The elections are over and the nastiness is gone. The problems of Washington and Sacramento now seem far away as hope is blossoming for a new mayor. The sun is shining and it’s Christmastime in San Jose.
If you ever had the feeling that downtown San Jose was a dubious investment, you only have to take a quick trip into the central core of our city in the next few weeks to be disabused of that notion. I would suggest to all a leisurely visit to Downtown Ice among the palms or a stroll through the amusement rides that dot the Chavez Plaza area. You might also catch a movie at the Tech Museum’s IMAX Theater or in Camera 12; you can always get the compliments of the season at American Musical Theatre’s “Christmas Dreamland” and “The Nutcracker” at the CPA. If none of those tickle your fancy, there is the reliable Rep’s performance of “A Christmas Story.” I always enjoy seeing the young kid stick his tongue to a frozen lamppost and then be deserted by his friends as they run back to class; it so reminds me of the relationship between mayor and council, except it’s colder at City Hall.
The Sharks are in town for many nights in December and the Pete Newell Basketball Classic, with the maestro himself, Coach Newell, in attendance, plays this Sunday at HP Pavilion.
Yet, I have saved the best for last because there is another event that epitomizes our city happening earlier this Sunday. Not for the cynical or the obtuse, it is our own, inimitable Christmas in the Park parade. Now, for many years, people in San Jose and our valley have enjoyed the delights of Christmas in the Park since its founding as Christmas at the Mortuary. It began, of course, at the old Lima Family Mortuary on Willow Street under the auspices of a great community servant, Don Lima. For lifetimes, it has served as a major holiday treat for families. It is unique, our own, and it’s free. It has weathered the callousness of the bureaucracy, the travails of Proposition 13 excuses, the assaults of the ACLU—who never protested Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph, or his proximate friend, Quetzalcoatl—and the occasional cynicism of columnists who took a few cheap shots that were widely off the mark; they came in after the battle to shoot the wounded and shot themselves instead. It has persevered while the H. Bruce Miller’s of the world have disappeared and faded into footnotes, then to asterisks. (I am the only one who keeps alive the memory of one of the worst columnist who ever aimed his sights toward our holiday event.)
Christmas in the Park survives because it means something special—a homegrown tradition of an agricultural valley that grew into a fine city. What it “is” is very indicative of what we were and what we have become: straight forward and hard working, visionary and indescribable, simple and profound. I hope it will always be part of Christmas in San Jose.
Mayor Tom,
Your description of Christmas in the park is very nice. It’s a dynamic celebration of Christmas so I’m not sure I’m correct but my family drove around the park last Saturday and couldn’t find the Manger display. Can you tell me if it finally fell to the ACLU or another politically correct organization? Or is the origin of the celebration still there? Is the Menorah still there? Why I don’t know but it has become a regular fixture in the Christmas celebration.
Thanks
Tom, I agree that this is the time of year where downtown really “shines” and the suburbanites suddenly embrace the idea of making the trek to the Plaza and the ice rink in droves. If only the city could come up with a way to keep these people coming downtown on a regular basis and breathing some economic life into this zone.
But hey, aren’t birthday wishes in order for SJ today, 11/29? Seems like this date passes un-noticed every year. Or do I have my historical facts wrong?
I can remember, as a child, going to the Lima Funeral Home on Willow to see the Christmas display. Christmas in the Park, with the ice skating rink and the carnival rides is surly an event to which we all look forward. Nothing wrong with a Menorah or a Manger. What is celebrated is the spririt of the season. We all look forward to the Christmas Parade. We argue and rant and rave about politics, local and afar. We gripe about unchecked growth and development. If one stops to think about it, we really are fortunate to live in this cosmopolitain city. Let’s all celebrate the season and help Chuck Reed get his programs going. If we want to see change and betterment then we have to support the person behind the change.
I, too, remember going down to WIllow St. to see the Lima display at its original home. Christmas in the Park brings much to downtown for a short time, but should city money fund a religious display? The manger nor the menorah should be there. For one thing, the two holidays have nothing to do with each other. For another, they represent religious holidays and city money should not be used for the promotion of any religion. Have all the displays you want, just don’t use city money, time, or equipment to display and maintain them (or to pay for the utilities.)
Dexter – the manger and baby Jesus and the Menorah are all where they should be – included in the celebration of Christmas in San Jose. TMcE
#4 Bah Humbug to you!
