Little tots with glowing eyes might be enough to light up some homes this holiday season. But others are decorated with thousands of twinkling lights, synchronized to vibrant music, drawing crowds and maintaining a festive and community spirit. On a cul-de-sac in Mesa, Arizona, 14 homeowners have been putting up holiday lights for the past 30 years in a tradition that hasn’t been dampened by real estate turnover.
Those who buy homes in the neighborhood often find attics full of decorations left behind as gifts from previous owners, and despite cultural and religious differences, residents come together to create a festival of lights, Stephanie Castillo Price said. “Everyone was able to take their own interpretation of the holidays and bring them full circle,” she said. “There is no one who will walk down the street and not feel included.”
Santa Clarita Wakefield Winter Wonderland
In Santa Clarita, California, residents of Wakefield Court decided to coordinate their holiday light displays to bring joy to their community after the earthquake. Now in its 30th year, Wakefield’s Winter Wonderland features inflatables and wooden carvings of characters from Mickey Mouse to Homer Simpson.
Brian Cobb admits he was initially against buying the house next door when he and his wife first looked at it. “She started crying and said: “But this is Christmas Street! I want to live there!” he said. “She got her way. We live here, we like it. All neighbors unite.”
In Edmond, Oklahoma, those watching the western sky can easily spot the Miranda family’s elaborate holiday lantern with images and music from the movie Wicked. Spotlights reminiscent of movie studio lights rise from the roof, and the face of a singing witch takes shape on a tall tree.
“It just seemed like the perfect fit for a light show because you can really create drama with light,” said Elizabeth Miranda, who does the programming and her husband, Mark, does the installation. “It takes a very long time to set up. Each light bulb has a point, a place, a number, so when we program it, it does exactly what it’s supposed to do at the right time.”
The lights of Las Vegas unite joy and charity
The family started putting up holiday lights in 2015 and saw a spike in traffic after being featured on ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight.” While most neighbors were supportive, a few complaints prompted the couple to take a few years off before returning with a better plan to limit viewing hours and control traffic.
This year they are collecting donations for the Oklahoma Fraternal Order of Police. “They give so much to our community, so this is our small way of saying thank you for all they do for us,” Miranda said. Charity is also a component in Las Vegas, where Laura Walters and Lenny Standish are closing in on a four-year goal of collecting 10,000 pairs of socks and underwear for organizations that help the homeless.
Their demonstration began during the COVID-19 pandemic with a single Christmas tree that community members could add decorations to. This year, in addition to lights and music, they have three snow machines.
“People are looking for joy,” Walters said. “Our world is a difficult place. So to be able to just come and feel just an unimaginable amount of love and happiness is peaceful. We have never had one problem here at all. Everyone was very respectful of our home and full of gratitude.”
Richard Taylor of Kennesaw, Georgia, estimates that more than 40,000 people visit his display of 1.2 million lights each year. “We bring joy to many people,” he said. “They walk around, forget all their problems and just enjoy themselves.”
