Christmas season officially begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 25th. Why, you ask? Read on, we say. (Hint: pretty!)

It’s Pasadena’s Annual Tree Lighting event, presented by One Colorado and Old Pasadena Management.

Assisting in the evening’s festivities will be the 2012 Rose Queen, Drew Washington, and her Royal Court. A choral performance and holiday sing-a-long will instill the air with a seasonal essence, led and created by Theatre 360 and Nutty Jazz.

If you bring a new, unwrapped toy or book for the Charles Cherniss Tournament of Toys (presented by the Pasadena Star-News and the Pasadena Jaycees), you’ll receive a free pic with Santa himself (6:30-9 p.m.). If the little ones miss that chance, they can drop a note in Santa’s mailbox—and receive a personal reply.

Besides nibbling on cookies and sipping hot cocoa (all complimentary), kids can play in  20 tons of snow, see a few of Santa’s reindeer (for real!), ride a holiday choo-choo train and create their own holiday crafts at the free craft area hosted by The Armory Center for the Arts.

Pasadena Annual Tree Lighting
Friday, November 25th, 4-9 p.m.
41 Hugus Alley
Onecolorado.com or 626.564.1066; or oldpasadena.org and 626.356.9725