Native (#4),
The recognition that Christmas is a time of great significance in this country does nothing to violate the separation of church and state. To confuse the modest outlay of city funding involved as an attempt to establish a national religion is to surrender your prefrontal lobes to the nitpicking dogma of the culture-destroyers at the ACLU. Christmas in the park does not feature a sermon, organized prayer, or anything else associated with religious services or indoctrination. No one involved is charged with signing up visitors for Bible school or baptism, thus, absent evidence of mass conversions to Christianity following exposure to Santa, his elves, the reindeer, or the plastic figures in the Nativity Scene, to depict the city’s involvement as a church-state violation is absurd.
Christmas is a tradition, celebrated or at least acknowledged by the vast majority of Americans, regardless of their own beliefs. It, like all the other traditions of this nation, needs to be recognized if we have are to have any hope of remaining a nation.
Downtown is busy all year round. We have all the festivals and grand Prix during the Summer. In the Spring, we have the Cinequest and different ethnic festivals. Lastly the fall, we have harvest festival and Rock’n and Roll marathon. There are always something to do downtown.
7 – No great argument with what you say, just don’t use city funds for it. And, we don’t know if it is a “modest” amount or not since the true costs have never been revealed (either for actual monetary costs or in-kind contributions from the city.)
8- What you say is true, but paints a much rosier picture than what really exists downtown. For a city of our size, the downtown is basically dead except for the few events you mention. A big city downtown should always be alive with activity with the special events supplementing that activity. Here, there is no activity except for the special events. We have a long way to go.
#9 is the perfect embodiment of the state of the city.
We want “a big city downtown [that is] always…alive with activity with the special events supplementing that activity.”
“Just don’t use city funds for it.”
Just who is supposed to fund it, Santa Claus?
Sorry, Native, but I must disagree.
I am a non-believer. But I am not offended by the beliefs of others, as you may be.
christmas in the park is not a religious event/venue/whatever.Even christians decry the fact that christmas is no longer a religious event/ceremony. christmas in the park is an almost vanilla event—it appeals to the vast majority of us.
As to the minority of nonbelievers who CLAIM to be offended (like that Bozo doctor in Sacramento that tried to use his daughter to change the Pledge of Allegiance), I can only say—GET OVER IT!
Please don’t even try to convince me that viewing christmas in the park causes you some form of emotional distress. Ifit does, you really need to re-asses your life/priorities, because you’re clearly too fragile to live in our current diverse world. Actually, you need to seekprofessional help.
With all due respect to Mr. Justice Douglas, we all need to have a lot more tolerance for the various belief systems that make our society, and we need to understand that the fact of a mostly-privately-funded holiday display is not an insult to anyone.
In other words, just get over it and try not to be such a Scrooge, under the false label of separation of church and state.
Tom,
You are right, Don Lima was a great community servant. The Swiss Chalet Clockmaker’s Shop exhibit at Christmas in the Park was built in tribute to his late wife Mary. Her family was from that region. Next time you go by it, notice Don’s and Mary’s initials in the flower box under the window. There are so many good people to honor in San Jose and always new things to notice at Christmas in the Park.
Happy Holidays to all,
Nicely done, jmo’c!
Just because Christmas In The Park causes someone “emotional distress” does not give that person the right to deny the rest of us the enjoyment of the event.
10 – My comment about not using city funds applied ONLY to the Christmas in the Park display. So your comment about Santa does not apply.
11 – I am not offended at all by the beliefs of others. I only think that city funds should not be used for this type of display. I suffer no emotional or other distress from this event. It is simply a question of how city funds should be used.
Thanks for the info Mayor Tom,
I’m so glad SJ hasn’t gone the way of Chicago!!
As for those that insist on a separation of church and state, how do you explain Quetzalcoatl? Where’s the hue and cry because that religeous symbol sits there day in and day out paid by the city?
Seems to me everyone would be behind Jesus. He was the first proment “prophet” to preach tolerance, forgiveness and love for all. Please recall your history that Roman’s at that time had nothing but disdane for compasion. The Menorah’s OK because Jesus was a Rabi.
What’s with you libs? Studies show you contribute less than the right wingers you fear and you just want to get along. Jesus should be your guy…
Just one question, why are the porta-potties always next to the Quetzalcoatl during Christmas In The Park?
