NEWPORT BEACH — Chase Valentine, 3, wanted something for Christmas that's little difficult to come by in Orange County: snow.
"It was so cool. On the way over here he said, 'Mom, the twee is so big,'" said Chase's mom, Tiffany Valentine, while nestled on a blanket with the shy tyke at Fashion Island's annual tree-lighting ceremony Friday night.
The Valentines from Newport Beach showed up at 4 p.m. to grab prime real estate in front of the stage where students from Laguna Beach's Musical Theatre University performed alongside Mickey, Minnie and Goofy from the Disneyland Resort.
The event at the Neiman Marcus-Bloomingdale's Courtyard was the first of two nights of tree lightings and visits from Santa.
Showing up just a bit earlier than the Valentines was Newport Beach resident Kimberly Smedeby. Her 16-year-old daughter, Claire Smedeby, attends the Orange County High School of the Arts in Santa Ana and was one of the lucky youths performing with Disney's debut appearance at the annual event.