TEMECULA – The holidays have arrived, and The Alpaca Hacienda of Temecula is opening its doors to folks of all ages so everyone can experience a little Christmas cheer Alpaca style!

On Saturday, Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Alpaca Hacienda is hosting "It’s An Alpaca Christmas," where visitors can enjoy learning about alpacas and experiencing their gentle nature and luxurious fiber. Alpacas are camelids from South America, domesticated by pre-Incan cultures and revered for their soft, warm and lightweight fiber which was used by royalty and considered "The Fiber of the Gods."

Santa arrives on his tractor at noon, and will stay at the ranch until 2 p.m. Parents are invited to bring their cameras to snap photos of their children with Santa and an alpaca or two. The boutique will be open with a treasure of items made from alpaca, just in time for holiday gift giving. Gloves, scarves, hats, yarn, stuffed Advertisement

[ Pala Mesa Resort ] toys and more are available for purchase, some hand made at the ranch as well as by local fiber artists. There is something for everyone on one’s list.

Carolers will be strolling the ranch singing holiday tunes, and hand spinners will demonstrate at scheduled times throughout the day how ultra-soft alpaca fiber is spun into yarn. Many alpacas are available for purchase.

As an added bonus, beloved local artist Shelby Skinner will open her studio right next door to the ranch where guests will find beautiful original oil and pastel paintings, prints, tiles, trivets and more. Skinner is an accomplished and award-winning artist who creates paintings of animals, flowers, portraits, still life and scenic moments.

The event is free. Parking is available on the south side of Rancho Vista along the sidewalk, 31755 Rancho Vista Road, Temecula, CA 92592. No pets are allowed. For more information, call (951) 699-3189 or visit

www.TheAlpacaHacienda.com.