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Bittersweet Reunions at Border Posada

The posada is a street procession celebrated by many Latinx communities here in California that re-enacts Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter. It takes a very different form at the Southern tip of San Diego County, along the U.S.-Mexico border. Back in 2014, Steven Cuevas brought us this story about how people on both sides of the reinforced security fence met to sing carols, share news and have tearful reunions, all under the watchful eye of the Border Patrol.

Santa for Hire

Scott Shafer hosted The California Report for 18 years, and now he heads KQED’s California Politics and Government Desk. He’s a serious political journalist, but one of his favorite stories, from back in 2007, is about the time he dressed up as an elf, and teamed up with a Santa-for-hire.

SF Ballet’s Lorena Feijóo Reflects on Dancing the Nutcracker

This is normally the time of year when some people get all dressed up and go see the Nutcracker. Of course, that’s not happening this year in California, and many of us are spending the holidays away from our families. In 2014, Adizah Eghan brought us a story about ballerina Lorena Feijóo, who never spent the holidays with her family because she was always busy dancing the Nutcracker. She had spent 15 years in starring roles as the Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum Fairy as part of the San Francisco Ballet. But she grew up dancing with the National Ballet of Cuba.

Pop Music Review: It’s a Scream How Levine Does The Rhumba: The Latin-Jewish Musical Story, 1940s-1980s

Hanukkah ended last week, but we wanted to shout out this story about a cross-cultural collaboration connected to Jewish history. In 2013, Steve Hochman reviewed an album that was a Hanukkah soundtrack of sorts. “It’s a Scream How Levine Does the Rhumba: The Latin-Jewish Musical Story, 1940s-1980s” was produced by the Idelsohn Society for Musical Preservation, which is known for albums like “Mazel Tov, Mis Amigos.”

Central Valley Armenian Community Enjoy Local Bounty in Holiday Pudding

Every holiday season, Armenian Americans celebrate the bounty of the year by eating a festive pudding made with some signature California-grown ingredients. Back in 2011, host Sasha Khokha was still the California Report’s Central Valley bureau chief in Fresno, which is home to one of the state’s largest Armenian American communities. She got a chance to watch the delicacy simmering on one family’s stove.

From Jewish Mambo to 'Nimble' the Elf, Our Favorite Holiday Stories

It's a Rocket, It's a Meteor, It's . . .

NORAD Tracks Santa; California Welcomes Reindeer