A 17-year tradition was continued this year when the neighbors of the 200 and 300 blocks of North Lima Street gathered in neighborhood driveways to spend time together.
Everybody brought food and one house also had a Christmas movie being projected on sheet on a garage door. Several kids had their favorite blanket spread out on the ground and were laughing and having a good time.
Burbank Fire Station 14 stopped by to add to the holiday cheer allowing kids to sit in the engine and ask firefighters questions. Engine 14 left and Burbank Police Lieutenant Mitch Ross stopped by in a police cruiser to add to the fun.
As planned, a Jeep drove up the street and in the passenger seat sat Jolly Saint Nick. Santa Claus proceeded up the street and stopped at a house in the middle of the block. All the kids made their way up to Santa as he jumped out of the Jeep. Santa had a huge bag full of gifts and passed them out to each child.
Santa stuck around for pictures with all the kids, their parents and Ross.
Another long-standing tradition in the west end of Burbank and Toluca Lake is the magical holiday parade known as the Santa Express.
This year the train almost was canceled after 30 plus years. A group of Toluca Lake residents banded together and bought the truck and the production back to life, led by Lauren Blincoe.
It took a crew of 150 plus volunteers to help roll the Santa Express along the Toluca Lake and Burbank streets.
The parade included singers, dancers, Frosty The Snowman and Santa Claus.
The truck traveled through the streets of Toluca Lake and came into Burbank via Clybourn to Kling Street swung around to Kling Street back to Toluca Lake.
Here is a photo gallery from both events.
