Christmas in the Park: A San Jose Tradition
While the chances of snow aren't in the cards, San Jose still has its very own winter wonderland at Christmas in the Park. The Christmas in the Park tradition is going on it's 45th year. Check out our photos here from the California Room Digital Collections.
Snow in San Jose? A Trip Down Memory... Bank
When its snows in San Jose, you'll likely know exactly where and when ahead of time.
Because they bought it.
It's so rare, that even when events schedule the imported winter magic into the city by the truckload, it could all be melted by the rain. "The snow will be provided by 20 members of San Jose State College art instructor Anthony May. It will be trucked in and dumped, all 40 to 50 tons of it, on the park grounds for kids to play in, toss and all the other things one does with snow." ¹ The students paid the $500 bill with money raised from blood donations and mistletoe sales.
December 19, 1968. Article made available by gift in loving memory of Susan Renzel Carter
Still, some of us have been around long enough to see it snow in San Jose. Back in my day, oh say 93 years ago, people referred to December 11th, 1932 as "The Big Snow." The cool white stuff also came down in 1962 and 1976.
Exhibit
Don't miss our latest California Room exhibit: Wintertime San Jose!
When: December 2025 - January 2026
Where: California Room 5th Floor, King Library
Further Reading
The California Room is the perfect place to start your San Jose property research or genealogy journey. Stop by and check out our Collections and Resources in person or online!
San Jose Mercury News Online (Newsbank) Free with SJPL Library Card
SJPL California Room Digital Collections (Historic Photos)
Internet Archive Collections (including Sanborn Maps, Videos, etc.)
Polk City Directories, Yellow Pages, White Pages, Haines Criss-Cross Directories
Footnotes
- San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, California), December 19, 1968: 9. NewsBank: Mercury News – Historical and Current. https://infoweb-newsbank-com.sjezp01.sjlibrary.org/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A1126156B6E3010F0%40EANX-NB-18252A6BC6A482FF%402440210-18246DFAD9C0ED33%408-18246DFAD9C0ED33%40.
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