While it’s rare to experience anything like a white Christmas in Toluca Lake, our community has an indelible connection to Irving Berlin’s holiday classic. After all, Bing Crosby, the star singer who made the song a hit, resided here for a decade. And Joseph J. Lilley, who composed the score for the blockbuster movie musical based on the song, lived in the neighborhood for 15 years. But beyond that, “White Christmas” is a wistful expression of wartime yearning for home — and the feeling of home is what Toluca Lake is all about.
When Crosby croons about dreaming of a Christmas “just like the ones I used to know,” it reminds me of all of Toluca Lake’s beloved seasonal traditions, from our haunting Halloweens to the Turkey Trot to the Magical Holiday Parade and Holiday Open House. Together, they add up to decades of treasured memories. Some details of our celebrations may change over time as tastes evolve and conditions change, but at their heart they remain just like the ones we used to know: carefully organized, eagerly anticipated, joyfully savored and lovingly passed along to the next generation.
We have our own traditions here at Toluca Lake Magazine, and this time of year that means focusing on the many gifts our community has to give. They include not only the traditions we enjoy with our neighbors, but also the presents we choose for our loved ones and the ways we help those in need. In addition to coverage of neighborhood events, this issue contains our annual gift guide full of ideas for all your local holiday shopping needs, plus profiles of three of the dedicated nonprofits making a difference in the lives of area residents — through the love of music, the beauty of nature, and life’s essentials of food, hygiene and support. We also bring you two cozy winter beverage recipes from Idyllwild Tavern to help you kick back and enjoy the season (perhaps while watching White Christmas).
I hope to see all of you at this year’s Holiday Open House on Riverside Drive on December 5 from 5 to 9 p.m. Our magazine is proud to be partnering with the Toluca Lake Chamber of Commerce as a Jingle Bell Sponsor for this wonderful evening, and we look forward to celebrating the season with our community.
As always, I’m so thankful for the steadfast support of our advertisers and readers, and for everyone who makes Toluca Lake a delightful place to call home. We wish you a merry holiday season and a bright new year.
