Longtime Claremont resident Janet Myhre began hosting annual Santa Lucia holiday celebrations in the 1970s, when she was a professor at Claremont McKenna College. The event was both a way to give back to friends, family and noted community members, and a fundraiser for what was then known as Claremont Museum of Art (now Claremont Lewis Museum of Art). The COVID-19 pandemic changed all that, stopping the decadeslong tradition in 2020. At the urging of her sister, Janet once again held the event at her home on December 15. Courier photos/Peter Weinberger

(L-R) Jessica Shelly, her son James, and Dessa Benton, with her daughter Rosie, at the December 15 event.

Claremont residents Stan and Judy Burwell, and others, at Janet Myhre’s Santa Lucia holiday celebration.

(L-R) Claremont Lewis Museum of Art Board member Catherine McIntosh and Reine Bouret at the December 15 event.

(L-R) A number of longtime Claremont community members attended Janet Myhre’s Santa Lucia holiday celebration on December 15, including (L-R) Joan Calaycay, mother of Claremont Mayor Cory Calaycay, and Jack and Jill Stark.