After Eaton fire, Christmas Tree Lane restores community's holiday spirit

Saturday was the 105th anniversary of Altadena’s Christmas Tree Lane lighting ceremony and festival, but you couldn't quite call the night a celebration.

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It felt more like a memorial in a holiday wonderland. Along the near mile of the cedar-lined street, there were glorious lights, children singing and a soul-thumping procession by alumni of the John Muir High School drum corps. Santa and Mrs. Claus were there, along with a tall skinny elf with curly ribbon hair who called himself Wrinkle Jingle Jangle. But with all the smiles, the music and a crowd old-timers said was the biggest they'd ever seen, tears were always near the surface. Conversations faltered, voices broke. The emcee, actor Edward James Olmos, welcomed the crowd with a wavering voice full of emotion.“You have no idea, especially after this year that we've had,” said Olmos, a longtime LA resident. “I'm crying now but I want to thank you so much for bringing about one of the most extraordinary events to the United States of America.” People have learned to be patient in Altadena. In this community where entire neighborhoods were reduced to ash and thousands were left homeless after one fire-frenzied night in January, the new etiquette is to wait a moment for the speaker to recover, because they always do. Pierre Dupuy, 66, a lifelong resident of Altadena, was emotional too as he waited near the stage. He was chosen to turn on the lights this year, in part because of his longtime connection to Christmas Tree Lane, which is officially Santa Rosa Avenue. He grew up in the historic Andrew McNally home just a few steps from the 135 deodar cedars that line the lane; his brother André lived in the house next door and at the time of the fire, Pierre lived a few blocks away, in an old home on North Marengo Avenue.