Kids Get an Early White Christmas

What would Christmas be without snow? About 20 children from Nickerson Gardens, a South-Central Los Angeles housing development, discovered the joy of playing in the white stuff when they were treated Thursday to an afternoon of snowball fights and sledding at Loyola Marymount University in Westchester.

Members of Sigma Pi fraternity brought in 20 tons of snow, which was spread over hay bales to create hills and slopes. The 5- and 6-year-olds arrived at midday to spend a few hours riding snow saucers down inclines and hurling snowballs at each other.

Santa Claus distributed a bag full of toys and then the children had lunch at the student cafeteria.