Holiday Event at San Quentin – Gifts, Peppermint Patties, and Singing

It is going to be tough to put into words the holiday spirit that was on the prison yard yesterday for their holiday party. In years past, volunteers have come in around the holidays and caroled through the cell blocks and they would have a Christmas banquet in the chapel. Due to Covid, they have not had either of these events for the last two Christmases so yesterday’s event was the event of the season for the men.

I arrived at San Quentin at 9 am to help set up for the event that would begin at 10 am. It was a beautiful day warming from 50 to 60 degrees as the day progressed. There was blue sky with not a cloud and no wind. It was perfect. The fact that we have an atmospheric river coming through tomorrow made yesterday’s weather all the more spectacular. As I rounded the bend walking down from the main gate to the prison yard the men were already lined up in three separate lines around the prison yard waiting expectantly for the event to begin. Each line had to have had 200-300 men.

I wondered why there were so many men already on the yard an hour before the event started. I learned that the night before when the men returned to their cells they found, what they were calling, the golden ticket, on their bunks. It was a slip of gold paper with three boxes titled station 1, 2 and 3 that would be marked off as they went through each line. They knew they were going to get free stuff the next day. I could only liken it to Christmas Eve when they were little, expectant for Christmas morning.

I was at station 2 handing out the peppermint patties. I worked with two incarcerated men who were also volunteering their time. They started the event about 45 minutes early since so many of the men were already lined up. We handed out peppermint patties from 9:15 until 12:45 when the line finally stopped. I got to interact with the much larger prison population. Ages ranged from 18-80ish. People were of all colors, faiths and gender choices. Everyone was friendly and grateful. Even though they stood in three separate lines for hours, I did not hear one complaint. One of the San Quentin News staff said he didn’t even think he heard anyone swear. I only heard gratitude and holiday wishes and blessings. From an organizational standpoint, the execution of the event was efficient, but there was more to it. There was a spirit of goodwill in the air. Harmony reigned.

Part way through the event the prison band began to play Christmas carols and people joined in to sing. The music wafted over the prison yard to add to the festivities.

Tommy was one of the guys at our station helping out and I asked him if he wanted to take some peppermint patties. He said he was a runner and did not eat candy. So many of the men coming through the line commented on how peppermint patties were their favorite candy. At one point I looked over at Tommy and he was chewing on something. I asked him if he tried one and he said he did. He said after hearing so many men comment on how good they were he had to try one. The other guy helping out would take a peppermint patty every now and again. I asked him when was the last time he had a peppermint patty. “Other than a minute ago, he asked?” He said he had not had a peppermint patty for over 20 years.

At one point we started to get a group of men at our station and their golden ticket had already been marked that they had been at our table. We mentioned that their card had already been marked and they said okay and started to walk away. We asked them, did they remember coming to our station and they said they hadn’t. We found out another station was marking the wrong box. We told them they should come through the line, that we trusted them. It gave me a glimpse of what prison life must be like when they were willing to walk away from something they honestly had not yet benefited from. When we told them that we trusted them you could see something in their facial expression that being trusted was something new for them.

After the event I went over to the newsroom to see the guys. Anthony was asking me questions about this group that donated the peppermint patties because he wants to write a news story about the day. Afterwards I mentioned to him that if I brought a bag of peppermint patties to a party people would be happy they were there, but what did it mean to him that there were peppermint patties at the event? He is a huge fan of peppermint patties and told me that about 5 times on the yard. He said that as good as they are, they brought back happy memories of times before prison.

David said that when he was on the yard he felt warm fuzzies and he still had them when we were talking. And Charles mentioned that most of the time the guys inside feel forgotten. The fact that a group of 20+ people were willing to donate money to give them something special, he said he could not really even put words to how special and amazing that was for them.

When the news staff was on the yard taking photos and video, they asked some of the men what the day meant to them. I am hoping that they will be able to edit the video and get it approved to be released so you all can see it. But one of the responses they got from a man who has been in prison a long time was that this was the first time in 30 years he had ever received a present while in prison. And another guy had just transferred in from another prison and he was in tears because he had never seen anything like this holiday event at any other prison.

I know I did not give this day justice with my words. I wish you all could have been there to relate with these men who were just so grateful. Thank you for generosity and for participating in making this day so special for the men at San Quentin.

– by Amanda W.