Christmas comes early at Burbank’s Magnolia Park

Eliza Higgins, 4, stood in a parking lot on Magnolia Boulevard. Her mother, Michelle, told her daughter it was OK to approach the man in front of them.

The cheery man, dressed in a red suit with white trim, stretched out his arms. In as little as ten steps, a grinning Eliza gave Santa Claus a hug. The jolly gift-giver had arrived early.

“This is the first Christmas thing we do,” said Higgins, who traveled from North Hollywood.

Friday evening marked the third “Holiday in the Park” Higgins attended with her daughter. The event, hosted by the Magnolia Park Merchants Assn., offered a an array of seasonal activities, food and merchant discounts during the four-hour affair. Visitors contributed to a food drive for the Burbank Temporary Aid Center, watched a variety of musicians and dance groups while children took photos with their favorite characters such as Iron Man, Snow White and Cinderella.

Merchants and their staff stood outside of their shops, offering hot popcorn and steaming hot chocolate to hundreds passing by. Shop owners greeted event visitors with smiles, waves and candy apples for children. Children mingled with adults, in holiday attire, walking on stilts.

“This is a big festive way to say, ‘Happy Holidays,’” said Ashley Erikson, founder and owner of the merchants association. “This is our way of saying thank you to the community for supporting Magnolia Park.”

Holiday tunes like Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” sounded from neighboring stores.

Joining Carey’s tune were the Hep Kittens, a retro 1940s a cappella group featuring Nicole Piotraszewski, Cat Day, Brianna Wibeto and Tara Robinson. The quartet snapped and harmonized to their takes on “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

The quartet — dressed in vintage, pin-up military outfits — earned the applause and hugs of more than a dozen who stopped to listen around 6 p.m.

A few blocks down, attendees paused by the vintage dress shop Audrey K when their eyes glanced inside the windows. The live mannequins — Jenny Vasquez and Bethany Wilson — relaxed from their sultry poses to wave. The sight urged Tonya Vidal, who moved to Toluca Lake six months ago, to take a peek around. Her son, 1-year-old Milo, and husband, Mike, joined her.

“It’s lovely. I lived in Burbank a decade ago. I didn’t realize what unique things were here,” said Vidal, who bought her niece an elephant purse from a shop a few doors down the street.

Back in the parking lot of Bank of America, Eliza finished her chat with Santa Claus. She smiled, saying she had been good all year. Eliza asked for Santa Claus for one thing: a dress, like Elsa’s from the Disney movie “Frozen.”

“Can Santa have a hug?” he asked Eliza.

She obliged, leaping into his arms for a tight embrace. He’s her favorite, especially because he gives presents, Eliza confessed.