(December 13, 2013) -- Sixty years ago, in 1953, Gertrude B. Whittle had a dream of sugar plums dancing in children’s heads -- a dream of lighting up Daisy Avenue and turning it into a Southern California winter wonderland. Ms. Whittle petitioned the City Council and Council of Churches to remove the railroad tracks in the center of Daisy and decorate the grass strip between Hill and Pacific Coast Hwy as a Christmas Village, complete with houses, shops, trees with lights, a church and nativity scene. Ms. Whittle’s dream became a reality and the Daisy Avenue Christmas Tree Lane (CTL) tradition began.

City Manager Sam Vickers conferred with West Long Beach organizations to share the costs for decorating trees during the holiday season. At one point, the City had recommended low growing shrubs instead of the conifers. Councilman Pat Ahern, who helped originate the CTL idea, was supportive in overturning the decision. The conifers were installed as originally planned.

City employees and Edison Co. workers installed lights on 24 trees in the center of the islands. Donors, including members of West Side Lions Club, gave $507 to pay for the lights. The City contributed the trees and electrical at a cost of $2,126. Can you imagine that? Today, it costs $450 per tree just to hang the lights.

In the beginning, there were a variety of props, including a beautiful nativity scene and a huge Church. The City employees made a stage, put a roof on it, and set up a manger. I have pictures of my three children with them (see photo to the left).

A parade was added to CTL within a few years. The parade grew each year until 1977. The parade was eliminated when city funding was cut after the approval of Prop 13 (1978). In 1982, the Downtown Kiwanis Club and the Wrigley Business Association, with help from the city, brought back the Parade. That year, Santa rode in a mule-drawn wagon. The mules had horns attached so they looked like reindeer.

In 1998, Councilman Ray Grabinski asked Mayor Kell and the Wrigley Association to help improve the parade and CTL. City employees built mini-houses and displays to go with the Santa’s Village. Volunteers helped with the painting and all the paint was donated. After 1990, the city employees started building a new prop ever year until 2003. Since 2007, the Wrigley Area Neighborhood Alliance has dedicated its efforts towards making Christmas Tree Lane a great place for families to spend their holiday season.

Christmas Tree Lane is a beloved treasure in Wrigley. This parade is special in that it is the only holiday parade of its kind that runs down a residential street and not a commercial corridor.

Neighbors who have lost family members have bought trees in memory of their loved ones. There has been a wedding where hundreds of guests came out, including most of the couple’s neighbors on Daisy. The lights brighten our spirits during the holiday season. My thanks go out to all the donors and hard working volunteers who have kept this historic tradition alive.