Thousands of residents filled Monument Street on Saturday for the annual Christmas Tree Lighting at Palisades Village - a tradition that returned this year with a deeper resonance, marking hope and togetherness one year after fires. Though the Village remains temporarily closed, the 50-foot white fir with 3,000 lights and more than 1,500 ornaments stood as a beacon of resilience and renewal.
Before the ceremony began, Palisades Village developer Rick Caruso reflected on what the night symbolized for a community still recovering from loss.
“It was never even a question that we would do this,” Caruso said. “Christmas is about the new birth. It’s about hope. It’s about goodwill. It’s about giving. And this community needed a way to come together and celebrate.”
Looking at the crowd with children making crafts, families reunited, the towering white fir glowing behind him,.“It’s been tough on so many people. Walking in and having little kids thanking me - that really got me,” he said. “When you think about how many thousands of jobs were lost, the homes lost, the lives lost - it’s incredibly tough. But this community is so resilient. You can feel it out here today. I feel so grateful to be a part of this. I feel very lucky.”
When asked what he hopes for most this holiday season, Caruso’s response came without hesitation:
“I really hope and pray for all the people that lost their homes, especially the kids. It’s going to be a tough Christmas. And the way we get through this is by doing exactly what we’re doing tonight — locking arms, standing together, and taking care of each other.”
Caruso also addressed broader hopes for Los Angeles heading into the new year.
“I hope the city does a better job really supporting residents - not just in the Palisades, everywhere,” he said. “We need a cleaner city, a safer city. We need to get back to what cities are supposed to be: giving people a quality life.”
Families enjoyed live music, warm drinks from Angelini Ristorante & Bar, holiday crafts, ornament calligraphy, and treats from local partners including Bay Theater, Blue Ribbon Sushi, K Bakery, King Kone, the Pacific Palisades Baseball Association, and the Sunset Smash food truck. Children wrote letters to Santa with Steadfast LA, and the evening featured appearances by Benton Sporting Goods owner and PPBA Commissioner Bob Benton, honorary mayors Gigi Rice and Ted McGinley, and a “White Christmas” sing-along led by Jimmy Dunne alongside Village School, St. Matthew’s Parish, a special performance by Eloise Geller, The Adderley School, and the Jason McGee Choir.
One of the most unifying moments of the night came when Jimmy Dunne encouraged the entire crowd to turn on the small Palisades Village lights that volunteers had distributed just moments earlier. As thousands of handheld lights illuminated Monument Street, Dunne led families in a powerful, communal rendition of “White Christmas.”
For many children and students — especially those returning to Palisades Village for the first time since the fires — the moment was deeply emotional. Their faces glowed with the soft light of their lanterns as snowflakes began to fall, and cheers erupted when Santa appeared, marking a rare and joyful moment in a year marked by loss.
Santa’s arrival to snowfall closed the ceremony with a shared sense of uplift, togetherness, and renewed hope.
LAFD Fire Chief Jaime Moore, spoke about recovery, prevention, and what rebuilding requires.
Chief Moore described the evening as “overwhelming in the best way,” adding, “When you see neighbors standing shoulder-to-shoulder after everything they’ve been through, it reminds you why we do this work.”
He shared a personal connection to the Palisades having grown up in Venice, attended Santa Monica High School, and watched his college roommate lose his home in the fire.
“This isn’t just another fire for me,” he said. “I know these streets. I know these families - this one hits home.”
Fourteen firefighters from Task Force 69 were present at the event, along with members of Moore’s staff - a poignant reminder of the magnitude of the response and the deep ties between LAFD and the Palisades.
Moore outlined the key pillars of a safer future:
Fire-resistant construction
“What we build now determines what survives later.”
Updated water mains and hydrant capacity
“If the water system can’t support us, our hands are tied.”
Smart planning and spacing
“Access and spacing decisions save minutes — and in a fire, minutes save lives.”
Strict brush clearance
“We can’t compromise on brush clearance. Not here. Not anymore.”
Evacuation drills & education
“You prepare people before disaster strikes — not during.”
“We are not waiting for the next fire,” he said. “We’re preparing right now.”
Among the many community members attending the event was Jake Levine, Special Assistant to the President on Biden’s National Security Council, and now running for Congress in CA-32,, whose family suffered devastating losses in the fire — including his childhood home, and his aunt and uncle’s home.
“This has been the hardest year of our lives,” Levine shared. “But tonight - this was the first real joy we’ve felt since the fire. I was motivated to run for Congress because the fires revealed a need for new and more dynamic leadership – tonight was a wonderful of the resistant spirit of the Palisades.:
Levine was formerly on the founding team of Department of Angels, a nonprofit he helped start that conducts soil testing, supports survivors, and advocates for safe rebuilding.
“Being here, seeing neighbors again, seeing the lights — it reminded us that we’re not alone,” he said. “This is what hope looks like.”
He added that what he hopes most for the community moving forward is simple:
“A Palisades where families can rebuild safely, where community isn’t just a word, and where resilience is matched with real support.”
Another powerful moment of the night came from Ryan Robert Becker, whose family has lived in the Palisades since the 1970s. As he spoke with SMDP, he described the evening as nothing short of transformative.
“This is the rebirth of the Palisades,” Becker said. “After everything we’ve been through, seeing everyone here together again — it feels special in a way I can’t fully describe.”
Becker is currently navigating the future of his late father’s property and expressed gratitude for the community’s strength and the emerging solutions being developed to support families rebuilding.
His cousin, Nicole Becker Ewing, echoed that sentiment with emotion:
“This is the heart of the theme tonight,” she said. “Hope, rebuilding, and remembering who we are to each other.”
Caruso confirmed that Palisades Village is on track to fully reopen in August 2026, with retailers returning and construction progressing on key amenities.
He also noted that local schools - with Marquez open, Pali High reopening in January, and St. Matthew’s and Calvary Christian on deck - signal a turning point in community revitalization.
The Palisades Recreation Center is slated for groundbreaking early next year as planning and fundraising accelerate, and the Village to reopen next August.
And through it all, Steadfast LA, the Builder’s Alliance, and the newly completed Thomas James Homes model home remain pillars of progress.
“We’re going to keep working hard,” Caruso said. “Supporting small businesses with grants, helping families rebuild, showing up in every way we can.”
As snowflakes drifted across Monument Street and families lingered beneath the glow of the tree, Caruso paused to greet familiar faces in the crowd.
“Enjoy the night,” he said softly. “This is what matters most.”
Palisades Village will continue its holiday celebrations with a Menorah Lighting Ceremony on Sunday, December 14.
By Michelle Edgar