An unlikely forest of Christmas trees brightens up the holiday season.

ELECTRIC CHRISTMAS: The tree was hung on the smokestack with care, so all the good people could hit the brakes and stare. . . . Well, Clement Moore, author of “ ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” might have written that had he driven past the Arco refinery in Carson off the San Diego Freeway. Amid the smokestacks and piping, a 100-foot-tall electric tree of 64 strings and 2,000 lights twinkles in the night.

Turns out South Bay businesses and industries have a variety of, shall we say, offbeat ways to show their holiday spirit.

The Mobil Oil Corp. refinery in Torrance also has gotten into the act by affixing a red nose to the statue of company mascot Pegasus. Santa and sleigh are attached.

Glendale Federal Bank at Hawthorne and Sepulveda boulevards in Torrance has revived the tradition of topping the five-story building with an 80-foot electric tree.

In 1991, the bank had stopped putting up the tree to save money, but the spirit returned (when the bank somehow found $30,000) and up went the tree.

“Some people were upset with us. We’ve discovered that the tree has become a big part of the community. It’s a landmark,” bank manager Joe Lobe said.

Don’t have 30 grand for a tree?

Well, look at Malaga Cove Plaza in Palos Verdes Estates. The shopping center simply bought a Santa hat, and voila, its Neptune statue out front has the holiday spirit.

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RUDY THE RED-FACED COUNCILMAN: Red-faced, that is, with anger.

Los Angeles Councilman Rudy Svorinich Jr., who represents San Pedro, had a hard time last week persuading colleagues not to raid the Harbor Department treasury to balance city coffers.

Although one City Hall wag has nicknamed him “wallflower” for his reserved nature, Svorinich spoke up Tuesday when the council proposed taking $25 million in harbor revenues, a move port officials complained would thwart vital improvements.

“Just consider what it would be like without the Port of Los Angeles here instead of using the port as a piggy bank,” Svorinich said. “When you talk to the steamship associations and you talk to people who do business in the harbor, this gives them grave concern as it would give me grave concern.”

No luck. The vote was 12-1, with Svorinich the lone dissenter.