Christmas

It was a new take on Santa Thursday night at the Americana at Brand's fourth annual tree lighting ceremony, with aerialist and acrobatic performances putting a modern stamp on classic characters like the Nutcracker and toy soldiers. The “Cirque du Santa” event featured fireworks, music and the big man himself, Santa Claus, as the mega-outdoor mall heralded the holiday shopping season. The 100-foot-tall white fir was covered in 10,000 lights and 15,000 ornaments for the occasion.

This year, perhaps more so than in any other in recent memory, people can relate to the desperation of Mary and Joseph as they searched frantically for shelter on the eve of Jesus' birth. No assets, poor, and completely dependent on the generosity of others, they came to rest in a stable, beaten back by the harsh realities of even the small town of Bethlehem. As the economy continues to weigh heavily on households — lost jobs, cut hours, lost health insurance — and with little hope for improvement in the near term, more and more people have had to settle into their own stables and accept the humility and frustrations that come with it. It's the range of impact that makes it all so staggering.

When most of us open our stockings on Christmas morning, we pull out a variety of gifts ? some candy, some trinkets, perhaps a pen or paperback or a CD or DVD... In much the same way, Olivia Tsui, music director of the Glendale Symphony Orchestra (GSO), has packed this year's "Sounds of Christmas" concert on Friday evening, Dec. 1 with an eclectic medley of musical treats and gifts. "The concert is a great way to start the holiday season," says Tsui. "Better yet, we've planned this Christmas kick off celebration with the whole family in mind.

Amber Willard TOOELE, UTAH -- While most people gather around Christmas trees at home today, some Glendale-based soldiers will be patrolling the snowy mountains of Utah. These 100 soldiers have traded their civilian jobs as teachers, mechanics, police officers and the like for the lives of military men in the state's Army National Guard 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized.) The men -- as a combat unit, there are no women allowed -- were federalized weeks after the Sept.

Tim Willert As morning turned to afternoon Tuesday and time started to run out on last-minute Christmas shoppers, Glendale residents and members of the religious community took time to explain the true meaning of Christmas. "It's a time to share with friends and loved ones," said Laura Camarena, 35, during a visit to Glendale Fashion Center. "Unfortunately, it's become about objects and not the birth of Jesus." Camarena's son, 7-year-old Adam Rodriguez, offered this explanation: "It's about being kind and sharing and giving stuff to people."

With a week to spare before Christmas, several Glendale organizations gave toys to needy families Saturday, making sure disadvantaged children wake up to gifts under the tree on Christmas morning. At the New Horizons Family Center, about 3,000 families received toys collected by New Horizons, the California Highway Patrol and Assembly Majority Leader Dario Frommer's office. A similar giveaway took place at the Salvation Army's Windsor Road campus, where 382 families received food for a Christmas dinner as well as gifts.

Gary Moskowitz Lilith Garibyan loves getting presents at Christmastime, but she also looks forward to hearing the religious story behind the holiday every year. Lilith, a fourth-grader at Emerson Elementary School in Burbank, was one of about 45 children from Burbank and Glendale who performed Saturday during a Christmas celebration at the Armenian Church Western Diocese in Burbank. More than 800 people, including Armenian American children from public and private schools in Burbank and Glendale and their families, attended the event.

Judy Seckler LA CRESCENTA -- Whether shopping for that one last gift or looking for the perfect holiday table cloth, St. Luke's Episcopal Church wants the public to know it has organized a group of holiday activities to combat the stress. "This should be a time of delight and reflection as people concentrate on what's really important -- 'seasoning' our Christmas traditions with a true celebration of Christ's birth," said the Rev. Ron Jackson of St. Luke's.

Rosette Gonzales When others were writing Christmas wish lists for toys and clothes, 12-year-old Monica Sogamoso just wanted her family to live happily ever after in a home of their own. Monica, her sister Jasmine, 9, and their mother Maria Leon, a victim of domestic violence, had been living in shelters for two years. "I just want for my mom to be happy, and my sister to be happy, and one day we can have a house of our own," Monica told the News-Press in December.

Surviving victims and family members of a deadly Pasadena car crash that occurred during a police pursuit on Christmas Day - a Glendale woman and a Daly City boy - have filed claims against the city that could pave the way for wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits. The five claims filed on March 11 contend police were negligent in giving chase over what amounted to a vehicle code infraction. “Due to the dangerous and hazardous conditions created by high-speed police pursuits in populated areas, it was careless, negligent and unnecessary for the involved law enforcement officers to engage in high-speed pursuit initiated by a minor vehicle infraction,” the claims read.

