Children Get a Taste of An Old Fashioned Christmas by Brissa Ojeda - City News Group, Inc.
View Upcoming Events View Your Local Sales

Community Calendar

◄ NOVEMBER ►
S M T W T F S
01 02 03 04 05 06 07
08 09 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 01 02 03 04 05
View Events
Submit Events
directory

Children Get a Taste of An Old Fashioned Christmas

By Brissa Ojeda, Community Writer
December 23, 2013 at 04:08pm. Views: 86

In a world run rampant with fast-paced technology — from portable music players to tablets to e-readers — some might be apt to forget the joy a library filled with books can bring. On Dec. 18, the Colton Public Library reminded children that good experiences can be created at the library and the let them know that the library cares for them. In the library's "Old Fashioned Christmas" event, children experienced a night filled with magic and wonder. "It's important to bring [children] into the library and show them them all the diferent types of services the library provides through fun events such as An Old Fashioned Christmas," said Christine Juedes, the library clerk of the Colton Public Library who works in the department of children services within the library. Starting the night, 6-year-old Desiree Flores entertained the audience of parents and children with renditions of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "Angels We Have Heard On High" on the piano. Flores stated how happy she was being able to play the keyboard for everyone in attendance. The children were then read to from two different books that evening by Paulinne Lopes and Pat Chaves, two of the library board trustees. As Santa Claus and his elves made their entrance and surprised the young ones, library patrons observed happiness all over the children's faces. Children followed Santa into his "magical" room, where each child in attendance had the chance to sit on his lap, speak to him, and were then surprised by a free gift from Santa. "It was awesome! I always thought seeing Santa was impossible," 6-year-old Emily Perez said. Edward Pedroza is the current library supervisor of the Colton Public Library and has always found events for children to be a fundamental part of a library. "Its wonderful," Pedroza said. "As a librarian, it's my personal philosophy to provide a quality experience every time [children] come to the library. That's why we come up with ways to keep providing those experiences, not just the for the one time they come, but every time they come." At the end of the night, refreshments were distributed to the children, provided by the Friends of the Library. Library officials explained the "Friends" played an important in this event. The Friends of the Library is a non-profit organization strictly made up of volunteers who help in creating various events and programs aimed at children. The organization also works in an effort to fundraise for the library and provide it with any necessities — funds for the Dec. 18 event were raised by the organization, which provided the refreshments, the free gifts and free photos. Friends of the Library sponsored the event, along with Eagle Property Management & Real Estate. "It's very important to keep the library running," said Linda Tripp, president of Friends of the Library. "Kids are our next generation, they are our leaders. They need to be taken care of and what better place to do that than in a library? Too many kids nowadays don't even know what a library is and we need to bring them back; activities are one means of accomplishing that. We need to bring more things to kids; they've lost so much. They can't do the things I used to enjoy as a child and it is nice for them to still have a place left in which they can experience what I did growing up."

Related Articles

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 782

Athlete of the Week Christopher Michael Lemos, Redlands High School Junior and Varsity Quarterback, proudly represents the Terriers with his dedication, leadership, and passion for the game.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 1366

Redlands Pottery Project joins A.K. Smiley Public Library for a November 14 workshop designed for young artists ages 13 to 18. A lump of clay may not look like much at first. In the hands of a young artist, however, it can become a bowl, a decorative sculpture or an entirely unexpected creation.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.redlands.edu/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 2780

The University of Redlands Department of Theatre and Dance will present Día de los Muertos and Other Folk Tales November 5 through 8, 2026. Stories told by grandparents often become treasured parts of a family's history. Some are humorous, others mysterious, and many carry lessons that remain meaningful long after the storyteller is gone.

Photo Courtesy of: UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 857

A remote wildfire-monitoring camera overlooks a Southern California landscape. Redlands has partnered with UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia program to improve monitoring of areas near northern Redlands and the Santa Ana River wash.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.akspl.org/events/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 1750

Annual ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine will bring American history to life on November 21. On a November morning in Redlands, the sounds of fifes, drums and historic artillery will offer residents an opportunity to experience a chapter of American history that continues to influence the nation more than 160 years after the Civil War.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:18pm. Views: 776

The first years of a child's life are filled with milestones that families often remember forever. A baby's first smile, the first attempt to crawl and the first spoken words are moments of celebration. They can also bring questions, uncertainty and new responsibilities for parents learning how to care for a growing child.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.csusb.edu/

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 837

CSUSB’s Department of Physics and Astronomy has earned recognition for it for its work to create a more inclusive, diverse and supportive physics department, earning the Bronze Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science Physics & Astronomy SEA Change program.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.naco.org/program/operation-green-light-veterans

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 2046

Operation Green Light returns November 4–11, encouraging residents to recognize military service and help veterans connect with available resources. As darkness settles over San Bernardino during the first week of November, green lights will illuminate several county buildings, transforming familiar government facilities into visible reminders of the sacrifices made by America's military veterans.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.authentikusa.com/

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 896

As America's most famous highway celebrates its centennial in 2026, San Bernardino reflects on the road that helped shape its neighborhoods, businesses and identity. Long before interstate highways became the preferred routes for cross-country travel, motorists making their way through San Bernardino followed a road that would become one of the most recognizable highways in American history.

Photo Courtesy of: Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 703

Muscoy Elementary students join SBCUSD Superintendent Mauricio Arellano, Board of Education President Mayra Ceballos, Assistant Superintendents Dr. Sandra Rodriguez and Dr. Tasha Doizan, Director MaryRone Goodwin and San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. for the official ribbon cutting ceremony that opened the school’s new outdoor learning center.

Photo Courtesy of: https://riversiderecord.org/; A photo of Moreno Valley City Hall. (Alicia Ramirez/The Riverside Record) Credit: (Photo by Alicia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 975

A city is often judged by what residents experience every day: the condition of its streets, the reliability of public services, the availability of recreational programs and the ease of obtaining information from local government. Behind those everyday experiences are departments and employees whose work rarely attracts national attention.

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 880

Athlete of the Week Zachary Scott Perez, Senior at John W. North High School, is recognized as Athlete of the Week for his dedication and accomplishments as a student athlete.

--> -->