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# It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/its-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-christmas-20041213/
- Published: 2004-12-13T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T05:47:56.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: local, Pacific Palisades, #archive-import

*Nativity enters 51st year*

*By HUNTER JAMESON Special to the Daily Press*

A fixture in Santa Monica for more than 50 years, the nativity scenes along Ocean Avenue once again are a tell-tale sign that Christmas is right around the corner.

The opening ceremony of the 51st year of the nativity scenes was held on Sunday in Palisades Park.

For the first time in a quarter-century, a procession of young people singing Christmas carols and carrying lights in a cross formation made its way through the gathering darkness to the opening ceremony for the scenes.

The singing cross was introduced in 1960\. For nearly 20 years, a citywide youth choir annually marched from Seventh Street along Wilshire Boulevard to the opening ceremony of the nativity scenes.

Kari Czer, an organizer of this year’s singing Christmas cross, said the interdenominational sponsors of the nativity scenes “wanted to bring back the tradition” to mark the start of the pageant’s second half-century. The lights in the procession provide a “symbol of Christ, who is the light of the world,” she said. “How wonderful (it is) to have that message brought through the children.”

A new gateway arch, modeled after the famous Santa Monica Pier arch, will greet visitors to the scenes this year. The new arch proclaims Santa Monica the “City of the Christmas Story.” The interdenominational display stretches along Ocean Avenue from Arizona Avenue to Santa Monica Boulevard and includes 14 displays with life-size figures depicting events surrounding Christ’s birth as told in the Gospel of St. Luke.

The opening ceremony included songs and the recital of the Christmas story by members of the singing Christmas cross. The Calvary Baptist Church Choir, Santa Monica Sweet Adelines, Saint Monica High School Chamber Choir and Charles Hall Family Singers also sang. The Santa Monica High School Chamber Orchestra performed instrumental music.

Individuals and churches help sponsor the scenes through the nonprofit Santa Monica Nativity Scenes Committee. City Hall does not pay for the scenes.

Donations defray the approximate $15,000 to $17,000 cost, which includes insurance, maintenance, storage and replacement of revenue lost by the city due to the covering of parking meters along Ocean Avenue.

The lighted scenes will be on display until the end of the year.

A RICH HISTORY OF NATIVITY In 1953, Joan Wilcoxon, an actress and the wife of Henry Wilcoxon, an associate producer for Paramount Studios, approached Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce manager and Mayor Herb Spurgin with the idea of a city nativity scene. Wilcoxon set out to gain community support for the event with the help of Ysidro Reyes, another businessman and active Chamber member. Reyes’ great aunt, Mrs. Arcadia Bandini Baker, had donated the Palisades Park property to the city in the 1890s. Reyes’ great-great-grandfather, also named Ysidro Reyes, had built the first house in Santa Monica at Second Street and Adelaide Drive in 1838\. Spurgin conferred with the churches while Reyes approached the businesses. In a ground-breaking cooperative effort, eight churches and the Chamber each adopted a scene.

“At first I couldn’t get to first base,” Ysidro recalls. “There was a hesitation by Chamber members to support the idea because of the different faiths. In those days going to a different church to attend a friend’s funeral was frowned upon, let alone having churches work together.”

A TRADITION IS BORN The initial pageant in 1953 opened in the evening, when lights flashed on to illuminate the tableaux. By 1958, the scenes had increased to 14\. The Annunciation, the birth of the Savior, the visit of the wise men, and the boy Jesus at work in Joseph’s carpentry shop — these and other events that surround the birth of the Christ child are featured.

In the late 1950s and the 1960s, the nativity scenes developed into a major Santa Monica attraction. Droves of people visited the city to see the nativity scenes. At the same time, city government, businesses and churches partnered to support the scenes. Financing and construction were jointly sponsored by the Women’s Council, the Chamber of Commerce and the city of Santa Monica. By 1960, the City Council voted to call Santa Monica the “City of the Christmas Story” during certain dates in December.

The singing cross became part of the opening ceremony in 1960 and was one of the most inspirational parts of the pageant. Each year an audition was held for a children’s chorus that would parade down Wilshire Boulevard in the evening from Seventh Street to Ocean Avenue in the shape of a cross. Each child wore a white cape and red tie, and held a twinkling candle.