Glendale: Marcella Mary Ann (Grenier) De Leonardis, 91, died on December 26, 2012. Born in Wisconsin, Marcy moved to Southern California in 1942. She marriedRaymond in 1949 and they moved to Glendale in 1955. They were married for 61 years, until Ray died. After 2 serious illnesses she moved, near her son and enjoyed Christmas with all her grandsons. She died peacefully in her sleep on the day after Christmas. Marcy is survived by her son, Edward De Leonardis (Alice) of Arroyo Grande, grandchildren, Stephen, Michael and Andrew and daughter-in-law Rose De Leonardis; she was predeceased by her husband, Raymond, 2011 and son, Robert 2002.

Civic and religious leaders gathered in Pasadena on Sunday to launch a peaceful crusade against violence after Christmas Day incidents in which a resident was gunned down in a drive-by shooting and two others -- including a Glendale woman -- died in a crash caused by a parolee allegedly trying to evade police. Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard told a crowd of nearly 300 at the steps of All Saints Episcopal Church near City Hall that the task is to rid the city of gun violence and replace it with hope and guidance.

Two alleged gang members were charged with murder Friday for their roles in a police chase that ended in a Christmas Day crash that killed a Glendale woman, prosecutors said. Darrell Williams, 22, of Pasadena, and Brittany Washington, 21, of Los Angeles, were each charged with two counts of murder, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, the L.A. Times reported . The complaint also includes gang allegations for both suspects, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said in a statement.

A 26-year-old Glendale man faces burglary and assault charges after he allegedly broke into his neighbor's apartment on Christmas and fondled her as she slept alongside her husband and 15-month-old daughter, police said. Leopoldo Porras-Ventura was taken into custody Tuesday after his 31-year-old neighbor and her 35-year-old husband identified him as the man who allegedly entered their apartment in the 600 block of East Garfield Avenue, according to Glendale police reports. He was charged with one felony count of first-degree burglary and a felony count of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense, according to a Los Angeles County Superior Court criminal complaint.

In the midst of Sunday night football, our doorbell rang and I cautioned my wife to open only the small window in the door to see who it was. To my surprise, she opened the door and what a delight. On our porch was our neighbor, who I had only met once, his wife and their new baby and several other folks in Christmas costumes, singing a couple of Christmas carols, accompanied by our neighbor, playing a violin. For us it was such a wonderful treat and I don't think anything we may receive or experience on Dec. 25 could top this.

The Northwest Glendale Lions Club provided vision screenings during the third annual Glendale Health Festival sponsored by the Armenian American Medical Society of Southern California at the Pacific Community Center in November. The Lions have provided eye screenings at this event since it began, according to member Ross Adams. A total of 326 people were screened. Fifteen children, infants to age 6, were screened in the KidSight program. The Lions provided 100 certificates for free eyeglasses.

Going where no man has gone before -- it could be the theme for this year's Montrose Christmas Parade, with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars rover team and original “Star Trek” actor Walter Koenig serving as co-grand marshals. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) and other dignitaries and officials will also be taking part in the parade along Honolulu Avenue, which starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The parade starts at Honolulu Avenue at Rosemont Avenue, and then runs east to Verdugo Road.

Many are familiar with the good works of the Cabrini Literary Guild, especially directed to Catholic charities. But what may be less known are the departments that allow a more personalized experience of philanthropy and socializing. There's the Book Reading Club, the Bridge Department, the Busy Fingers' Department, the Mannequin Department and the Philosophy Department. On Nov. 20, only two days before Thanksgiving, six intrepid souls gathered in the Burbank apartment of Philosophy Department Coordinator Sister Regina Palamara.

It's officially Christmas time at the Americana at Brand, where on Sunday night the switch was flipped on thousands of lights covering the giant white fir towering over the outdoor shopping mall. The spectacle -- accompanied by dancing snowmen, fireworks, “flying” reindeer -- wowed a crowd that at one point apparently reached capacity, with some people reporting on Twitter that they had been turned away after the fire marshal cut the inflow of people. The more than 100-foot-tall white fir Christmas tree, which rolled into the Americana prior to Halloween, was covered with thousands of lights and ornaments for the “Cirque du Santa” lighting ceremony, with acrobatics provided by  Zen Arts.