The Willow Glen Resident

Trees set to illuminate front yards throughout community

Residents continue a tradition started four decades ago

By Maggie Benson

The holidays might come and go without anyone taking notice if it weren't for the trees. You know, the 1,000 symmetrically placed Christmas trees glowing cozily from the lawns of nearly every house in Willow Glen. The ones that make the neighborhood a favorite drive-by destination during the holidays.

Like the inevitability of the passing of time, the trees will arrive again this year--within the next two weeks--letting residents know the holidays are here.

"It just looks pretty," Blewett Avenue participant Maria Soto explained. "What looks really pretty is crossing the street because you can just see rows of Christmas trees."

The tradition started more than 40 years ago when a group of 27 neighbors on Camino Ramon--led by Frank Badagliacca--set up small trees in their front yards and dubbed their creation Christmas Tree Lane. Badagliacca and five of his neighbors hand-picked each tree, making sure they matched in shape and size. On delivery day, the men cruised down the street, Santa Claus-like, delivering a tree, rebar, wiring and lights to each home. Then the whole block worked together to set up the displays.

"We are so proud of the whole idea," said Dolores, Badagliacca's wife of 45 years. "Now all of the streets are doing it, and not only in Willow Glen, but it's spread to other neighborhoods."

Today Christmas Tree Lane has grown into Christmas Tree Community. This year, 1,000 residents, led by "area" and "street" leaders throughout Willow Glen, are expected to participate. The area leader of each neighborhood procures the trees, and the street leaders dole them out. In a single day, residents throughout Willow Glen spend the day outdoors with their neighbors, setting up the trees.

Bill and Jan Nicolosi organize the procurement of trees for the Bramhall Park area. This year, they expect to purchase more than 600 trees and average more than 90 percent neighborhood participation.

"I hope [people participate] because [they] see the beauty in it," Bill Nicolosi commented. "It reflects the holiday spirit, and a residual effect is that it gets people to work together."

Nicolosi said because of the tradition, neighbors form tighter bonds throughout the year.

"I've had people say, 'You know, I didn't know the names of my neighbors six months ago, and then I went out there and put up their tree,' " Nicolosi explained. "That's what the season should be about--doing something for other people and getting to know people a little better."

The trees cost about $30--up from $5 in Badagliacca's day--and are anchored into front yards by steel bars. They arrive pre-strung with multicolored lights and topped with a single, larger white light.

In the1970s, just three or four streets near Camino Ramon participated. Then, in 1987, the Nicolosis decided to invigorate the tradition. They purchased nearly 70 trees from Payless drugstore for themselves and their Bramhall Park neighbors, Bill said.

This is when the tradition experienced its true rebirth. Each year, the tree orders would get bigger and bigger until the Nicolosis had to turn people away. The Nicolosis encouraged people to designate their own area leaders and have even held clinics to help get people started. "Three years ago, the phone was ringing off the wall with people saying, 'Look, I want to do this,' " Nicolosi explained. "[So] I did a night clinic."

Lou Prsha is one of those people who branched off to create her own neighborhood tree tradition.

"I love doing it. I always try to make cookies and cider on the day the trees are delivered for the kids," Prsha commented. "It gives us an opportunity to greet our neighbors."

Prsha coordinates the procurement of trees for nine streets, including Blewett, Settle and her own street, Kotenberg. This year, she'll place an order for nearly 250 trees. One of the few organizers on the east side of Lincoln, Prsha was inspired by her westerly neighbors.

"I'm just trying to stay on the east side of Lincoln because nothing much has been done on that side," she explained. "Every year I would take kids on the west side of Lincoln to look at the trees."

As the neighborhood changes, so do those who carry on the tradition. Prsha took over the task after a neighbor, who moved after managing it for one year. And founder Badagliacca, after 20 years of organizing Camino Ramon's trees, passed the charge on to his daughter. Later, she passed the torch on to her neighbors the Harrises.

No matter the organizer, everyone in the neighborhoods soaks up the beauty of the trees as they come to life the first week in December. This year, the entire Badagliacca clan will bundle up and hit the sparkling streets, as they have done for the past 40 years. "We always drive through the neighborhoods, or we walk because the streets here are all done," Dolores Badagliacca explained. "That's one of the traditions we do at Christmastime--we, all in one group, just walk up and down the streets."

[ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ]