This story has been updated to include photos of the finished trees.
Despite the pandemic and stricter COVID-19 orders, Christmas is still arriving on Larchmont, thanks to efforts of a handful of residents and businesses who wanted to spread some holiday cheer. This morning, three lovely trees, donated by Paramount Studios, were placed near the north entrance to the city parking lot. When we stopped by late this morning, Gloria Muscarella, a floral decorator sent over by Paramount Studios, was busy directing her team on where to place decorations on the red-and-gold-themed trees.
Muscarella has been decorating the Paramount studio lot for years. The studio’s annual Christmas tree-lighting event is legendary. But this was different. Because of the pandemic, the annual holiday event for employees have been cancelled. While Muscarella did decorate the entrance and some large trees on the lot, Â it’s nothing compared to previous years in which she’s spent weeks decorating studios offices, restaurants, theatre lobbies and 75 lampposts! So Muscarella is happy to be working and bringing her decorating skills to Larchmont.
“We are so grateful that Paramount Studios reached out to us with the offer to contribute the trees and provide the stunning decorations,” Heather Boylston and Rebecca Hutchinson, co-executive directors of the Larchmont Village BID, told the Buzz. They added that Guy Langman at Paramount was very helpful in making this happen. In addition, building owner Arash Danialifar is providing the electricity to light the trees at night.
Paramount purchased trees from the Wilshire Rotary’s Christmas tree lot, where the proceeds benefit charities of the Rotary Foundation. The lot  has been sold out, but it was  just restocked this morning. Now, there are more than 1,100 trees on site, which workers were busily sorting through and placing on stands to make it easier for shoppers to pick just the right tree for their house. It was hectic this morning, they said, but the lot is now ready for shoppers. It will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily until Christmas.
Muscarella, who is also a horse photographer,  shared these photos of her Christmas decor from last year, including one with her rescue dog, Buttons, who she said  is “King” of the shopping cart when she goes to Lowes and Home Depot for lights and decorations.
