There is no place like Nevada for the holidays.
Patricia Cafferata captures that seasonal glow in her book “Christmas in Nevada” (University of Nevada Press, $29), a journey through celebrations past and present in the Silver State.
Its heartwarming and tearjerking tales include the saga of three miners trapped underground for 45 days during the Christmas season, Tonopah’s “Nevergreen” tree and Reno’s Santa Pub Crawl.
The stories span from 1858 to present day, some told by well-known names, including Samuel Clemens, Robert List and Richard Bryan.
Aside from her work as an author, Cafferata — the daughter of the late Barbara Vucanovich, the first woman to represent Nevada in Congress — has served as a state assemblywoman, state treasurer, and district attorney in three Nevada counties.
Your book is quite the holiday tradition for Nevada readers and beyond.
People have told me that they reach for it every Christmas and read a story or two with their families. It makes me feel really good. I’m thinking I should do a reading of it with my grandkids this Christmas.
Do you have a favorite tale from the book?
It’s so difficult to pick, but the story that surprised me the most was about those miners trapped underground for 45 days. The fact that they lived was just a shocker.
You were born in New York City. How did you migrate west?
My mother came to Nevada for a divorce in the late 1940s. This was at a time when divorce in New York was a five-year process and the only grounds were adultery. You could fly to Nevada and get divorced in six weeks. My mother just fell in love with the state. She got married and stayed. It was just before my 10th birthday, so I grew up here.
What do you remember about your early holidays in Nevada?
I went to a Catholic school and we had a yearly Christmas pageant. I was always the smallest angel because I’m so short! Otherwise, it was very traditional with the tree and the opening of presents on Christmas morning. We did the turkey, mashed potatoes and that one sweet potato dish year after year that everybody hated. There was pumpkin and pecan pies.
You’ve had such an interesting career, proving it’s never too late to try something new.
I went to law school in my late 30s-early 40s after I lost a big election in Nevada. I had been the state treasurer, then ran for governor. I lost. I was out of a job and didn’t have anything to do. One of my kids was getting married and was in law school. I said, “Don’t get married yet. You’ll drop out of school.” Six weeks after she got married, she dropped out. My daughter said, “Mom, why don’t you go to law school if you think it’s so great.” So, I did in L.A. at Southwestern Law School.
What is Christmas like for you now?
The same as when I was a girl except now there are nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. We celebrate on Christmas Eve, attend church and then come home for turkey and all the trimmings, including that sweet potato pie. Some of them actually like it! ◆
