During Fall and Christmas, Whittier Becomes Both Ye Friendly Towne and Ye Merry Towne
- Chris La Farge
- Dec 21, 2018
- 4 min read
One hundred years plus since members of the Society of Friends founded Whittier, traditions of friendliness and kindness continue. Each Fall and Winter, Whittierites organize fun events enjoyed by even more Whittierites, building and reinforcing our great community.
Third Annual Toy Giveaway & Holiday Community Dinner, 12/15/2018. Source: Facebook, Boys & Girls Club of Whittier and Josue Alvarado
Halloween
In Uptown Whittier, many residents of the Hadley-Greenleaf and Central Park Historic Districts elaborately decorate their homes for this spooky holiday. Indeed, Halloween has a spirit and feel all its own. Some homes are Victorian in their architecture, enhancing its dark yet fun effect.
The scary sights are on display throughout October. On the 31st, it concludes with festive trick-or-treating. Over the course of about four hours, the neighborhood draws several thousand children and their parents. Many costumed kids come from around town and beyond to enjoy the candy and carnival-like atmosphere.
Trick-or-treating in these historic neighborhoods is truly a fun and unique event made possible by the willing participation of these home owners. Thanks to them for making this evening joyful and great each year.
November Night Lights 2018
On Friday, November 9th, the 10-1 La Serna Lancers headed four miles west to play the 10-1 Saint Paul Swordsmen in the second round of the CIF playoffs. As both teams did very well this season and don't often play each other, this game was a unique event. Lancers versus Swordsmen. Being a Saint Paul family, we had the good fortune of viewing the game up close from the sidelines, thanks to one cool, Catholic priest who worked a small miracle.
Fans on both sides are proud and enthusiastic. Showing up in great numbers and volume, the La Serna students and fans were especially loud. It was a close contest between the two excellent Whittier teams. While Saint Paul is actually in the City of Santa Fe Springs, many Saint Paul families live in Whittier. At half time, the score was tied 21-21.
In the fourth quarter, home team Saint Paul fell behind 30-27 after the Lancers scored a safety followed by a touchdown. Down but not out, the Swordsmen rallied in the final minutes and scored the game winning touchdown. SP 34, LS 30. What an exciting experience. Congrats to both teams on their excellent seasons and giving us a great game.[i] Big Blue defeated the Red Machine.
The following night (11/10/2018) and about fifteen miles to the west at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, another Big Blue defeated another Red Machine (actually Cardinal). The CAL Bears, edged out the USC Trojans, 15-14. Talk about a rare event. The last time Berkeley beat Troy was in 2003 when they had a quarterback named Aaron Rodgers and USC had a Q-B named Matt Leinart. Go Bears!
Also, rest in peace Saint Paul High School Football Coach Marion Ancich, who passed away on 12/8/2018. You are gone from this Earth but never forgotten.
A Whittier Wonderland
Starting with the Thanksgiving and Black Friday weekend, Christmas is celebrated throughout town. A good number of homes, businesses, and churches don Christmas lights, trees, wreaths, lawn decorations, red ribbons, and other Yuletide symbols. A few even display Nativity Scenes in public view, reminding many that Jesus is the reason for the season.
More than decorations, Ye Friendly Towne becomes Ye Merry Town. Whittier organizations put together a series of events throughout November and December, making spirits bright. The following is a partial list of those events.
The Jolly Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony - Saturday, November 24th
The first ever lighting of a 35-feet tall Christmas Tree located at the Whittwood Town Center. This well-attended event attracted a few thousand visitors, from Whittier and beyond.
The Center put together a fun event featuring a local middle school orchestra who played Christmas Carols. The lighting had performers and a special appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus. Councilman Fernando Dutra and Mayor Joe Vinateiri also attended. In fact, the Mayor lead the countdown to the lighting.
Uptown Whittier's 26th Annual Holiday Sonata - Friday, November 30th & Saturday, December 1st
This event is held the first Saturday in December and features horse-drawn carriages, Christmas Carolers, and a Santa's Village. This year, Uptown Whittier was packed with thousands of visitors who enjoyed the music, rides, and Santa Claus.
The Annual Uptown Whittier Christmas Parade - Saturday, December 8th
This was the 65th Annual Uptown Parade and it reportedly drew about 10,000 to 15,000 people from Whittier and other surrounding cities. Yosh Nakamura was the Grand Marshall and Andrea Barber of Full House was the Celebrity Grand Marshall. Marching bands from nearby high schools, community organizations, and local elected officials paraded down Greenleaf Avenue. Both the Parade and the Holiday Sonata were organized by the Whittier Uptown Association.
The Third Annual Christmas Toy Giveaway & Holiday Community Dinner - Saturday, December 15th
For many of us, including myself, sometimes it's challenging remembering that Christmas is about giving and bringing joy to others, even those outside of our own family and friends. I think most Whittierites do okay. On the other hand, there are some who are less fortunate.
So it was great to see Councilman Josue Alvarado, the Boys and Girls Club of Whittier, Whittier First Day, the Whittier Elks Lodge, Saint Mathias Episcopal Church, a few local restaurants and other community members team up to organize these two amazing events. At the Boys and Girls Club of Whittier, hundreds of kids received toys and talked to Santa Claus at the Giveaway. The organizers also estimate that about 150 to 200 were served at the Dinner.
These events are in the tradition of community which is consistent with Quaker values. They're also in accordance with the overall meaning of Christmas. These great events prove that Whittier is still Your Friendly Town. And during the Fall and Christmas, it's also Your Merry Town.
Thank you to all of the great organizations, businesses, schools, elected officials, community leaders, and residents of Whittier for putting together these great events. Finally, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to all of you.
As always, your comments are always welcomed and encouraged and may be left below.
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