Late December. Christmas Eve. Residents are anticipating the arrival of Santa Claus. Many are going to church this evening for Christmas Eve services.
During the early 1950s, late December was the time when Lake Genevaâs taverns would be filled with customers betting on when the lake would freeze over. In March they would be betting on which day the ice covering the lake would âgo out.â In December if the lake had not yet frozen over, the beach west of the Riviera would be filled with ice-fishing âshantiesâ on skids waiting to be hauled onto the lakeâs ice after it froze over.