The Saturday after Thanksgiving is a special day in San Francisco. It’s the opening of The Guardsmen Tree Lot! The Guardsmen was founded in 1947 and raises approximately $3M annually. They use these funds to send more than 2,500 kids to summer camp and provide 250 scholarships for at-risk youth in the Bay Area.  Typically the ultimate place to pick up a wreath, a tree, a cocktail, and/or a potential life (or weekend) partner, the Tree Lot is a bit different this year.  There isn’t a Cultivar Pop-Up or a 600-person Crab Dinner, but there ARE plenty of ways to celebrate the holiday spirit while giving back.

 

My family and I went last weekend (with masks of course!) and brought home not one but THREE trees and two reindeer! Insider tips I must share: One, make a reservation to save yourself time. Two, dress warmly and bring a warm roadie (I’m talking about coffee people!) Three, soak it all in! This is a special tree lot that (I hope) will stand as one of a kind.  Enjoy walking around and witnessing the incredible effort this group puts forward as volunteers to make all of this happen for those in their community.

 

Already have your tree? You can always have more WINE! My good friend and San Francisco native, Joey Nevin, is the Chair of the annual (and first virtual!) Guardsmen Wine Auction, which is live RIGHT NOW! “With over 200 premium packages featuring wine, wine-specific activities, travel, and experiences, the elevated offerings and first-class curated opportunities are over the top.” Every dollar raised goes directly towards enhancing the lives of at-risk youth in the Bay Area. It runs through Tuesday, December 8, so check it out ASAP!