Ringing in holiday cheer

Santa Claus and his entourage jump-started the holiday season

Wednesday evening at Media City Center as part of the mall's first

holiday parade. Snowmen, holiday elves, clowns, toy soldiers,

gingerbread men, a teddy bear and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

started at 800 S. San Fernando Blvd. and traveled two blocks south

to the IKEA Courtyard at 600 S. San Fernando Blvd. Santa greeted

guests and lighted a 50-foot metal Christmas tree assembled earlier

this month by off-duty Burbank firefighters. Afterward, St. Nick

posed for pictures with children on the first floor of the mall. A

3-year-old San Fernando boy with cancer appearing on behalf of the

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles rode in a horse-drawn

carriage with Santa during the parade. The boy also helped him light

the tree and was the first child to have his picture taken with the

bearded one.