By Annalize Freimarck. San Jose Spotlight via Bay City News.
Dozens of people gather around hundreds of trees wearing Santa hats and reindeer antlers, hanging ornaments and laughing. The beloved Christmas in San José Park is about to enchant Plaza de César Chávez.
This year, the nonprofit that brings Christmas cheer is asking people to pull out their wallets to fill a six-figure gap and keep the tradition alive.
Christmas in the Park needs about $100,000 to keep going after three key sponsors pulled out due to the poor economy. The funding gap won't affect the 44-year-old tradition this year, but it could impact next year's festivities. The fun begins with the tree lighting ceremony on Nov. 29 in downtown San Jose.
Debbie Degutis, executive director of Christmas in the Park, said that without the money, staff won't be able to invest in new interactive activities or upgrades to older exhibits to keep things fresh.
Degutis said the event will return next year and will not disappear, but he is confident that the 700,000 visitors expected will raise the $100,000 so that no expense will be spared.
She added that the best way the community can show its support is by purchasing a ticket to the nonprofit's other event: the History Park Drive-Thru Light Show. The light show runs from Nov. 21 to Jan. 1 and features more than a mile of twinkling lights. Tickets cost between $25 and $30 per car, depending on the day.
“More than ever, we really need the community to step up and support the largest community event in the city,” Degutis told San José Spotlight.
Christmas in the Park is free to attend and relies heavily on donations, sponsorships and fundraising to recreate the magic of Christmas year after year.
Real estate developer Chuck Toeniskoetter is one of those donors. His companies, including real estate and development firms and Silver Creek Self Storage, donated $25,000 this year. He said that as someone who took his four children when they were young, he made the donation because it is a gem for the families.
“They have Santa Claus, they have the Christmas tree, music… it’s a joyful place to take your kids,” she told San José Spotlight.
The festivities extend beyond the Christmas cheer in the heart of downtown, livening up small businesses in the area as hundreds of thousands of people walk through the bustling streets.
Alex Stettinski, executive director of the San Jose Downtown Business Association, said the economic boost during the holiday season is critical to downtown's vitality. The area has struggled to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which left it with high vacancy rates for retail and office space.
Stettinski said the ice rink, provided by the downtown association next to the Signia Hotel, along with Christmas in the Park transform the downtown core.
“All of these (events) that we have throughout the year are absolutely crucial to continue to attract people and visitors downtown to visit our businesses,” she told San José Spotlight. “They have an immediate impact on the vitality of our business economy.”
However, the heart of the tradition is the joy it brings to people each year, from the sugary hot chocolate topped with plenty of whipped cream to the 600 trees that organizations and families decorate among the holiday decorations.
San Jose resident Erin McCarthy has been attending the event since she was a child. She brings her nieces and nephews every year, and this year she helped decorate a tree for Orchard Middle School, where she teaches. She plans to continue doing so for many years to come.
“Some traditions are simply the foundation of society,” he told San José Spotlight. “They give people a sense of belonging, of being part of something that is bigger than themselves.”
Degutis has also been coming since she was a child, when she and her parents established a tradition of volunteering at the information booth on Christmas Eve. She has about 20 years of photos with Santa as an adult and wants that magic to last.
“Life is not free and if we value something, we should take care of it,” she said. “That is why I hope people will help take care of Christmas in the park.”
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