Toy trains are the stars at an annual<br>day-after-Christmas open house

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On Dec. 26, Jack and Paulette Lantz will swing wide the doors to their Pasadena home as they always do on the day after Christmas, to shepherd in friends, family and children to an annual open house.

Out back, the kids will play under the live oaks with weatherproof Swiss and German trains that glide over an only-in-L.A. bridge spanning the pool. When the trains reach the depot, Jack will flip a switch, and one of the cars will swivel to dump M&Ms into the children’s waiting hands.

Upstairs, in the train room, vintage American Flyers will burrow under bridges and over trestles in a room lighted to accentuate the small-town Americana layout. Lining the walls, custom cabinets will display the extra cars — some of them treasures from Jack’s childhood.
Welcome to toyland. In a blend of cultures and traditions, the Lantzes have created a Pasadena home that glistens — holidays or not — with their various passions: toy trains, Asian antiquities and a glossy grand piano that symbolizes a life of music.

Read Chris Erskine’s full story on the Lantzes’ annual tradition here.