Ringing in holiday cheer
Santa Claus and his entourage jump-started the holiday season
Wednesday evening at Media City Center as part of the mall’s first
holiday parade. Snowmen, holiday elves, clowns, toy soldiers,
gingerbread men, a teddy bear and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
started at 800 S. San Fernando Blvd. and traveled two blocks south
to the IKEA Courtyard at 600 S. San Fernando Blvd. Santa greeted
guests and lighted a 50-foot metal Christmas tree assembled earlier
this month by off-duty Burbank firefighters. Afterward, St. Nick
posed for pictures with children on the first floor of the mall. A
3-year-old San Fernando boy with cancer appearing on behalf of the
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles rode in a horse-drawn
carriage with Santa during the parade. The boy also helped him light
the tree and was the first child to have his picture taken with the
bearded one.