Alyssa Cwanger, Post-Gazette photos
	Francesca Kavalir, front center, watches the lighting of the second tree at PPG Place last night with her friends (L to R): Elly Vleier, 7; Jocelyn Solomon, 7; Christina Pollice, 7, taking a photo of the tree; and Julia Ford, 8, far right, all from Mt. Lebanon. They came to Light Up Night with Francesca's mother, Michele, rear.
	Richard and Cindy Anderegg, from Darlington, PA, sat a spell together on a bench at PPG Place last night finishing some ice cream. They visit the city for Light Up Night every year.
	Light Up Night celebrants are treated to an Infinity Radio Santa Spectacular show with Santa and Crystal the Snow Princess last night at Penn Avenue and Stanwix Street.
	Fireworks followed the Infinity Radio Santa Spectacular show last night in this view from the Gateway Towers. RELATED COVERAGE Dan Majors' Night Light: A window into Christmas Dan Majors' Night Light: Ooohs and aaahs for Light-Up Night

Kenya Fields put on skates for the first time in her life last night and stepped onto the ice at PPG Place with her son D'Angelo and his cousin Jaquan Murphy, also first-timers.

The 33-year-old McKeesport woman has been coming to Light Up Night for years and decided that opening night at the rink this year was the ideal time to cross a new threshold. The boys zipped around the giant lighted Christmas tree with giddy smiles, unsteady as they slid past dozens of experienced skaters who had come out to take part in the annual festivities Downtown.

"We waited an hour for this," Ms. Fields said.

She worked her way around the rink once, gripping the railing, and declared she had had enough, "but I got my $8 worth."

Despite a finger-numbing chill, the streets were teeming with holiday revelers picking at plates of funnel cake, and cuddling up for photos with a very unintimidating Abominable Snowman.

With 37 days left til Christmas, Ebenezer Scrooge got on his cell phone to let his boss know how well the night was going. Michael Greer, 22, who plays a minor role in "A Musical Christmas Carol," wore the leading man's characteristic top hat and cloak to pass out Pittsburgh CLO fliers outside Fifth Avenue Place.

Amid the throng of parka-clad festival-goers and air that smelled of cinnamon almonds, Cal Tomasic and his father, Brian, had finally made it to the front of the balloon line in Market Square. The bearded man in a Robin Hood cap and a tie-dyed shirt asked Cal what shape he wanted.

"Mistletoe," said Cal, 5, who attends kindergarten in Munhall.

Cal settled for a snowman, after his first and second choice, a snowflake, were rejected.

"How do you know about mistletoe?" Mr. Tomasic asked. Cal shrugged.

A block away, Savannah Popp, also 5, of Bethel Park, was pressed against the windows, reviewing gingerbread houses at PPG Place with her mother and grandmother.

All three generations agreed that entry number 264 -- a flat-roofed building topped with peppermint candies, by Holy Family Institute -- and a gingerbread Kennywood both deserved prize ribbons.

Savannah's family puts on its own gingerbread house contest each year (family members hide their candies from each other beforehand) and this early display always sparks their imaginations.

Outside Kaufmann's on Smithfield Street, while a group of ponytailed girls dressed as Kaufmann's shopping bags danced on stage, Tim Yee was passing along another family tradition.

Mr. Yee, 47, has played cornet Downtown with the Salvation Army's brass band for 35 Christmases.

"I've played in front of W.T. Grant, Murphy's, Gimbels and Horne's," he said.

This year his children David, 15, and Sharon, 13, were accompanying the band on cornet. Before they began "Away in a Manger," Mr. Yee said that he's confident this Pittsburgh holiday tradition will live on as long as people think ahead.

"You've gotta have a succession plan," he said.