done it all. Nathaniel Trives is a family man, married to his childhood sweetheart Ida and father of the talented linguist, Dr. Toni Trives, professor of Spanish at Santa Monica College.

A panoramic view of Santa Monica Bay is projected at the Camera Obscura (Latin for "dark room"; "darkened chamber") at Palisades Park on Tuesday, December 8, 2009.

The camera obscura is an optical device that projects an image of its surroundings on a screen. It is used in drawing and for entertainment, and was one of the inventions that led to photography. The device consists of a box or room with a hole in one side. Light from an external scene passes through the hole and strikes a surface inside where it is reproduced, upside-down, but with color and perspective preserved. The image can be projected onto paper, and can then be traced to produce a highly accurate representation. As a pinhole is made smaller, the image gets sharper, but the projected image becomes dimmer.

Guests admire the “Gingerbread City” during Fairmont Miramar Hotel's 9th Annual “Meet Me Under the Fig Tree” event on Sunday, December 6, 2009. The Gingerbread City was constructed from 400 pounds of gingerbread and 200 pounds of sugar.

GRAMMY nominated artist Brian McKnight and his sons, Brian Jr. and Niko perform an acoustic set of holiday songs as it 'snows' at the Third Street Promenade during the Winterlit Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration on Saturday, December 5, 2009. Santa Claus makes a special appearance during the Winterlit Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration.

Jared Lee, an up-and-coming talent, who combines an astounding vocal range with soothing and inspirational lyrics performs an opening set for GRAMMY nominated artist Brian McKnight at the Third Street Promenade during the Winterlit Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration on Saturday, December 5, 2009.