Christmas

The LA You May Not Know: History of the Hollywood Christmas Parade

The annual Hollywood Christmas Parade has been a timeless celebration families enjoy in Tinseltown. It’s been a Hollywood tradition since the days of silent pictures.

Started by a future Los Angeles City Council Supervisor, the Hollywood Christmas Parade showcases Hollywood history, local schools, and TV celebrities (not to mention Saint Nick himself) as it kicks off the gift giving season. After all, the parade was created to attract Christmas shoppers to Hollywood.

The parade has had an impact in other areas, too. The first year, fir trees were brought in from Big Bear to decorate Hollywood Boulevard. Afterwards, the trees were transplanted onto the grounds of the Hollywood Bowl. It also gave legendary singer-songwriter and actor Gene Autry a hit Christmas song that is still popular today.

Although it has had some rough sledding, the annual Christmas Parade has rebounded big time in the last 10 years and is once again a popular tradition for families to either attend or watch on TV via a delayed broadcast.

Join Kelcey Henderson as we look at the pageantry and history of the Hollywood Christmas Parade. Produced by Patrick Campbell.

The annual Hollywood Christmas Parade has been Hollywood tradition since the days of silent pictures.

The parade showcases Hollywood history, local schools, and TV celebrities (not to mention Saint Nick himself) as it kicks off the gift-giving season.

After all, the parade was created to attract Christmas shoppers to Hollywood.

The parade has had an impact in other areas, too. The first year, fir trees were brought in from Big Bear to decorate Hollywood Boulevard.

Afterward, the trees were transplanted onto the grounds of the Hollywood Bowl.

It also gave legendary singer-songwriter and actor Gene Autry a hit Christmas song that is still popular today with "Here Comes Santa Claus." 

Although it has had some rough sledding, the annual Christmas Parade has rebounded big time in the last 10 years and is once again a popular tradition for families to either attend or watch on TV via a delayed broadcast.

Learn more about the parade's history in the video above.

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