Recycle Girl, the port-a-potties are there in hopes Quetzalcoatl will be picked up with the port-a-potties when they’re full and disposed of with the other waste.
#22 – Making Plaza Park a landmark would begin with removal of an embarrassment to the Hispanic community as well as most San Josean’s.
Swap the Liberty Bell with Quetzalcoatl. It would be a step in the right direction and quite appropriate. Put the Bell back where it belongs.
Native – I take it then that you would support the removal of Quetzalcoatl from Chavez Plaza? If so, let me know, and I’ll supply the jackhammers.
Here is one example that the effect that Christmas In The Park has: My children (ages 7, 4, and 3, all born in Sacto) are already asking when they’ll get to come down to San Jose (the older one names the city) and see the “Santa Park.”
They’ll be watching the Holiday parade on nbc11.com this Saturday (while I’m in my car driving down to Spartan Stadium for Da Other Big Game), and I’ll be getting them down in the next two weeks or so for some more holiday memories.
P.S. – Get out to Spartan at 1 p.m. this Saturday, Support the Spartans!!
#22 If Chuck….
Better than closing off the streets; how about some permanent pedestrian overpasses like Las Vegas. Not only would they serve our plaza, they would come in handy for the annual Grand Prix ( assuming the race becomes self sustaining)
All good comments, and the mix of faith-based icons in an event so inclusive as this is hardly a moral challenge. These displays were built by private citizens and donors over more than a generation. City funds weren’t used to create any of the faith-based items. The support is for the installation of it each season. It seems too far a stretch to find harm with that. Let the City be part of the cost of sharing this with the community and keep the petty politics out of it.
A slight amendment to Tom’s post, sadly AMT’s Christman Dreamland is playing in Campbell, not downtown San Jose. In an unabashed plug, however the Opera, the Symphony, the Symphony Chorale, the Youth Symphony and the You-Sing-It -Messiah all take up residence this month in the California Theatre – now there is a restored downtown treasure.
Refugio,
I think we already threw enough money at the Grand Prix and the race course can be changed. The point was, why do we only gather at downtown locations for “special” events?
The Plaza is not widely used today and traffic swirling around it certainly is not helping. There is nothing that connects The Tech to the Art Museum. Rarely do people walk from one to the other. We need to create stickiness so people use downtown for longer periods. Not just a single destination.
People don’t really “shop” at Santana Row, they hang out. Downtown lacks a central outdoor “hangout” location.
JD re: #16 and also the other right-on comments about that pile at the one end of the plaza, you won’t need jackhammers. It’s been stated here some time ago that the turd is made out of plastic so just a small group of vigilantes with blow torches should reduce it to a Margaret Hamilton-esque puddle that can be scraped up with a giant pooper scooper.
As someone who tends to scoff his way through the holiday madness I have to say that this is one time of year when I have to smile seeing a turd included into the mix. I’ve got no problem with the display or mangers or menorahs or any of that, I just refuse to be caught up in the hectic craziness that always happens this time of year and in the spirit of equal recognition for all, the turd provides a little dose of humbug, finishing the job of covering all bases for the entire community. So for a few weeks each year, the turd provides value. But that doesn’t justify having it around the other 11 months. Somebody at CH needs to get the cajones to suggest that thing be flushed away for good. I can think of about 4 people who might raise a stink . . .
#17. Andrew. We regret to inform you that due to the objection of a handful of whackos there can be no singing about the Messiah in the publicly-funded California Theatre.
Please find another venue for the annual sing-along Messiah that is enjoyed by so many.
May we suggest that you hold your event Away In a Manger on an otherwise Silent Night?
Scenario: Jack pulls into school parking lot with rifle in gun rack.
1956 – Vice Principal comes over, takes a look at Jack’s rifle, goes to his car and gets his to show Jack.
2006 – School goes into lockdown, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1956 – Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends. Nobody goes to jail, nobody arrested, nobody expelled.
2006 – Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Jeffrey won’t be still in class, disrupts other students.
1956 – Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by Principal. Sits still in class.
2006 – Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his father’s car and his Dad gives him a whipping.
1956 – Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2006 – Billy’s Dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. Billy’s sister is told by state psychologist that she remembers being abused herself and their Dad goes to prison. Billy’s mom has affair with psychologist.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some headache medicine to school.
1956 – Mark shares headache medicine with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2006 – Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Mary turns up pregnant.
