L.A. Christmas Tourists-Sun Valley

Christmas 2006 in Sun Valley, Idaho. How Governor Schwarzenegger broke his leg? Why L.A. tourists love uggs and attitude?

Christmas for locals in any tourist town is a mixed blessing. The locals need Christmas tourists financially and are thrilled to welcome them to our home. There is a festive, happy feeling as Sun Valley becomes a bustling mini-metropolis and then, as the lines at Atkinson’s (the only grocery store in Ketchum) become six deep at each checkout that festive mood changes, quickly.

It is undoubtedly this time of year when tourists from Los Angeles are most prominent in Sun Valley, desiring their very own white Christmas. Suddenly, Main Street feels as if you are heading to LAX at rush hour. And uggs and attitude appear everywhere: on the endless lines at Atkinson’s, on the slopes and at the movie theaters.

On Christmas Day, my husband had excitedly planned our holiday to include “Dreamgirls” at the Magic Lantern Cinema in Ketchum. As I waited to get the holiday popcorn, my husband went in to get our seats. I found him in the theater in a less than festive holiday mood. “What happened?” I asked.

“This guy in a U.S.C. hat is saving that whole row up there. I told him this is Idaho, not the Academy Awards,” he ranted.

I looked around and noticed several L.A. patrons in U.S.C. caps, as well as numerous ugg-wearing teenagers. I passed my husband the popcorn and sat down, ready to enjoy our movie.

After the film (and definitely go see it), my husband and I exited the crowed theater. He forgot his hat and had to go back into the mayhem to retrieve it. I waited quietly outside, as the Christmas snow lightly fell.

Suddenly, a prominent Hollywood director exited the theater with five L.A. ugg-wearing teenagers (he was also wearing uggs). “I love it,” he said. And I listened carefully. “The director did a wonderful job integrating the music and the story,” he added.

“Oh, Jennifer Hudson was way too big. I mean she was good, but that crying scene,” said an ugg-wearing teenager.

“Really way too big!” concluded yet another.

“Well, I don’t know,” the prominent ugg-wearing director said. “I really liked it.”

I couldn’t believe it! Just like that, he had been bullied by the ugg-wearing teenagers and changed his opinion of the film from “love” to “like.” Wow.

I was still waiting for my husband, when another teenager wearing a U.S.C. Cinema hat (but not wearing uggs) voiced his opinion. “It was not believable,” he sentenced.

“It was a musical,” I said to my U.S.C. alumni self.

Finally, my husband appeared with his hat. “You would not believe what I just saw,” I shared.

“Someone just told me that Schwarzenegger tripped over his own ski pole. That’s how he broke his leg! It was on Lower Warm Springs,” he gossiped.

“No way. That’s a terrible way to injure yourself, on an beginner level slope, barely moving!” I added.

“Yep,” he said. “He’s going back to L.A. to get operated on.”

“That’s too bad,” I said.

“What a rotten Christmas. Not only did he break his leg and he has to go back to L.A.,” he said, as we started to walk home in our winter wonderland.

Check out Aspen Ski Complaint for more ski town blogs or Local Ski Life: Sun Valley, Idaho to learn more about life as a local in a ski town.