Shawver Park Will Light Up Again This Christmas – With Big Christmas Cards [VIDEO]

Last year, a lot of fun was had at the expense of the "Shawver Park Christmas Lights Display". Former City Rep. Eddie Holguin asked the City at the last minute for funding for a holiday lights display that was so dismal, it had the national news media making fun of it.

This year, there will be another Christmas display at Shawver Park, but if you're expecting something flashy and splashy, this isn't the holiday display for you. As a matter of fact, City Rep. Lily Limon said this year, you should have lower expectations about what you'll see at Shawver Park because "We're not coming across like, 'Oh, this is the biggest event in the city' ... it's not."

Limon said she knows that people were expecting a lot of lights last year at Shawver because the display was called the 'Shawver Park lights'. That's why this year, they will be concentrating less on light display and more on 8 foot-by 8 foot wooden frame Christmas cards dotting the land around the gazebo which will be decorated with string lights.

Last year the city spent $25,000 on rented lights for Shawver that completely underwhelmed most who saw them. This year, Limon said she used $1,000 from her discretionary fund, but no money from the City was used. McDonald's, Hyundai of El Paso, and Sierra Providence Health Network are helping with the cost of the displays, and Limon said she hopes more donated money will help grow the display in the future.

Limon has told a couple of media outlets a number of time that you need to keep your expectations "small". Considering what was done last year with $25,000, I don't think we are expecting much with a couple thousand dollars this year. At least she's giving us ample warning!

The Christmas cards will be on display at Shawver Park beginning Saturday, Dec. 13 starting at 11 a.m. Santa Claus will help light trees in the park, as well as the park's gazebo, in a ceremony at 5:30 p.m.