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Christmas Tree Lane is going back up in Altadena — a welcome return to tradition post-Eaton Fire
Volunteers and members of the Christmas Tree Lane Association string lights on the ground before hanging them in the deodar trees along Santa Rosa Avenue in Altadena.
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Dañiel Martinez
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LAist
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For 105 years Christmas Tree Lane in Altadena has been bringing holiday spirit to locals and countless tourists who make their way to Santa Rosa Avenue for a glimpse of its famous holiday lights.
In January, when the devastating Eaton Fire rolled through the tight-knit community, lights were still wrapped around the Deodar cedars on each side of the mile-long pathway.
Now this weekend, residents have gathered once again to get started on the work to bring back the more than 100-year-old tradition.
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Holiday lights are going back up on Christmas Tree Lane in Altadena — a welcome return to tradition post-Eaton Fire
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An archive image shows Santa Rosa Avenue which has long been home to one of the most beautiful Christmas tree lanes in the country.
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Howard Ballew, Herald Examiner Collection
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Los Angeles Public Library
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Volunteers with the Christmas Tree Lane Association hang up a giant star and other lights on the first day of work ahead of the holiday season.
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Dañiel Martinez
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LAist
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Volunteers work on untangling a string of completed lights on the first day of work for the Christmas Tree Lane Association.
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Dañiel Martinez
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LAist
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"Some of the lines were burned but not many, for as big of an event this was in terms of fire damage," said Scott Wardlaw, president of the Christmas Tree Lane Association.
In a typical year, all the lights usually come down in February, after the rainy season, to make sure it's safe to scale the trees. This year, the fire and recovery efforts pushed back removal to mid-Spring. To ensure safety, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health provided volunteers with hazmat suits.
(L to R) Sam Tran, James Tran, and Alex Tran pose for their very first day volunteering with the Christmas Tree Lane Association.
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Dañiel Martinez
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LAist
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"We had a really good turnout, actually. We got it done way quicker than we usually do. They came from hither and yonder to come out and help us," Wardlaw said.
A careful return
After the Eaton Fire, there were questions as to whether or not the lights would even go back up this year, given safety concerns. A county assessment alleviated initial concerns of toxic ash.
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Then, there was the question of whether it was too quick of a return to the tradition given the devastation of the fire. Members had lengthy discussions on timing.
Rob Caves, a board member for the Christmas Tree Lane Association stands in his safety vest while he takes a break from putting the lights up.
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Dañiel Martinez
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LAist
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Scott Wardlaw, President of the Christmas Tree Lane Association holds a string of light as volunteers work on wrapping them into the Cedar trees.
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Dañiel Martinez
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LAist
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"A number of the board members lost their homes. We almost lost our house. We want to be sensitive to the community," said Rob Caves, a board member of the Christmas Tree Lane Association.
Ultimately they moved forward.
"It's just been an overwhelming amount of support that people want the lights on, they want one of the last things that Altadena is known for that didn't burn down," Caves said. "So we want to keep the tradition going."
Come all ye faithful
Boxes of light bulbs and strings of lights are seen along Santa Rosa Avenue as volunteers work on preparing the lights for the trees.
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Dañiel Martinez
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LAist
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Volunteers work together to properly wrap the lights around a tree on Christmas Tree Lane.
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Dañiel Martinez
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LAist
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Over the next 10 weeks volunteers will continue their work to outfit more than 150 trees along the lane. Wardlaw said damaged lights have been replaced, in part with donations from Disney.
" We will be adding lights to these trees as we go along," Wardlaw said, "which we've always wanted to do, but we couldn't do without that help."
A tree tag on a bundle of lights belonging to the Christmas Tree Lane Association. The tag denotes which tree the lights will be wrapped around.
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Dañiel Martinez
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LAist
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A large bundle of lights without bulbs are seen on Santa Rosa Avenue.
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Dañiel Martinez
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LAist
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The group is also seeking more volunteers.
The association's winter festival and tree lighting ceremony — scheduled to take place Dec. 6 — will include a special ceremony memorializing what was lost in the Eaton Fire, along with their usual slate of carolers, hot chocolate and free pictures with Santa Claus.
The group hopes the winter tradition will bring a return to normalcy for the community — and light its way for a brighter future.
Details
Christmas Tree Lane Association lights hanging
Santa Rosa Avenue, Altadena
Every Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 6
8 a.m. to 12 noon
Find out how to volunteer here
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