HOLIDAY LIGHTS

Altadena

* 1960 Mendocino Lane: Like a community castle, the 1922 Mediterranean-style mansion owned by ice-cream magnate George Balian, at the fork of Mendocino Lane and Glenview Terrace, sits majestically aglow with thousands of lights, drawing busloads of visitors, pushcart vendors and strolling carolers.

* Christmas Tree Lane: A stretch of Santa Rosa Avenue between Woodbury Road and Altadena Drive. Thousands of visitors--with their headlights off--drive through what looks like an electrically enchanted forest of century-old cedars, towering 100 feet high along the one-mile stretch. The lights are on through Jan. 1

Beverly Hills

* 9463 Sunset Blvd.: As they have for almost 20 years, the residents create a simple but elegant monument as they outline the contours of the mansion with single strands of lights. In the yard, pyramids of lights create the illusion of a forest of glittering Christmas trees.

Burbank: Winners of the holiday outdoor decorating contest:

* Youth Winners: 1231 N. Fairview St.

855 Stephen Road

824 Bethany Road

* Residential Winners: 2931 Olney Place

336 E. Tujunga Ave.

1142 N. Catalina St.

707 Andover Drive

721 E. Grinnell Drive

430 N. Bel Aire Drive

1415 Morningside Drive

2029 N. Hollywood Way

Covina

* 923 E. Edgecomb St.: For 22 years, half in Alhambra and half here, John Paisley has put together animated Christmas displays, complete with five separate scenes, including Snoopy, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Santa’s workshop, animals, reindeer, sleighs, airplanes and two outdoor train sets, one of which runs under and around all the attractions. Traffic comes to a halt as visitors leave their cars to photograph the dazzling display or simply gaze and listen to strolling carolers. Santa will hand out candy canes tonight, 6-7 p.m. Lights on 5-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 5-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Eagle Rock

* 4364 York Blvd.: The Meltons’ lights will wink out after 40 years of tradition and keeping the holiday magic alive in their front yard with thousands of lights and lavish holiday trimmings. The Meltons, now in their late 70s, will present for their grand finale, “Animals Love Christmas Too,” with Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Santa riding an old-fashioned bike with a big front wheel, a lion on skis and a Nativity scene with more than 100 animals. Mr. Melton plays Santa on Saturday at about 8:30 p.m. Lights are on 5-10 p.m.

Glendora

* 1400 block of South Glendora Ave.: A mini Who-ville and cows pulling Santa’s sleigh are featured in the neighborhood’s annual holiday decorating contest held on the streets that loop around Renwick Road, Glencroft Avenue and Payson Street.

Hancock Park

* 276 Windsor Blvd.: An invitingly chaotic display includes 20-foot carousel animals dominating larger-than-life figures of children, dogs, deer and rabbits.

* 301 Rimpau Blvd.: Cars and sightseers converge at 3rd Street, drawn by several giant rooftop Santas, candy canes, carolers and snowmen.

Inglewood

* 3rd, 4th and 5th avenues and Hardy Street: Twenty arches of metal and plastic piping decorated with red and silver garlands entwined with lights span South 5th Avenue between Century Boulevard and Arbor Vitae Street. Most residents have sprayed their yards with fake snow and put up decorations, including nativity scenes and life-sized Santas and reindeer.

La Canada Flintridge

* 4951 Indianola Way: Every Christmas for the past decade, Robert Illian, now 18, has plugged in thousands of lights, a 15-foot Ferris wheel, a gondola that transports stuffed animals to the roof and back, a hot-air balloon and a sleigh that teeters on the edge of the roof. Meanwhile, his parents stand by, watching their electric meter spin. Robert constructed everything himself, including the fake snow couple, the cutout ice skaters, the gondola and the seesaw.

Long Beach

* Daisy Avenue: “Christmas Tree Lane,” a four-block stretch between 20th Street and Pacific Coast Highway in the Wrigley district, boasts artistic scenes erected between stately cedar trees wreathed in Christmas lights that stay on 5-9 p.m.

Los Angeles

* Griffith Park: The Department of Water and Power and Griffith Park Festival of Lights, a mile-long kaleidoscope of color, sound and lights along Crystal Springs Drive, can be seen by car or foot, but expect heavy traffic. Lighted 5-10 p.m. until Dec. 26.

* 2700 block of Armstrong Ave. (between West Silver Lake Drive and Lakewood Avenue): When neighbors of similar spirit put their bulbs together, it begins to look a lot like Christmas. The talk of the neighborhood here is one house with homemade 9-foot wooden soldiers and carousel ponies surrounded by a yard with thousands of twinkling lights. Across the street, a giant cactus rises above another house, aglow with lights and bows. Light poles that line the street are wrapped with aluminum foil and spirals of ribbon, topped off with bows. Civil War buffs, members of a 12-piece brass band, have been known to drop by and inspire the holiday cheer throughout the neighborhood with tunes from “The First Noel” to “Marching Through Georgia.”

Naples

* Bay Shore Walk: In Long Beach, waterfront homes are elaborately decorated on one side with Christmas trees formed by strands of lights shimmering from water-borne platforms on the other side.

Pasadena

* Upper Hastings Ranch: For almost half a century, residents have put together showy displays to adorn their houses and yards, competing for prizes awarded by the neighborhood association. More than 1,000 homes in a 44-block area north of Sierra Madre Boulevard and west of Michillinda Avenue participate.

* Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1757 N. Lake Ave.: Drive-through pageant of “Road to Bethlehem” tells the story of Christ’s birth through a series of tableaux, complete with live actors and animals. Open 6-10 p.m. tonight and Sunday.

San Marino

* St. Albans Road: A street lined with massive evergreens festooned with lights dominates the landscape of this tiny, immaculate suburb.

Torrance

* Doris Way, Robert and Reese roads, Carol and Linda drives and Sharynne Lane: The Sleepy Hollow area is bound by Pacific Coast Highway, Calle Mayor, Anza Avenue and Sepulveda and Palos Verdes boulevards. Enter Robert Road from Pacific Coast Highway in Torrance for the most dramatic view.

Woodland Hills

* Oakdale, Lubao, Penfield and Jumilla avenues: Candy Cane Lane, a four-block neighborhood of ranch-style homes, is tucked away like a magical world, lighting up the community as it has for almost half a century. Its dazzling display of yuletide ornaments can be found within the boundaries of Oxnard Street, Corbin and Winnetka avenues and the Ventura Freeway.

Venice

* 911 Marco Place: A sculptor gets to the heart of Christmas in Southern California on this walking street--lights in the cactus and palms, Wise Men in Day of the Dead costume and Jesus represented in a creche by a red heart on a glowing TV screen.

Compiled by Cecilia Rasmussen