Santa and Christmas Does Come to Torrance

In a pleasant surprise to Torrance neighbors. Santa has been visiting of late.

Restaurateur Tony Trutanich Jr. of Tony’s on the Pier in Redondo Beach has been driving Santa and parading through Torrance while following the routes typically followed in previous years.

Locals have been praising the appearances during a season whereby most things Christmas has sadly been canceled.  They are very thankful for Tony’s efforts to spread Christmas cheer.

Meanwhile, the Daily Breeze reports that Sleepy Hollow is a thing this year. Despite our previous post.

Seaside Ranchos, the valley-shaped Torrance neighborhood known colloquially as Sleepy Hollow, has been a holiday hotspot of extravagant Christmas decorations since 1986. But with the surge in coronavirus cases across Los Angeles County, residents were unsure how they would safely welcome visitors to the neighborhood this year.

A scaled-back version of the tradition endures this year, with pandemic-era safeguards in place worked out with city officials.

The Torrance City Council unanimously approved applying a tweaked version of its traffic and parking plan in October — first implemented last year to reduce traffic jams that clog the neighborhood’s winding streets and can impede emergency vehicle access.
The updated plan prohibits stopping on one side of every street as well as reducing the length of parking restrictions that allow for emergency vehicle access.

As many as one-third of residents who had responded to an informal survey on social media a few months back indicated they planned to either not participate or institute a “black-out” to discourage visitation.

While plenty of residents still had their lights on and decorations out on Friday evening, some of the more iconic decorations, including the Ferris wheel at the the corner house on Linda Drive and Reese Road, were missing this year to discourage photo opportunities.
“People want to decorate and get in the spirit but also play it safe,” said Tricia Blanco, president of the Seaside Neighborhood Association.
Also missing were residents who would normally be out selling snacks and hot cocoa from their driveways, and the bonfire family gatherings held in their front lawns.

Traffic was mostly contained to vehicles Friday, but plenty of people were still out and about, strolling through the windy streets along the sidewalks.
“We’re trying to keep foot traffic to a minimum and not encourage people to stop and hang around areas,” Blanco said.
Allison and Lance Albitz stand in front of their winning house. The Seaside Neighborhood Association continued its annual holiday contest, dropping by residents’ homes Friday evening, Dec. 18, 2020, to issue awards for the best decorated houses. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
The Seaside Neighborhood Association still continued its annual holiday contest, dropping by residents’ homes Friday evening, Dec. 18, to issue awards for the best decorated houses. In previous years, the Seaside Neighborhood Association would hand out one award to the best decorated house in the neighborhood but with so much uncertainty and a need for extra Christmas spirt, the association handed out three awards — two homes in the neighborhood and one home outside the Sleepy Hollow’s border.

The two winners included the Albitz family, who had only just moved into their house on Sharynne Lane last December; and the Hoffman family on Carol Drive.
“We were disappointed when we thought our first Christmas here we wouldn’t be decorating,” said Lance Albitz, whose wife, Allison had chosen the theme of the iconic toy store FAO Schwarz for their home.
“We’re pumped to win our first year,” he added.