Free Parking in Downtown Santa Monica Structures for Happy Covid Christmas Shopping

Parking will be free at the downtown parking structures 1-6 from December 14 to December 25 in a strangely mixed message from the City of Santa Monica. A press release from Downtown Santa Monica (DTSM) Inc exhorts the public to come on down to the Third Street Promenade and shop. Meanwhile, the city's COVID webpage tells us to "stay home except to go to an essential job or to shop for essential needs."

Apparently, shopping at local businesses and keeping them from going bankrupt due to local health emergency ordinances that closed them for months overrides local health emergency ordinances.

DTSM assures us they are "committed to ensuring the health and safety of the community, visitors and staff." Even though they are encouraging the public to leave their homes for obviously non-essential activities, like Christmas shopping. But don't worry: everyone will wear masks.

But DTSM is all about spin. They explain that without family coming over, we can, "Take the work out of the holidays and leave the cooking to Santa Monica's restaurants and chefs."

In fact, this year, shopping is "more convenient than ever with in-store and curbside pickup." See that? This year is actually BETTER than other Christmas seasons.

So if you're brave enough to leave your house, come on down to the Promenade and enjoy a "winter wonderland of decor and free holiday-themed experiences." I guess they have a tree and some lights.