San Francisco parol festival Dec. 10

The annual San Francisco Parol Lantern Festival and Parade will be held on December 10 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., the news site Asian Journal said. A series of parol lantern-making workshops, open to the public, will be held at the Bayanihan Community Center at 1010 Mission Street, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., every Friday until December 9, Asian Journal said.  Those who are interested may buy their own parol kit, starting from a 12-inch parol for $5.00 to a 60-inch parol at $12.00. The kit includes materials for building a star lantern—bamboo sticks, twist ties, rubber bands, tissue paper and cellophane. Christmas lantern or "parol" is one of the most important Christmas symbols. For Christians, the parol is symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem that guided the magi to the birthplace of Jesus Christ.