When my husband and I were first dating, my grandmother asked us to take her on a drive around town in mid-December. The Arizona Republic, our local newspaper, had an article with a map attached that indicated homes and neighborhoods with Christmas light displays.
We had such a great time that a family tradition was born. For as long as we could, we included my grandmother. And to this day, we can’t help but think of her as we drive around town and look at the beautiful displays so many people put their heart and souls into creating.
Sometimes we have a plan, sometimes we just drive to the streets we know will be all lit up. We have shared this tradition with our children, friends and other family members.
We have found that when we go in the middle of the week, there is less traffic. However, when we go on weekend nights, the homeowners are often out in their yards wishing passerby’s a Merry Christmas. Sometimes they collect for a canned food drive or a toy drive. We have seen some people sharing hot cocoa and some give out candy canes.
Some streets have every house decorated. Sometimes it’s just one or two houses. We just love looking at the lights, the creativity, the effort of each and every person who chose to decorate their front yard. It is like a gift to us. They are spreading cheer from their front yard to our car.
Does your newspaper list homes and neighborhoods worth driving to for some Christmas cheer? If you are in the Pheonix metro area, here is the link for this years listing and map.
Grab a thermal cup of your favorite warm beverage (if your the driver, make it non-alcoholic!) and maybe I’ll see you somewhere on the streets of Phoenix enjoying the lights!
Not in Phoenix ~ search for light displays in your town. And when you find a listing (or maybe you create your own to share with others) let us know and we will post them on our social media channels.
