The laughter and anticipation as both young and old gathered together to experience the sights and sounds of Christmas Blvd could be seen all around. Bundled up alongside loved ones, it was clear that everyone was ready to partake in the merriment and joy that is Christmas Blvd!

There were young friends encouraging one another to take the courageous plunge down the massive Snowzilla inflatable slide! And what a sight THAT was – 40 feet tall against the dark, crisp sky – assuring anyone that challenged it that they would have a wonderful time flying down!

There were friends and family greeting one another along the walkways as they smiled and chatted quickly about all of the things they couldn’t wait to do. For me, it was such a joy to see my children light up as they saw friends from school! I thoroughly enjoyed watching the pack of them run in the gym from one bouncer to the next! And then – the ultimate moment, when the kids beamed from head to toe as they realized that even their TEACHER was at Christmas Blvd too!

All of this was grand, to say the least, but the most heartfelt moment for me was hearing the mariachi music wafting in and out of the night air. I welled up with tears because it made me reminisce of days past when my grandparents would hire mariachis to play during special occasions like anniversaries and weddings. I felt a sense of home and nostalgia in that moment, as I quietly thanked God for the foundation of love and blessing that He’s bestowed on my life.

Whether you took the colossal plunge down Snowzilla, made ornaments out of beautiful fabric, had a peppermint mocha in The Well, took a photo with Santa or listened to all the wonderful music that was played at Christmas Blvd, it was definitely a weekend full of merriment and joy for our community!

Ana Fierro