By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
With Lisa Glantz at the helm for the second year in a row, close to 400 community members celebrated the 61st annual Holiday Ho! Ho! Ho! on Sunday, December 15.
“Even though people say I’m leading it, I’m really not,” Glantz shared with the Palisadian-Post after the event, giving thanks to the 100 volunteers who helped put it on. “I’m a cheerleader, I’m definitely a cheerleader … it was a puzzling of all of these positive, thoughtful community people who said, ‘Sure, I’ll help.’”
Relocating from Palisades Recreation Center, this year’s festivities took place at YMCA Simon Meadow Park, coinciding with the annual Christmas Tree Lot.
Glantz, who on Thursday night, December 12, was awarded a Golden Sparkplug award from the Pacific Palisades Community Council for her commitment to continuing the Ho! Ho! Ho! tradition when it was in jeopardy of ending after six decades, shared that she was inspired to save it after hearing that Santa was not showing up. She said that she “couldn’t let the children be disappointed.”
She added that a sense of day to day community is often missing with technology, cars and a busy world, but days like Ho! Ho! Ho! give people a chance to make a conscious decision to show up and appreciate the world, with no intention except to give.
Guests snacked on cornetti from Monument Avenue restaurant CinqueTerre Osteria WEST and sipped on hot chocolate from Palisades Garden Café.
Other festivities included an appearance by Honorary Mayors Billy and Janice Crystal, a bake sale, live music, dance and martial arts performances, and more.
Glantz shared that this year, the Palisades Charter High School Ambassadors were on hand to volunteer, which she said was key to making the event a success.
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