Christmas is almost upon us and I’m loving the music, decorations and good spirits all around. Yes, this is a Merry Christmas. Memories abound.
The first few years we lived in Pico Cottage in Mentryville, the lights on the Christmas tree were a big issue. You see, we had to have the generator on to have the lights, and that meant noise. Not a joyful noise. So we often just had a decorated tree bathed in the gaslights glow.
There was some garland on the stair railing and some special decorations on the mantle in the dining room. Candles and such. We would sing carols around the piano with my dad on guitar. (If he played his banjo, my mother would walk out of the house until he stopped.)
Our family tradition was to open gifts on Christmas Eve at my grandmother’s home in Sylmar. So after chores were completed and the stock was fed, we would load up and drive down Highway 99 to her house.
The writer’s parents, Pat and Alton Manzer.
Before we had oyster stew that my grandmother insisted we eat, we would drive to see the lights in various neighborhoods. I was always amazed by those lights. In Pico Canyon we didn’t have enough generating power to light all of the lights on one house. I’ve always wondered what Pico Cottage would look like all decorated like those homes we saw.
In downtown Newhall there were decorations across San Fernando Road and the light poles. All of the stores had the windows painted in holiday scenes. There were also a few places where an adult beverage was offered to folks coming into the store.
Shopping? We didn’t always have to drive to that valley just south of the SCV. Just to list a few from 1967: Dean’s Hobbland, Newhall Shoe Store, Country Girl Fashions, Newhall Jewelers, Baxter’s Knitting Nook, Newhall Auto Parts, Newhall Hardware, Cassell’s Television and Appliances, Losier’s Men’s Store and Mode O’Day. Yep, you could buy just about anything right here in the SCV, in downtown Newhall.
There was no mall. It was still a carrot field. Or maybe onions, or hay or who knows. I do know we had roast duck one holiday season. Hunted them on a pond located just about where Santa Clarita City Hall sits today.
At William S. Hart Junior and Senior High School, the choir got to sing all of the Christmas songs – even those that had religious themes. Now we have to think Christmas came from some guy named Santa Claus, or some store in some mall in some city. “Silent Night” is a beautiful song. We have to ban it from schools since it may fall on non-Christian ears.
Christmas decorations over San Fernando Road (Main Street) in Old Newhall, early 1960s. Click to enlarge & see more.
At the high school – in 1967-68 there was only one – football was over by Christmas vacation and basketball was starting after the break. We usually had two weeks of vacation. We needed it.
Classes started at 8:30 a.m. and ended at 4 p.m. If you were in sports or stage band, your school day started an hour earlier. And then there was practice after school. Yes, we needed Christmas vacation. So did the teachers.
We had some Christmas parties at Pico Cottage, and I have a few pictures. Short sleeve shirts on Dec. 20. Must have been a warm day.
What did we do at those parties? Danced to some records. Sang some carols. Walked hand-in-hand with a “steady” up as far as the schoolhouse and back. Dimmed the gaslights in the living room and dining room and necked a little.
Sounds pretty boring to you, doesn’t it? Not to us. We always had a blast. Even the Christmas Eve we put dish soap in a fountain. Soap bubbled across four lanes of traffic. It was great. What that had to do with Christmas, I’ve never figured out. But it just seemed like the natural thing to do at the time.
That was really clean fun. Nothing harmed. I think we went to the A&W after that, and then cruised San Fernando Road all the way to the Hi-Chic and back.
Wish I had the ’66 El Camino now. (It would make a great present to me, if you’d like.)
I hope all of you have memories as wonderful in your past. May you all be blessed this Christmas and through the whole new year. Make some memories this season. It’s easy to do when you’re in the best valley and the best part of the best state.
Merry Christmas!
Darryl Manzer grew up in the Pico Canyon oil town of Mentryville in the 1960s and attended Hart High School. After a career in the U.S. Navy he returned to live in the Santa Clarita Valley. He can be reached at dmanzer@scvhistory.com and his commentaries, published on Sundays, are archived at DManzer.com. Watch his walking tour of Mentryville [here].
This week we celebrate Christmas. I’ve decided not to write about trains and trash, gravel mines, has-been politicians, the City Council or the County Supervisors. All of that is off-limits this week. Today is Christmas in Pico Cottage and Mentryville. One of the best parts of Christmas in Pico Cottage…
“What happened to Thanksgiving?” “Why are Christmas decorations up already?” “Is the City Council just plain crazy?” Let’s put this in perspective, folks: There is a brutal war in the Middle East that has beheading people as a prime method of “sending a message.” Gunmen kill at least four people…
In pagan times, people brought evergreens into their homes to keep away evil spirits, ghosts, witches and sickness. They would hang evergreen boughs in their windows and over their doors for protection. They celebrated the winter solstice, and many people believed in a sun god. They believed that during the…
Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
All opinions and ideas are welcome. Factually inaccurate, libelous, defamatory, profane or hateful statements are not.
