Making the Yuletide Season Bright With Ho-Ho-Wholesome Happenings

Christmas can have a way of following us like a guilty conscience. It starts about two days before Halloween and lasts nigh on into the New Year. So much pressure to be merry, so little time.

But as the middle of December draws near, we can let down our guard a bit, thinking maybe it’s possible to achieve a sustainable level of jollity without a backlash of humbug. This is the time when we notice that there’s an awful lot of pretty stuff around. Light displays. Parades, both floating and land-bound. Historical homes dolled up in period decor.

The following is a list of places and events to court the holiday spirit.

he 47th annual South Gate Children’s Christmas Lane Parade--Sunday, 1 p.m. Begins on Tweedy Boulevard at California Avenue, heads east and ends at Hildreth Avenue. This year’s grand marshal will be actress Valerie Harper. The parade is televised at noon Christmas Day on Channel 11, so the kids (conceivably) can watch themselves on the tube.

The Parade of 1,000 Lights in Long Beach--Dec. 19, 7 p.m. The Shoreline Yacht Club expects up to 60 luminous entrants to strut their stuff in this nautical parade. It forms near the Oil Island Grissom, passes by the Harbor Master’s Office, and proceeds to Parker’s Lighthouse restaurant at 435 Shoreline Village Drive, crossing under Queensway Bridge and along the south end of the Queen Mary before turning back around. The waterfront at Shoreline Village is the best vantage point. Information: (310) 435-4093.

Daisy Avenue Christmas Parade in Long Beach--Saturday, 6 p.m. The parade is a relative newcomer to the holiday roster. It starts at Burnett Street and Daisy Avenue, goes south on Daisy and turns back at Pacific Coast Highway. The quaint homes along Daisy Avenue are known for their ardent decorating efforts during the season.

Naples Bay Shore Walk in Long Beach. With the waterfront homes elaborately decorated on one side and the Light Christmas Trees--strands of lights hung in the shape of trees--shimmering from water-borne platforms on the other, a stroll along Naples’ Bay Shore Walk is a sure-fire way to get in the holiday spirit. There’s also the Naples Christmas Boat Parade on Saturday at 7 p.m., which has become a big draw, despite the best efforts of the neighborhood to keep it a closed affair. Parking is scarce, but the parade is best seen along Bay Shore Avenue between Ocean Boulevard and Second Street.

Santa’s Village--Beginning Friday. The village, in front of Great Western Bank in the Belmont Shore business district, will be the site of various sorts of merriment. Carolers will be on hand weekday evenings, and hayrides and a petting zoo for children will be open Sundays until Christmas.

Rancho Los Alamitos--Wednesday through Dec. 20, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. What was Christmas like in the 1920s? Visit Rancho Los Alamitos at 6400 Bixby Hill Road in Long Beach and find out. This historic 17-room adobe ranch house and surrounding gardens will be adorned in period decorations for free docent-led tours. Barn animals, including two Belgian draft horses, goats and chickens, will be on display.

Rancho Los Cerritos Open House--Sunday, from 1 to 4 p.m. This historic 19th-Century ranch house at 4600 Virginia Road in Long Beach will resonate with the breaking of pinatas, caroling by the Choral Belles and the Sweet Adelines, as well as the ho-ho-hoeing of Santa Claus who has a real, pullable beard and wears an 1870s Santa suit. Free refreshments and games and amusements for the youngsters. Free admission.

The 42nd annual Compton Christmas Parade--Saturday, 11 a.m. The parade features rap singer Michelle and other celebrities, including comedian Anthony Johnson. The parade originates at Compton Boulevard and Bullis Road and proceeds west on Compton to Acacia Avenue.

Los Angeles Harbor Christmas Afloat Parade--Saturday and Sunday, 6 p.m. The Los Angeles Fire Boat, the old Angel’s Gate tugboat and scores of other vessels will be strung with lights and tinsel aplenty as they navigate Los Angeles Harbor. The procession starts at the East Basin, chugs south to Cabrillo Marina, then to the Port of Los Angeles. Best viewpoints are along the Ports O’ Call, from the Maritime Museum down to Banning’s Landing in Wilmington. Information: (310) 549-2245.

General Banning Residence Museum, Wilmington--This 19th-Century Greek Revival showplace at 401 East M St. in Wilmington is adorned with the trappings of a Victorian Christmas, featuring floral arrangements and greens, along with such special displays as antique doll and ornament collections. Tours are available hourly from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. daily, with an additional 3:30 p.m. tour available Saturdays and Sundays. Information: (310) 548-7777.

Cruise of Lights--For the 30th year, residents of Huntington Harbour in Orange County will deck out their homes in the best Yuletide tradition for those who embark on this 45-minute narrated tour through the waterways. From Tuesday to Dec. 22, cruises will depart hourly from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $8.50 for adults, $5 for children on Monday through Thursday, and $9.50 for adults and $5 for children on Friday through Sunday. Proceeds go to the Huntington Harbor Philharmonic Children’s Music Fund. Departures are from Peter’s Landing, 17400 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach. Information: (714) 840-7542. This year’s theme: A World of Harmony.

Huntington Harbor Philharmonic Committee Boat Parade--Saturday and Sunday, 5 p.m. Starts on the Main Channel and goes through the harbor waterways.