LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Holiday Tree lights up Moraga Commons Park


Moraga's Holiday Tree adds much needed cheer to the season. Photo Vera Kochan

For the sake of poetic license, one can liken COVID-19 to The Grinch during this time of year. So many annual holiday traditions have either been canceled or reconfigured in order to curb the recent explosive up-tick in positive cases. However, Moraga's Parks and Recreation Department is the town's own Cindy-Lou Who, continuing to find ways to keep the holiday spirit from being snatched away by The Grinch.

The Holiday Tree at Commons Park is once again shining bright with its multi-colored lights acting as beacons of hope and joy to a pandemic-weary community. This year there was no fanfare or celebration before the initial lighting ceremony. No masses of families to enjoy hot cocoa served by Santa's elves; no carolers singing classic holiday songs to the crowd; and saddest of all, in order to stay safe before his big trip around the globe on Christmas Eve, Santa stayed home at the North Pole to shelter-in-place with Mrs. Claus.

Fear not Moraga, The Grinch may have caused a setback to the usual way the town celebrates the lighting of the Holiday Tree, but he hasn't taken away our spirit. Like the Whos down in Whoville, residents have noticed the festive lights beckoning them to stand around the tree (6-feet apart, please) and bask in the wonder of the season.

For anyone wishing to contribute to the Buy-A-Bulb fundraising goal of $6,000, donate online at www.moraga.ca.us or send a check made payable to the Town of Moraga, Attn: Buy-a-Bulb, 2100 Donald Drive, Moraga, CA 94556.