This sure must have been a sight to see in person: the Santa Claus Lane Christmas Parade passing in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Closing Hollywood Blvd off to traffic must have been a logistical headache, but oh, how bright and twinkly it looked with those huge electrical Christmas trees lining both sides of the streets and searchlights criss-crossing the sky. The caption on this photo said “circa 1940.” If that’s the case, it was probably the last Christmas parade Angelenos enjoyed before the realities of war hit hard on December 7 the following year.