1956 – 5 High School Boys leave town. Mary does her senior year at a special school for expectant mothers.
2006 – Middle School Counselor calls Planned Parenthood, who notifies the ACLU. Mary is driven to the next state over and gets an abortion without her parent’s consent or knowledge. Mary given condoms and told to be more careful next time.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.
1956: Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2006: Pedro’s cause is taken up by state democratic party. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro’s English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he can’t speak English.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1956 – Ants die.
2006 – BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny’s Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary, hugs him to comfort him.
1956 – In a short time Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2006 – Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Is something wrong here????
18 – What is it with you folks who can’t stand anyone with an opinion different from yours that you have to label them “whackos?” Nice way to follow the spirit of the season of goodwill to all.
All you church-state watchdogs can rest assured that your ACLU is on the job. Follow the link below to read how the organization is protecting you from a cross erected 70 years ago to honor WWI veterans (by private citizens on what was then private land).
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43799
A very good point #18 except that more than a third of the funds to build it were private funds and far less than a third of the performances there are faith-based so I think we can squeek by.
JMO #28, yes, something is very wrong. We are headed into a socialistic system full speed ahead until people start understanding that with freedom comes responsibility. It’s become clear to me that many people in this country (whether they were born here or not) have never been taught the importance of being responsible and accountable. Just look around at the lastest manifestation—people on cell phones while driving. Only government regulation will ever put a stop to that dangerous and irresponsible practice. People’s behaviors are begging for a socialist system. I don’t like where things are headed in this country at all. If Canada’s and Mexico’s geographic locations had been switched, I’d be eyeing Vancouver BC—Baja California as an alternative regardless of certain socialist characteristics of their system. The concept of personal accoutability is at least alive and thriving there. It’s just too damned cold up their way.
Oh, and you forgot to mention that when Johnny got home and his parents found out he started a fight, he got a spanking. And then Johnny got on the phone to child protective services and got them both thrown in jail.
#26—Yup, Santana Row is just a hang out. The stores will keep closing just like they did @ our so-called Retail Pavilion downtown,
until Santana Row is little more than residences, restaurants, and clubs to hang out in.
Mark T #29: personal responsibility died a slow death as the entitlement generations grew. Listen to commercials now—get the car, boat, stereo, etc. that “you DESERVE”.
And now the Democratic Party, the architect of the entitlement generations, is back in control of Congress.
Christmas in the Park is special but why should we gather in the park only once year?
San Jose is truly missing a central public space that creates an identity for the entire city. A Union Square, a Piazza del Campo, a significant space where we gather year round with or without special events.
If Chuck Reed was Santa Claus I’d ask him to turn Plaza De Cesar Chavez into our grand city square. It already has some building blocks, the Art museum, The Tech, fountains, but why do we stop there?
Our Grand Plaza needs to be pedestrian friendly. Walking from one museum to the next shouldn’t require waiting to cross a busy street. It should be an enjoyable stroll across a plaza without the distractions of traffic. Close the Market Street loop between San Carlos and San Fernando and make it a pedestrian only zone. Perhaps even close Park Ave between Almaden and Market and turn it into a permanent open air market.
Our Grand Plaza needs dinning and it should utilize our best features. We have 300 days of sunshine a year. Surround the Plaza with open air patio dinning.
Our Grand Plaza needs to be accessible. Light it up at night, not just at Christmas time and provide artistic entrances. Again, perhaps Park Ave should be renamed to Paseo De San Antonio and connect to Gaudalupe River Park to create grand pedestrian and bicycle gateway into the heart of the city. Our Grand Plaza could be the central hub of recreation trails extending from Los Gatos, The Bay and South San Jose.
A central public square is a place San Jose can grow around.
Sorry Tom, San Pedro Square isn’t exactly a square.
JMO – There must be a point to all that nonsense you wrote. I just don’t know what it was. Surely (I’m not calling you Shirley) you aren’t saying the extreme examples you used are the norm, are you? Times are very different now than 50 years ago. In some ways they are better, in many ways they are not. So, sorry I missed your point, but thanks for the playing the game.
totally agree with Tom, CitP inspires for two simple reasons:
1.) It’s grass-roots and homegrown, unaffected and entirely authetic.
2.) It’s something for all age groups—activities that take advantage of s.j.‘s high concentration of families demographic always has a good chance of success (see s.j. giants, sharks, flea market, turkey trot, etc.)
