Dozens of children of all ages waved glow sticks and frolicked on the meadow in the Plaza Park in downtown Los Gatos on Dec. 2. Elderly women sipped coffee and observed. Along with the buttery smell of popcorn, a palpable feeling of anticipation hung heavily in the air; the tree lighting ceremony was to be held in only an hour, at 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, a community youth dance group danced along to familiar holiday tunes such as “Here Comes Santa Claus” in front of a growing audience.

Dusk marked the end of the performances and the beginning of the ceremony.

At 5:40 p.m. John Lochner, an ex-mayor of Los Gatos, welcomed the crowd and thanked them for coming. After a quick word from Steve Rice, the current mayor of Los Gatos, Lochner led more carols as the crowd sang along, albeit somewhat impatiently.

Then a minute before 6 p.m., Rice prepared the crowd for a countdown until the tree would be lighted from a flick of a switch.

Five, four, three, two… one. Community youth Lynsey Chiala had the honor of flicking the switch and the familiar colorful glow of Christmas lights emanated from the tree.

Shortly after, Santa Claus arrived, flanked by his helper elves, and a line of eager children appeared to take the annual coveted picture with him. Once it reached their turn, the children turned giggly and timid, whispering their wishes into his ear.

The first of this holiday season’s horse led carriage rides also commenced and seemed especially popular with charmed couples.

Downtown Los Gatos truly seemed to welcome anyone and everyone in the community who wanted to experience a high dosage of holiday spirit. Students who missed the ceremony can still have the chance to experience the festivities by either taking a stroll through the park to admire the festive lights or by partaking in a carriage ride, which last till Dec. 23.

For students who prefer more ostentatious holiday decorations, San Francisco’s Union Square is the place to go. The square boasts a Macy’s sponsored 80-foot fir tree that is covered in 21,000 energy-efficient twinkling LED lights. The tree lighting, which was on Nov. 25, has already passed, but students are still able to enjoy the holiday atmosphere.

Regardless of whether students prefer the quaint, historic charm of Los Gatos downtown or the striking grandeur of San Francisco’s Union Square, all students can enjoy “the
most wonderful time of the year” in the warm glow of the cities’ festive decorations.