As the holiday season comes to a close, I would love to reflect on the Christmas Caroling event at the Potocki Center of the Arts that was held on December 9. Although this happened about a month ago, I think that a summary of the event would be nice for someone who maybe could not make it.

I am President of the Mission Viejo Committee of Character, so my committee had a table at this event, and a couple of the board members and I were handing out informational pamphlets about what we do. The first thing I noticed when I walked into the patio of the Potocki Center was the sweet smell of hot chocolate and the lively energy of the people attending. Every seat in the patio was filled and some people were even standing. It made me realize how joyful it is when our community gets together. Then, the carolers came out onto the patio dressed in warm, beautiful holiday clothing. They started singing at the very front and provided such an experience for everyone there. They performed a few carols, and then they moved on to a different spot on the patio. It truly was so amazing and I could tell that everyone was in awe.

Not only that, but the ambiance and overall feeling of the event was wonderful. Since it started at 5 pm, it was already dark outside. The warm heaters outside in the cold made all the difference. There were also some pretty lights hanging around the patio which really gave a perfect finishing touch to the event. As mentioned, there was also hot chocolate available, which all the kids loved. I adored seeing all the kids running around and seeing families laugh with each other.

All in all, this was an amazing event. It allowed for the community to continue feeling the warm and fuzzy emotions of the holidays, despite any stress or loss that some people tend to go through during this time. I am looking forward to visiting more events from the city!

Thanks for reading!

– Valentina N.