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Photos of San Francisco looking gorgeous during the holidays

San Francisco knows how to get dolled up for the season. Here are our favorite looks from Christmas past and present.

Written by Time Out San Francisco editors
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San Francisco is stunning at all times of the year (yes, even during #Hellastorm), but Christmastime really takes the cake. From light-laden palm trees to some of the best hotel displays, these wondrous snapshots are proof that the West Coast is brimming with holiday cheer.

RECOMMENDED: Christmas in San Francisco guide

Christmas tree and giant gingerbread house at Fairmont Hotel
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/dmac55

Cable car with Christmas lights
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/TimeLapseBlog
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Christmas lights on Hayes Street
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/ShinyThings
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Christmas lights at The Hyatt
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/Rubin Abdi

SantaCon on Lombard Street
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/John Curley
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Christmas decorations at the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/Niall Kennedy

City Hall at Christmas
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/Shawn Clover
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Financial district
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/Thomas Hawk

Union Square
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/cococat
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Christmas lights in Union Square
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/Shyam Subramanyan

Embarcadero Center Holiday Ice Rink
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/KP Tripathi
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Union Square
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/Raman B

Nautical lights
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/Daniel Parks
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Decked out cable car
Photograph: Instagram/Sharon Wu

Rotunda at Neiman Marcus
Photograph: Instagram/Nancy Wong
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Westfield San Francisco Centre
Photograph: Instagram/Derek Tanguay

Adding some holiday cheer to downtown construction
Photograph: Instagram/ginger_mimi
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