The big man himself wasn’t there yet but plenty of holiday cheer was being spread by the Youth Orchestra from the Joshua Tree Philharmonic who placed themselves permanently on the “nice” list with their cheerful Christmas carols.
The Friends of the Yucca Valley Library were there giving away free books, and the Yucca Valley Youth Commission was handing out goodies like candy canes, bookmarks and Christmas crafts.
Mayor Lombardo thanked everyone for being there, and shared a nice reminder that the warm feelings of the season can set a tone for the rest of the year:
Yucca Valley Mayor Robert Lombardo: “Here in the hi-desert we have a rich history of neighbor-helping-neighbor, small town comradarie, and collective hard work. Let’s carry that spirit forward… remembering the power of unity, helping those in need, and the pride we share in calling this desert our home.”
Mayor Lombardo also thanked our armed forces and law enforcement, who were both represented in the growing crowd.
It was still a good half hour out from the official lighting of the tree when a certain jolly elf left his sleigh at home and arrived in style with some help from some San Bernardino County Fire Department. To the delight of a rapidly lengthening line of kids, Santa Claus took his place under the tree to hear kid’s holiday wishes, and to get a feeling on how much coal he’ll need to bring to the hi-desert.
We took a very unscientific poll of the kids in line to see if we could get a handle on a naughty/nice ratio. There were many more on the nice list than those on the naughty one, although Santa (and parents) are the real keepers of the list.
Amidst all the cheer and well-wishing, a tree still needed to be lit and at 6:00 o’clock on the dot Mayor Lombardo got the crowd’s help to countdown to the big moment.
If you missed the ceremony last night, the tree is right on the corner of Joshua Lane and Highway 62 – you can’t miss it. Head on down and pop in the library where you can borrow holiday books or movies for free.
Knowledge truly is a gift that keeps on giving… even if it wasn’t at the top of any of the kid’s wishlists last night. ❄️
