‘Tis the season – to light Christmas trees, among other things. The public tree lightings in the area kick off the holiday season better than anything except maybe outdoor home decorations, more and more each weekend. The public lightings bring everyone out to hark the herald school choirs singing, to partake in goodies offered free by businesses, and to enjoy the camaraderie engendered by cool nights, warm coats and fingers wrapped around hot cups of cider, chocolate or coffee. I decided this year to really get into the spirit, to attend all five of the tree lightings in the area: Danville, Alamo and three by Hospice of Contra Costa Foundation. I ended up at the two big ones and the Hospice lighting in Blackhawk, a satisfying kickoff to my personal holiday season.
It all started the night after Thanksgiving by the Old Oak Tree on Diablo Road with the tree lighting presented by the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce. That’s a great time for a community gathering. It’s a long weekend for most people, you’ve already spent a day of celebrating with your family and giving thanks, so you’re ready for a larger venue and the brisk outdoors. The street was blocked off, with stands on the south side for choral groups, and families began arriving early for the 6:15 tree lighting. Right on time, Mayor Mike Doyle made his appearance on a balcony overlooking Diablo Road. He introduced Father Christmas and the Snow Angel and then asked everyone to close their eyes and sprinkle magic dust onto the tree. It worked! After a countdown we opened our eyes and the massive old Danville symbol was lit up like, well, like a Christmas tree. Father Christmas and the Snow Angel came down to head toward Hartz Avenue along with the crowd, talking to tykes along the way. Downtown was bustling, with lights everywhere and holiday displays in the windows. It was a leisurely, fun, family time, with youngsters stimulated by the cold night air and, perhaps, visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads. Norman Rockwell couldn’t have done it better.
Then last Friday I went to the Hospice Tree of Lights at 5 p.m. on Blackhawk Road at Blackhawk Drive, the main entrance to Blackhawk. Here, too, was a stand with hot beverages and cookies, plus teenage girls passing out candy canes and also candles. The Diablo Vista Middle School choir sang and their voices were beautiful and peaceful, without amplification. Mark Goldberg, community manager of the Blackhawk Homeowners Association, introduced Leigh Boyd, who told the story of her son, Drew, his battle with cancer and Hospice’s Comfort for Kids, which provides pediatric palliative and hospice care. “We’re here celebrating and remembering and being thankful for those we’ve loved and lost,” she told the gathering. Then someone went around lighting all our candles and, in the candlelight, Chris Bertrand read the poem “We Remember Them,” with everyone reciting the refrain after each line. Then there was a countdown and the big oak in the Blackhawk Road median was lit, with each light representing the memory of a loved one. Volunteers at a table sold light sponsorships plus porcelain ornaments to benefit Hospice.
Finally, Sunday evening, I attended the Alamo tree lighting, sponsored by the Alamo Merchants and Professional Association. This was another large community gathering, with games and goodies in front of the shops next to Andrew H. Young Park, and children playing and laughing with happiness in the night with their families and friends. The YMCA snapped photos of children with a Santa figure, which the youngsters then glued onto a card and decorated as an ornament. Next to that, an elf-garbed woman dancing around as she twisted balloons into shapes for children who sat on little chairs in front of her. At the park, the San Ramon Valley High School Chamber Singers sang holiday favorites beneath twinkling snowflakes. Again there was a countdown and then oohs and aahs as that big oak tree was lit. The emcee called everyone’s attention to a natural light display – the crescent moon shining over west Alamo with a bright star as a companion. The students in the audience quickly corrected him: It was not a star, it was a planet, Venus, to be exact. Next the Alamo School Choir took the stands in their red shirts, and sang out enthusiastically, prompting parents’ video cameras into action. At the edge of the park, lighted Christmas trees surrounded a canopy where Santa Claus sat receiving youngsters. San Ramon cheerleaders helped with the efforts and presented each child with a candy cane as they departed.
The tree lightings set me wondering: Is it unique to this area that we light oak trees rather than pine trees? And when I eat a cookie in the brisk night air, do I shiver away the calories? Regardless, the events gave me a feeling of warmth and community perfect for the approaching holidays.
