The Riverside Press-Enterprise
HOLIDAYS SPARK SPECIAL MEMORIES
Inland Empire readers share meaningful recollections
We asked, and you answered. ¶ The holiday season evokes memories that can really take you back. ¶ And as we said we would, we're sharing some of your favorite holiday recollections.
Picture time | 2020
“All of our grandchildren at my daughter and son-in-law's home,” wrote Robert Jester of Winchester. “We sat their presents in front of them and would not allow them to be opened until they posed for the photo.”
Jester was there with his wife, Sylvia, at the home in Corona and called the children's reaction memorable.
“The excitement they had when we said `Open your presents,' it was wild,” he wrote.
Pre-christmas travel | 2013
“It was a fabulous pre-christmas trip to Zion National Park with my son,” Ontario resident Christina Frausto wrote. “Fabulous because it was during the 16-day shutdown of our national parks due to funding cuts. Free entry (no one to staff the place), zero crowds, so very quiet, we practically had the entire park to ourselves. Thank goodness nature never shuts down.”
This was “a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit a national park with no crowds,” Frausto wrote, and she is happy to have been able to enjoy that time with her son.
Santa's perfect suit | 2013
“For the past 20 years, we have traveled with our dogs to the central coast in December,” wrote Riverside's Leslie Nagby. “We visit the small towns and enjoy their Christmas parades, tree-lighting ceremonies and town square Christmas carolers. In 2013, we had a new puppy named Skylar. My bright idea was to have a photo op with Skylar and Santa.
“Santa DID NOT want Skylar on his lap,” Nagby wrote, as he didn't want dog hair on his suit.
“So, for the first time in at least 50 years, I sat on Santa's lap and Skylar sat on mine. PICTURE PERFECT!”
The next year and every year since, Nagby wrote, “it was a new Santa and he loves having Skylar on his lap. And this became our Santa and Skylar tradition.”