#28. Yes, something is wrong here.
For one thing your fantasy scenario has “Pedro” failing in English while “Johnny” is playing with firecrackers left over from 4th of July.
Do we have to spell it out for you?
#22 What about St. James Square? As a kid I always thought it was the center of town, well at least when I was “Cruzing the Main” in the 60’s.
#24 Was it the Liberty Bell in Plaza Park? I always thought it was the Fire Bell in honor of our firefighters.
Where is Leonard when you need him? I’ll bet he’s fishing.
#34 O’SJ,
St. James is more of a park than a square these days, but it could work if we add restaurants, shops and museums around the edges. The point is, to create stickiness year round and not just the nights SJDA holds concerts, which are great by the way. A square where people want to hang out. And by people, I don’t mean the usual suspects in St. James today.
Yes the bell was in the Plaza and it was a fire bell in honor of our firefighters.
See http://www.sanjose.com/underbelly/unbelly/Sanjose/james/james6.html
Native- downtown is busy all the time because there are, as you alluded to, special events happening downtown so often all year round. There are always something going on downtown. Even when there is no event, downtown is busy, especially by Paseo De San Antonio mall area near Camera 12. Thurs-Sat nights are busy without any events happening.
To use an overused metaphor, the city is at a tipping point, similar to light rail. What people miss about downtown is that it is a long-term undertaking. Like all large government projects (think of light rail, interstate highways, going to the moon), the costs are front-loaded. Voters see all the money going out for a decade or two and wonder where the results are. But once the tipping point is reached growth seems to “suddenly” take off.
When I moved to San Jose 90 percent of everything was abandoned. Where the Fairmont stands there were boarded up storefronts. My most enduring image of 1979 is getting caught in a rainstorm and seeking shelter in a doorway at Fourth and Santa Clara in front of an abandoned store. As I stood there shivering I noticed a homeless man, passed out, with a lit cigarette in his hand, on the floor behind me. In many ways, that image was San Jose.
At that corner today we have a new city hall and Fourth Street Pizza. In all directions new buildings are going up on Fifth, Fourth and Third Streets. People are out on the streets at lunchtime. There are lines in the banks and Starbucks. A condo development is going on directly behind that building. Downtown is starting to add thousands of residents each year and dozens of new corporate offices and retailers. Nearby neighborhoods such as Delmas (where I live) and the Rosegarden are also seeing increased construction.
It’s because of the investments made over the past two decades that we are now seeing rapid growth and I expect it to continue. And, that growth fuels the events downtown, and the new restaurants and the city amenities that suburbanites will increasingly want. The key for the city is to keep the lid on sprawl and to make sure new growth connects to light rail and retail corridors in ways that make the city more usable and livable for all residents.
This is not meant to be provocative, but I have a question for the Downtown Investment Boosters: Sure, we all like vibrant streetlife and frisky retail downtown, and I get the idea that the costs are frontloaded, but answer me this: How Much Is It Worth? At what point have we spent too much? With such soft objectives (24-hour downtown) how do we know what a legitimate ROI on our tax dollars is, and how do we know when we’ve spent too little or too much? This is just plain business, but I don’t hear much quantitative analysis regarding downtown investment. Maybe somebody has these #s, in which case, great!
For those upset about city funds going to religous activities perhaps you should check your history on this mission city. With so many other un-needed expenses around perhaps you could go with the flow on some of the wanted ones. Even if San Jose funded actual religous events who cares, besides a few nags. Yes, Christmas has Christ in it get over it. With a half mil or so people walking through the park and the surounding areas perhaps Christ is good for downtown, even if it’s only once a year. I guess this post also relates to the others about how these times are a changing. There was a time when an outcry against things religous would have been grounds to be burned at the stake.
JohnM #39: I’m sure glad we got over that stake thing. As a non-believer I feel safer already.
Only a few nags and the ACLU really profess that Christmas is anything but a secular happening any longer.
Gee Tom,
In this post you speak so fondly of Xmas in the Park:
Christmas in the Park survives because it means something special—a homegrown tradition of an agricultural valley that grew into a fine city. What it “is” is very indicative of what we were and what we have become: straight forward and hard working, visionary and indescribable, simple and profound. I hope it will always be part of Christmas in San Jose.
What do you have against Tedesco? The guy started this SJ tradition.