 On The Line -- Issue 612 -- December 8, 2006  Online News and Views of Life in San Benito County with Herman Wrede Published by HollisterOnline.com -- Copyright 1995-2008 HollisterOnline.com
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On The Line -- Issue 612 -- December 8, 2006 Online News and Views of Life in San Benito County with Herman Wrede Published by HollisterOnline.com -- Copyright 1995-2008 HollisterOnline.com
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For most of the week San Benito County residents has paid special attention to the local weather forecasts. Heavy rains were coming and were predicted as early as Saturday, Nov. 24. Or the following day.
However, members of the Hollister Downtown Association hoped for the best and kept pace with their Lights On celebration scheduled for Saturday. Some remembered the parade being rained out several years ago. They all breathed easier when Saturday arrived but the rain did not. The celebration is the county's "official" beginning of the Christmas season but many residents already felt in the mood a week before Thanksgiving. By 4:30 p.m. many drivers threaded their way along streets next to San Benito Street, hoping to arrive early and find a convenient parking place within easy walking distance. Most had to walk farther than they had intended because earlier drivers had already taken most of them. By then several hundred people were lining the streets of the downtown area and children were running back and forth in their excitement. Many of the younger ones were well bundled up because a noticeable nip s in the air. Many old friends got an opportunity to visit and passed the time between yelling to their children to stay close by to catch up on all the news. Some stores and other businesses already had put out coffee, cider and cookies for the celebration. Some people visited the Fifth Street office of Bianchi, Lorincz and Company where hospitality is always vibrant. Bob Bianchi and Joe Garcia stood by with Terese Machado to welcome them. Tony and Cindy Silva reminisced about old times and his reminiscences with a glass of wine brought a rush of memories. Mrs. Machado got a cup of coffee for one old duffer who took it gratefully and spilled a good quantity of it on his lower leg. Meanwhile, at the judging stand in front of the Veterans' Memorial Building, which was holding a wedding reception inside, a panel of judges assembled and sat with notebooks ready to judge the parade entrants when it started. The panel included Mark Vivian, wearing a Santa Claus hat, Shannon Grissom, Gina Grasso, Sandy Rose and David Huboi. Andy Williams tested the sound equipment as he was the announcer. Ray Pierce took many pictures. Dwight Grissom stood nearby to lend his wife a hand if needed. Irene Agredano found chairs for herself and her mother, Engracia Agredano, next to the stand. When asked where the rest of the family was, she said, "A few blocks up the street where my brother lives. They can watch from the yard." As the time drew nearer for the parade to begin. People looked up the street to see if it was coming, then resumed their conversation. Very young children ran to their parents to whisper an urgent plea, and were taken inside the Veterans' Memorial Building or other building with accessible restroom facilities. Then someone shouted, "Here it comes!" and everyone craned to see distant headlights up the street. As the crowd cheered the American Legion Post 69 color guard swing into view. For the next hour the parade participants marched or rode with plenty of cheers from relatives and other friends at curbside. That's one of the benefits of living in a small community -- you know most of the people or at least know of them. As always, the youth groups were among the most enthusiastic in the parade, from 4-H clubs to baton twirlers and bands and Girl scouts. Some groups got an extra big hand but the pair who won the most acclamation were the very last -- Santa and Mrs. Claus. Very young children roared as the jolly couple hove into sight. Many of the children followed them to Santa's Village in front of the Briggs Building, where Santa held court in the time-honored fashion. Parents shot many pictures and other photographers captured their images. Following the parade, many spectators and participants wandered along the streets and often stopped when they saw friends to talk about the parade and exchange observations; local residents are great at reunions, even if it has been just three or four hours since the last visit. David Huboi stepped down from the judges' stand to join wife Ravena and daughter Carmen when Charlie and Barbara Scott came along, and there was much conversation and laughter. Many people toured the businesses open for the occasion and had cider or coffee and cookies. At Penny Wise, the entire staff of Marie Rosati, son and daughters Steve, Joan and Jeanne Rosati -- just one big happy family -- were greeting people who had come in to look at the Rosatis' wares and to have cookies and cider. Among them were Nasa and Billie Jimenez, sisters who are married to brothers, hence the same last name. "Our husbands have the same last name, too," joked Nasa Jimenez as she daintily nibbled at a cookie. Across the street at the San Benito Bank's downtown branch, Irene Hurtado, Nancy Brody, Christy Kennedy and other staff members were helping guests to coffee, cider and cookies, thus demonstrating the hospitality for which the branch is known. Outside Allen Ritter spotted an old friend while Kathie Merwin was looking at windows draped in holiday décor. Someone -- was it Ritter? -- noted that a trepidation of Christmas is known as Santa Claustraphobia and that those who have it are known as noel cowards. Tom, Karen and Adam Breen were going by but Adam Breen stopped to talk with an old friend and former colleague briefly about the former's trip to New York City earlier this year. Other faces in the crowd included Cilly Fisher, Jim West, Brenda Weatherly and Sharlene Van Rooy. All were smiling with the beginning of the holiday season and all added to the general glow of gaiety to make Lights On even brighter. Although it is true that Christmas has taken on more commercialism than it used to have, beneath the surface you can always find people who remember Christmas as it was and know that they will keep it in the way it was intended. |
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