San Jose's Christmas in the Park tradition endures decades later
SAN JOSE (KPIX) - Christmas in the Park continues a holiday tradition, decades since its humble beginning outside a family business in San Jose. This year it was once again at Plaza de Cesar Chavez in downtown, where for 40 nights it entertains families for free with decorations and live entertainment.
"Christmas was something very important to my grandfather and he loved that tradition of spreading it to the community and celebrating such a fun event," said Vince Lima, one of the owners of Lima & Campagna Mortuary. He is the third generation to continue leading the event started by Don Lima.
"It's exciting to see something that he started back in the days, in the 1950s, to see where it's at now and to see it flourish the way it has," Lima went on to say.
The event that began in front of the family funeral business, then City Hall, now draws families to the plaza each holiday season. Growing over the years, it's more than 10 times larger than when it first started at its current location.
All year, the nonprofit that runs Christmas in the Park has a workshop to store current and past decorations. Some of the original pieces of the first display are still in their collection.
"It's a magical place, where lots of beautiful things are created, where we have talented people working all the time, it's the closest thing to Santa's workshop that any of us could ever visit," said Stacey Holden, the president of the board for Christmas in the Park.
Holden is like many of the leaders who make up the team for Christmas in the Park, drawn to be a part of the event because of someone in their family. For those who served as volunteers or staff over the years, the reaction and interest in all their hard work was worth all the hours they spent on the displays.
"It was really exciting and to be down there when it's just packed and you go, 'Oh they're coming down to see our stuff,'" said Tom Trafton, former operations director for Christmas in the Park.
Christmas in the Park opens daily at noon and will be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Each year, the displays open the day after Thanksgiving and close after January 1.
"I think he'd be so proud to see this image that he was hoping for, that it would continue with his family as well as the community," Lima said.
