South Coast Plaza opens holiday season by lighting 90-foot tree

Santa is back and the tree is aglow at South Coast Plaza.

The Costa Mesa mall kicked off the holiday season Thursday night with its annual tree-lighting extravaganza, which also included treats, snowfall and entertainment. Nearly 100,000 LED and strobe lights blanket the 90-foot fir towering over Town Center Park across Bristol Street from the shopping center.

For more Christmastime cheer, visitors can head to Newport Beach on Friday and Saturday evenings to check out tree-lighting festivities at the Fashion Island mall’s Neiman Marcus-Bloomingdale’s Courtyard. The shows begin at 6 p.m. both days.