Festive cheer and family traditions
Neat rows of fir trees, adorned with handmade garlands and glowing ornaments, line the sidewalks. Small bits of white snow drift through the air, floating past makeshift booths boasting hot chocolate and warm apple cider. Nestled in the center of Downtown San Jose lies Christmas in the Park, an annual celebration of the holiday season that takes place throughout the month of December.
With performances from local schools, animatronic exhibits and a wide variety of food and gift vendors, Christmas in the Park is a San Jose community tradition that carries over from one generation to the next.
Visitor Maryna Yakovchuk, who came with her husband and children, has come to Christmas in the Park for two years and sees it becoming a family tradition.
“I like just walking around this European style christmas market, getting some cotton candy, seeing Santa,” visitor Maryna Yakovchuk said. “I am originally from Europe so it reminds me a lot of my childhood. There’s not a lot of events here in the US like this, so that’s why I like it.”
From Nov. 29 to Jan. 1, the two-acre Plaza de Cesar Chavez features over 40 Christmas-themed exhibits, from intricate dioramas of scenes from Santa’s Workshop to a 65-foot Christmas tree adorned with colorful lights. The park also showcases smaller trees decorated by local organizations, businesses and schools.
Harker’s own influence has shaped Christmas in the Park, funding the creation of the Schoolhouse display, which was built in 1995. Ever since, Harker has continued to sponsor the event, celebrating their contribution by decorating one of the trees. This year, the lower school students adorned Harker’s tree with hand painted ornaments.
Christmas in the Park board member John Herschbach reflected on his 35 years of service for the organization, where he has been in charge of everything from helping with fundraising to designing color palettes. Having grown up in San Jose, Herschbach recalls his father bringing him to the event as a young boy every holiday season.
While many of the attractions have remained unchanged over the years, Herschbach noted how they incorporated new displays to ensure a fresh experience for visitors as well as keep up with the financial demands.
“We used to have a live tree cut down every year, but it got too expensive,” Herschbach said. “This is the second or third year that we’ve had an artificial tree. Things change and sometimes you have to change because people would like to have something new.”
“We used to have a live tree cut down every year, but it got too expensive,” Herschbach said. “This is the second or third year that we’ve had an artificial tree. Things change and sometimes you have to change because people would like to have something new.”
Besides the tree, this year’s exposition boasted a more vibrant, glossy color scheme rather than the traditional matte paint, and tents instead of wooden houses for the booths. Throughout the park, small businesses selling festive souvenirs, custom caricatures and a wide variety of snacks pack the streets.
Cotton candy vendor Cindy Chu explained why many businesses come back to Christmas in the Park every year. For the second year in a row, she worked the booth to support her friend’s company Sweetest Smiles.
“Christmas in the park is one of the most important events during the year to make money,” Chu said. “The target customers are families with small kids, who will be attracted by the machines. It is a very good place for families to come to because the facilities are friendly to smaller kids.”
As a cherished and festive attraction open to all, Christmas in the Park offers a haven of holiday joy that reflects the combined cultures and memories of an entire community.
“Christmas time can be very depressing for a lot of people,” Herschbach said. “Maybe they don’t have a Christmas tree themselves. Here’s a place that’s free and you can experience all that Christmas is about.”