The Voice of East Bay Living

My dear friend, Mary Leggett, a longtime resident of the Claremont neighborhood is the Queen of Christmas spirit. For many years, her annual Christmas parties attracted many friends and neighbors where she had a huge feast of baked turkeys, hams, and all the trimmings. The children were in a separate wing where they could decorate cookies, play games and feel independent while the adults enjoyed sharing food and stories together upstairs. Mary has a collection of hundreds of Santas, dating back 50 years and a trunk load of ornaments which wrap around her ceiling and stay in place all year. This year with COVID restrictions, Christmas is different for all of us. Mary, in her usual optimistic spirit, is busy decorating a precious small tree which was a gift from one of her admirers. Her huge love for the holidays is still as bright as the brightest of all Christmas candles.

This festive event occurs the first Saturday of December every year. Public viewing areas for the lighted display are located at Jack London Square and Wind River Park in Alameda. This year, I watching this gala parade from the Alameda ferry. The ferry ride was free for anyone who also brought a donation for Toys for Tots. This is a wonderful, family friendly event. Make sure to check it out! Want to know more about Oakland, Alameda, or other neighborhoods in the Bay Area? Email me at ssabine@grubbco.com