With
over 15 years of enjoying Christmas festivities under my belt, you would think
that I have experienced pretty much anything Christmas related in the Bay
Area. Some no longer around like the
Hyatt Embarcadero’s Department 56 Snow Village that was originated by the late
Len Connacher and then a short return by a different collector backdropped with
Hyatt’s famous curtain of lights and the Livermore Lights, one of the winners
of the Great American Light Fight who have since moved away for a job
opportunity due to exposure from that show.
Some
are paid admission which I have been to once, which was enough like the Dickens
Christmas Fair, Global Winter Wonderland which has since moved from San Jose to Sacramento ,
Gilroy Gardens Holiday Lights, Discover
Kingdom ’s Holiday
in the Park, Santa Cruz Holiday Light Train and Niles Canyon Holiday Lights Train.
Others
although paid, I have repeated twice like Oakland Zoolights and Vasona Park
A
few I wish I could do annually but due to distance presents a challenge like
the Apple Farm’s 25 Days of Christmas in San Luis Obispo - http://cookwithzee.blogspot.com/2014/12/apple-farm-you-had-me-at-pie.html,
I
have been kicking off my holiday season every year with the Embarcadero
Building Lighting - http://aroundthebayandaway.blogspot.com/2016/11/its-christmas-once-again-in-san.html
followed by stops at Union Square’s Macy’s Tree, Westin St. Francis’ Sugar
Castles, Fairmont’s life sized Gingerbread House, the Oakland Mormon Temple and
two Christmas Tree Lanes around the Bay religiously - http://aroundthebayandaway.blogspot.com/2016/12/christmas-tree-lanes-bay-area.html
and even managed a couple Away (Pacific Grove and San Diego) as my blog is
appropriately named. So you can imagine
my surprise when I actually find something new that has been around for decades
just waiting for me to discover it.
How
did it take me so long to discover and check out San Jose South Bay
This
year I had a renewed determination to finally see it for myself and I am so glad
I did. Since this is a new find for me,
I experienced this truly through the eyes of a child seeing something for the
first time. I found myself literally
clapping with excitement from the 12 Days of Christmas lighted display at the
entrance
to what seems like hundreds of decorated Christmas trees courtesy of
different schools and organizations
to the animated holiday displays
and
finally to the Snowman Hot Chocolate
that was the perfect treat to warm your
cold hands as you stroll leisurely through the park. Unlike most festivities this time of year, this
one is open from 9AM because there are quite a lot to see aside from the
lights. We arrived at the perfect time
around 5PM when we could still see displays best during the day
and of course
the wonderland that lights up the dark.
Although
we only needed about an hour to see everything, this has surely made the list
to repeat and even tempted to return again this year. Now if only I could find the time…
Christmas
in the Park - http://www.christmasinthepark.com/Default.aspx
Until 1/1/2017 9AM-Midnight
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