Rows of sparkly light up trees, the scent of hot cocoa through the air and families singing along to Christmas songs can now be experienced at Christmas in the Park, located at Plaza de César Chávez in Downtown San José.
Christmas in the Park is a nonprofit organization that dedicates time to transform the plaza into a gathering place for the community during the holiday season, according to its official website.
The walk-through event has been an annual tradition for 44 years, according to the same source.
The event features 40 musical and animated exhibits, decorative glittering lights and visuals along with a 50-foot light-up community giving tree, according to the same website.
When guests enter the park they can walk through the Enchanted Forest, which is a collection of uniquely decorated trees that were donated to the park from multiple different groups of people, communities and businesses.
People can purchase a tree through the organization’s website and reserve it for the Enchanted Forest. The donated tree is then decorated by the donors after being placed in the park days before opening night.
Linda Cuevas, a cashier at the San José State Dining Commons, said her church, El Buen Pastor Church, purchased a tree for the Enchanted Forest to decorate this year.
Cuevas said she loves taking her grandchildren to the park.
“My church had the honor and privilege to purchase and decorate a tree as a memorial for the families in the church who have lost a loved one,” Cuevas said. “We covered the tree with clear ornaments with pictures of our loved ones who have passed away.”
She said she was born and raised in San José, and has always loved the Christmas traditions the park holds.
SJSU Alumni Jelly Baria said Christmas in the Park is special to her because of the time she gets to spend with her family.
“I love the churros, hot cocoa and just strolling through the cute trees and under all the lights,” Baria said. “I have been coming to Christmas in the Park since 2010, and we go four to five times every winter season since then.”
Baria said she believes Christmas in the Park brings more people into Downtown San José because it’s more exciting than the day-to-day the rest of the year.
Kinesiology sophomore Arlene Abella said every aspect of Christmas in the Park is magical.
“From the fake snow, to the beautiful Christmas decorations and seeing happy people everywhere, I see genuine Christmas spirit,” Abella said.
She said that her favorite thing to do at the park is to ride the Ferris wheel because of the high view you can see at the top, and that Christmas in the Park is a necessary thing to go to during the holidays.
“No matter how old you are, grab your favorite people and go to Christmas in the Park,” Abella said. “I see smiles and laughs from everyone of all ages, and I can truly feel the Christmas spirit.”
