CCWF residents transform daily-use items into contest-ready Christmas masterpieces
The afternoon of Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, was a bright but chilly afternoon. However, the cool temps didn’t stop the administration of Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) from observing one of CCWF’s unique traditions: judging the housing units’ Christmas decorations.
Two groups of administrators toured the Reception Center and the three General Population facilities to evaluate how each unit had decorated for the holidays.
A tradition dating back more than a quarter century, incarcerated individuals in each housing unit at CCWF come together to decorate the dayrooms to help promote morale and lend a festive atmosphere for the holiday season.
Each housing unit is given paper, paint, tape and markers donated from various departments at CCWF in order to craft decorations that are displayed from mid-December until early January. Units are also given freshly cut trees that can likewise be decorated, lending a sense of home to each dayroom with a burst of bright green and a fresh pine scent.
While there are no criteria to determine a winner, there are guidelines to qualify. For example, residents are advised: do not use sanitary products (toilet paper, tampons, pads) for decorations; do not hang decorations within 18 inches of the ceiling; do not cover entire walls with paper; and do not decorate the hallways.
Decorations in the housing unit vary greatly. Residents construct items such as an officer’s station made into a gas station, a large snow globe filled with a Santa Claus and snowflakes, a Grinch, and M&M characters, to name a few. Units generally decide on a theme for the building and create their decorations accordingly.
Walking into housing unit 512, Facility Captain Brian Castelle said, “I like the pride the population takes with the decorations. It’s refreshing to see positivity where circumstances can be so negative.”
Correctional Business Manager Perla Ponce took in the decorations with a smile on her face, taking pictures of various aspects from each housing unit to use when deciding the winner from each facility.
A winner from each facility yard is determined by administration and was announced over the institutional PA early the next morning. The winners were: Facility A: 503; Facility B: 505; Facility C: 512; and Facility D: 516. Each winning unit receives cake and punch provided by Central Kitchen.
“It’s always great to see the population come together and to see them work with staff in bringing the holidays into all the units,” said Facility Captain Steven Rodriguez.
Although CCWF residents cannot be with their loved ones during the holidays, they can enjoy a sense of the holiday season with the colorful, handcrafted decorations on display in their housing units.