Your words must be your own. All commentary is subject to editing for legibility. There is no length limit, but the shorter,
the better the odds of people reading it. "Local" SCV-related topics are preferred. Send commentary to: LETTERS (at) SCVNEWS.COM. Author's full name, community name, phone number and e-mail address are required. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses are not published except at author's request. Acknowledgment of submission does not guarantee publication.
As a father of two young children, I understand how crucial it is to be an active and informed parent in today’s world. The challenges our kids face are more complex than ever and I believe it’s our responsibility to equip them with the tools they need to make healthy choices.
It's been a heavy, heartbreaking and overwhelming week for residents displaced by the wildfires that have swept through many parts of our county. The question I'm hearing most from residents is, "What do I do now?" Whether you're looking for immediate help, long-term help, or want to lend a helping hand, Los Angeles County has resources available.
With so many impressive city milestones, like groundbreakings for the Pioneer Oil Refinery and The Rink Sports Pavilion and the grand openings of the Valencia Community Center and Skyline Ranch Park, it’s no wonder that last year felt like a blur.
Located at Valencia Summit Park in the former YMCA building, the 12,000-square-foot Valencia Community Center is officially open for residents to visit.
As we jump into the new year, the city of Santa Clarita has so much to be thankful for. The city’s 37 years of growth has brought the community top-notch events, a high quality of life and many amazing amenities.
The leaders of federal and local law enforcement agencies have joined together to create the Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force to investigate and prosecute fire-related crimes as Los Angeles County recovers from devastating wildfires.
Spectrum has announced a donation of $2,500 to Finally Family Homes through the company’s employee-driven grants program that recognizes the value of community service, Spectrum Employee Community Grants.
The city of Santa Clarita hosted the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Unity Walk on Monday, Jan. 20 at 8 a.m. in Central Park in Saugus. The event attracted a crowd of several hundred from throughout the Santa Clarita Valley to listen to speeches and entertainment before walking through Central Park.
Metro has a plan to make it easier to get around by expanding the Metro rail system to the Westside with the D (Purple) Line Subway Extension Project. This critical, highly anticipated new addition to Metro’s network will add seven new stations and a reliable, high-speed connection between downtown Los Angeles and the Westside.
College of the Canyons has successfully completed the first year of its five-year Veterans Upward Bound grant program. This transformative initiative aims to provide comprehensive support services to eligible student veterans in the Santa Clarita Valley, Antelope Valley and parts of the San Fernando Valley.
The Master's University men's and women's swim teams met in the pool against Fresno Pacific University at Sunnyside Aquatic Center in Fresno Saturday afternoon, Jan. 18.
Caden Starr tied a career high with eight three-pointers to lead The Master's University men's basketball team to a 90-54 win over the Park-Gilbert Buccaneers Saturday, Jan. 18 in Chandler, Ariz.
The Los Angeles County Joint Coordination Information Center has released the following information as of 11 a.m. on the Palisades and Eaton Fires. A total of 37,734 acres has been consumed in the two fires. More than 17,000 structures have been confirmed as destroyed or damaged.
The city of Santa Clarita’s Film Office has released the list of four productions currently filming in the Santa Clarita Valley for the week of Monday, Jan. 20 to Sunday, Jan. 26.
Too many turnovers turned costly for The Master's University women's basketball team in an 85-79 loss to the Park-Gilbert Buccaneers Saturday, Jan. 18 in Chandler, Ariz.
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) been reappointed by Speaker Robert Rivas to the Utilities & Energy Committee, Health Committee and continues as Chair of Military & Veteran Affairs Committee. She has also been newly appointed to the Banking and Finance Committee and the Budget Committee, including the budget subcommittee focused on health.
District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman has announced the appointment of Michael Gennaco as Special Prosecutor who is among the nation’s foremost experts in civil rights and police misconduct cases.
In response to the ongoing challenges posed by the Palisades and Eaton Fires, the county of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control has mobilized its resources and partnerships to ensure the safety and well-being of the animals affected.
The WiSH Education Foundation Wednesday Webinar series continues 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12 with "College Admissions for Visual and Performing Arts Majors."
A Better World Running will host the Cupid Dash 5k, 10k, 15k, Half Marathon 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 16 at West Creek Park 24247 Village Circle Drive, Valencia, CA 91354.
The Los Angeles County Department of Military & Veterans Affairs will resume normal operations at Bob Hope Patriotic Hall (1816 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, California, 90015) on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is issuing a windblown dust and ash advisory following strong Santa Ana winds expected to affect the region through Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 10 p.m.
The Master's University men's basketball defense stepped up in the final moments of the game to get an 80-72 conference road win over Benedictine Mesa Thursday night, Jan. 16.
Three different players each scored 17 points and the team shot nearly 50 percent from the field as The Master's University women's basketball team defeated Benedictine Mesa 83-71 Thursday night, Jan. 16 in Mesa, Ariz.
College of the Canyons men's basketball had four players reach double-digits but it wasn't enough to keep pace with No. 5 state-ranked Citrus College in a 111-77 road affair Wednesday night, Jan. 15.
College of the Canyons women's basketball is still looking for its first conference victory after its 75-54 road loss at Citrus College on Wednesday, Jan. 15.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
No Comments