The Big Moment : Buena Clinton Residents Share in Spirit of Christmas as Santa Arrives

When Santa Claus arrived in Buena Clinton on Monday morning, riding atop a yellow fire truck with sirens blaring and red lights flashing, a tidal wave of children pressed forward to greet him.

With the arrival of the bearded gentleman began the task of giving away about 2,500 toys and 1,000 candy-filled stockings that had been donated by companies and civic organizations.

While the party lasted, the parking lot at 1506 N. Clinton St. in Santa Ana, across from Orange County’s worst slum, was crowded with parents and their children awaiting the free Christmas gifts.

City workers were dressed like elves at the event, sponsored by the City of Garden Grove, helping Santa distribute the presents, while a police officer’s rock ‘n’ roll band entertained the crowd.

About 1,000 people attended the event, which brought excitement and happiness to the neighborhood where many low-income Mexican-American families reside.

For some of the children, the donated toys will be their only presents this Christmas. Clutching the gifts like treasures, the children raced off into the streets to play and compare their new playthings.

Rafaela Alvarez said that after paying the household bills there was no money left to buy gifts for her six children, who range in age from 10 months to 8 years.

Holding the baby in her arms, she waited to collect gifts for the youngsters, who surrounded her.

Another mother who was afraid to venture into the mob, Rosa Sicairos, sent two of her children, Linda, 9, and Karina, 6, to push through and claim their toys themselves.

“When everyone started pushing, I got scared and the little one began to cry,” she said while stroking the head of her daughter, Crystal, 5.

This Christmas will be a happier one for the Sicairos family than last year’s, she said, because this year they could afford to buy small gifts for each child.

“Last year my husband was arrested by the INS and was in jail, so we did not have any money for gifts. This year he is working,” she said.

Irma Martinez’s two children, Trinidad and Emma, and her niece, Dorothy Breto, and nephew, Raul Breto, received stuffed animals, a doll and a model automobile.

The family was able to buy gifts for their children this year, she said, so the free presents were an added bonus.

Cradling the doll dressed in a gingham dress and bonnet, Emma Martinez seemed oblivious to the noise and crowd milling about her.

Jean Paulo, a resident manager of 12512 Morningside Ave., wandered through the lot like a traffic director attempting to keep order in the confusion.

“Stay off the flowers,” she said to the children running through the shrubbery.

As a resident of the area, she said, she is involved with helping the families of the poverty-stricken neighborhood.

“Some of them seem to be trapped here. They are very hard-working people, but it is hard to save any money when you have a lot of children,” she said.

But the children swarming through the parking lot seemed no burden to the parents who watched over them with smiles on their faces.