On the Road with Jo Liston
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- Published: Tuesday, 23 December 2025 20:28
Have a beautiful and blessed Christmas
Time has just flown by. Only two more days and it will be Christmas.
And here I am in the Hill Country with my only grandson, his daddy and my two daughters. And of course, on my way to Marble Falls we stopped off in San Antonio to spend the night with my only son who soon will be living back in the Rio Grande Valley. In fact, just five houses down the street from me. It will be good to have family so close.
If you have not been to the Hill Country, do stop by on your way in or out of the Valley. Veterans will enjoy visiting Fredericksburg and the Admiral Nimitz Museum where you can view the tanks and artillery that were used in the Second World War. The ladies will find plenty of shops lining the main street.
By Barb Zanetti-Taetsch, 
Mission Bell/Trade Winds hosted their third annual Reverse Advent Calendar food drive. This was started in 2023 by a couple of park residents. DaLeen Markel found an article about a group of people that did this, and she shared it with Rick Anderson, and a decision was made to give it a go. And it has turned into a highly successful event that the sister parks do together.
By Herb Moering
The Golf View Estates ladies who love to sew continue to make baby blankets for Mission Regional Medical Center. This season, the group of ladies also started making stuffed bears, dogs and other knitted items. The ladies have made and donated baby blankets and stuffed animals for newborn babies at hospital. This year, the group donated 360 blankets and 45 stuffed animals. 
On the evening of December 13, parking lots were full, and crowds lined both sides of Texas Blvd. to attend the Weslaco Lighted Christmas Parade. There were those that opted for the reserved seating, and plenty more that found opportune spots to sit or stand with friends and family. With a seemingly endless line of festive floats and vehicles, Weslaco had an atmosphere of Christmas cheer.
A perfect addition to music and crafts will be snacks. They’ll be having a selection from local vendors to choose from, offering sweet and savory foods for all the family.
Tropic Star RV Resort raised over $3,000 to help provide clothes and toys for 38 children in the Pharr community. The activity was coordinated by Lorna and Danny Pence. The Pharr Police Department gathered, vetted and then shared the names of families in need. They assisted in obtaining a discount from the Burlington Store on S. Jackson St. in Pharr to help their money go even further. On Wednesday, December 10, 24 shoppers descended on Burlington and quickly gathered items. They then handed them off to 32 residents who wrapped them and then boxed the items for each family. The Pharr Police came and picked up the boxes and beginning, on December 12th, will be delivering the gifts to the families for the next 12 days.
The McAllen Wind Ensemble warmly invites the Rio Grande Valley community to embrace the magic of the holidays at Christmas Across America, a joyful and spirited musical celebration on Friday, December 19, at 7:30 p.m. at the McAllen Performing Arts Center.
