Published on December 14, 2024
The tradition stays alive on Cedros Ave.! Pictured below is an article from the Salinas Californian that highlights a tradition that was started in the 1950s. As you walk from one end of Cedros to the other, you'll notice each house has one letter that spells out "Merry Christmas" across the block. Their story of carrying on tradition is why the neighbors of Cedros were selected as of one of the Neighborhood Spirit winners in the 2024 Holiday Home Lighting Competition.
Although most of the original neighbors no longer live on the street, the current neighbors of Cedros have kept the tradition of the letters going. Some of the letters are the originals made in the 1950s as you can tell by the thickness of the wood and other features. For the letters that were too aged or missing, the neighbors recreated the letters so the tradition could continue.
The award presentation took place on December 13th, and residents who grew up on Cedros Ave. when the original letters were displayed stopped by to celebrate the recognition.
The City partnered with the Santa Lucia Rotary, Steinbeck Real Estate and Mortgage, and the Downtown Salinas Rotary on this year's competition, which included more award categories. The competition planning committee will look continue to grow the competition for next year.