TIDE TURNS AGAINST THE NATIVITY A major shift in financing the nativity scenes started in 1978 after passage of the Proposition 13 property-tax limitation initiative. Although the city had never given any direct funding to the nativity scenes, it had paid for electricity, had helped erect the booths and had underwritten revenue lost by bagging the parking meters in front of the scenes. After Proposition 13 passed, the tide shifted away from the city’s ability to fund the pageant. The first casualty from the lower budget was the singing cross. To avoid the expense of shutting down Wilshire Boulevard, the singing cross was dropped from the opening ceremony after 19 years.

AGAINST THE CITY In 1979, the next bomb came from outspoken atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair and her American Atheists. After she visited Santa Monica, she and the American Civil Liberties Union threatened to sue Santa Monica over its involvement in helping fund the religious pageant. Eventually, the city totally withdrew its involvement for fear of incurring legal expenses. Expenses were left completely in the hands of the Chamber of Commerce, whose resources had also declined.

AND THE DARK DAYS The financial crisis struck in 1979 just before the opening ceremony. The city officials announced at the 11th hour that local government wouldn’t underwrite the revenue loss for bagging the parking meters and would require reimbursement in advance. Bob Gabriel, a chamber member and nativity supporter since 1955, remembers thinking of the importance of the pageant for Santa Monica families.

“When my wife, Louise, heard that they could not open, she said, ‘Shall we advance the funds?’” Gabriel donated the necessary money for the pageant to open, and others, such as Lawrence Welk, partnered when they were made aware of the need.

In 1980 and 1981, several local churches and the Chamber attempted to fill the gap left by the city. In 1981, the Chamber took on the responsibility for all the financing. Only five booths were erected, huddled in the center of the park. The booths were dilapidated. Money was scarce. Some talked of not holding the display the following year. Then in 1982, due to excessive burdens on the Chamber, manager Jerry Jackson disavowed all direct involvement by the Chamber as an organization after nearly 30 years. This was the darkest hour for the nativity scenes.

AN OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT When the participating churches learned that the displays were in jeopardy, many made special donations. A meeting of the churches was called in 1982 to determine how finances could be raised to continue the pageant. It was subsequently decided to start the nonprofit Santa Monica Nativity Scenes Committee to raise funds and oversee the pageant. Monsignor Cyril J. Wood of St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church and the Rev. William Doty of First Baptist Church were elected co-chairmen. After Wood’s death, Doty continued as chairman through 1991\. Pastor Clarence Crites of the Santa Monica Church of the Nazarene became chairman in 1992\. Because of the close cooperation among the sponsoring churches through the committee, members agreed that the financial crisis that brought about the organization had been a “blessing in disguise.”

SUPREME COURT DECISION 1984 In Pawtucket, R.I., a nativity scene had been presented since 1944\. The ACLU persuaded two lower federal courts that the city’s official sponsorship of the creche was unconstitutional. In 1984, however, the Supreme Court ruled that cities could include nativity scenes in their Christmas displays without violating the First Amendment ban on any official establishment of religion.

The decision that nativity scenes could be displayed on city property validated the importance of the nativity scenes to Santa Monica. 1984 was like a year of resurrection as all 14 scenes were presented. It was a confirmation to many of a return to the more conservative and traditional values held by many in the city.

ANOTHER CHALLENGE Another threat to the nativity scenes arose in 2001, when the city of Santa Monica passed a new special events ordinance that the city attorney said would prohibit displays in city parks. The city allowed the 2001 display, however, under a grace period. After protests from the committee and other scenes supporters, including some City Council members, the city again allowed the display in 2002, pending a revision of the ordinance. In 2003, the Nativity Scenes Committee, led by Pastor Crites, supported the city attorney’s efforts to draft a new ordinance that put the scenes on firm legal ground. After discussion and fine tuning, the City Council passed the ordinance without a dissenting vote in September 2003.

“The people are the important thing, because they have kept the story alive and have kept it a part of our community,” said long-time supporter Toni Miller. “The nativity scenes continue to show the important relationship between the community and the church, and also the camaraderie between the churches.

“Some of my fondest memories are when we were setting up the booths. So many young couples come by with their children and say, ‘I remember when my parents walked along the nativity scenes and told me the story of Christ’s birth.’ I have heard that so many times.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 13, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/121304.pdf?ref=smdp.com)