‘Tis only the beginning

South Coast Plaza’s Christmas season began Friday, as Santa Claus rode in on his sleigh during an afternoon parade. About 600 children stood by during the procession, then lined up to meet St. Nick in person at Santa’s Village, set up next to the carousel in the mall.

Students from the Orange County High School of the Arts opened the afternoon program with a show of holiday songs and dances. All children who attended the event received a Santa hat and a red balloon.

In Newport Beach, a giant Christmas tree sparkled again Friday evening at Fashion Island, which held its annual tree lighting ceremony in the courtyard outside Bloomingdale’s. The tree, imported from Mt. Shasta earlier this month, was decked out with 10,000 white lights and 7,000 red and gold ornaments.

Students from the Orange County High School of the Arts, fresh from a performance at South Coast Plaza, provided the main entertainment with songs and dances. At 6 p.m. today, Fashion Island will hold an encore performance, ending, once again, with the tree aglow.20051119iq6jd8knDON LEACH / DAILY PILOT(LA)Santa Claus greets a youngster as he makes his way from the Wishing Tree past the stores and toward Santa’s Village at South Coast Plaza on Friday. 20051119iq6vbyknCOURTENAY NEARBURG / DAILY PILOT(LA)Two-year-old Eric Pham of Fountain Valley is rapt in the holiday festivities at Fashion Island. The mall held its Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony Friday.