Spokane, Washington – We may not have any snow just yet, but boy oh boy do we have holiday lights. Since just around Thanksgiving, Spokane-area homeowners have been busy putting lights on their houses and in trees, inflating the inflatables and putting up letter boxes for Santa.
Every neighborhood has at least one house that is completely decked out, and what’s nicer than to pile in the car after dark, loaded up with snacks, hot chocolate and Santa letters, and then hit the road looking for the best holiday lights.
Some addresses are legendary, like the so-called Disney House at 832 E. Brierwood Lane, off Hastings Road in North Spokane. The front yard here is literally covered in Disney figures both classic and new – making this a perfect holiday light stop.
Near 36th and Vercler in Spokane Valley is another beautifully decorated front yard, full of snowmen and lights in the trees. A sign spells out Merry Christmas and Santa’s sled had landed on the roof.
At 1203 E. Kiernan, a huge Santa and all his helpers have set up shop in the front yard of this corner lot. Lights decorate the roof and a star hangs high above it all.
If you like musical light displays, then there is a cool one at 12908 E. 31st Avenue near University Highschool in Spokane Valley. Tune your radio to FM 88.3 and watch the lights move along with the music.
All these displays are put on by private people who dedicate a lot of time and ingenuity to get the displays up and running smoothly.
On Skyview Drive on the South Hill – just off 37th Avenue by Hart Field – the neighborhood association puts up old fashioned plywood Christmas trees with lights along the street. This display has a cool retro feel to it and a great following.
It’s difficult to keep track of where all the light displays are, but there is a Facebook group called “Spokane Christmas Lights” that’s dedicated to tracking and mapping as many Christmas light displays as possible. It’s a private group but if you are interested in Christmas lights or have a light display you’d like to share, then this is the place for you. The group also has a map of Christmas lights in the area that you can download.
Let’s end this little writeup with the light display at 2404 E. Providence Avenue. This one has it all – a big happy snowman and Santa, reindeer and presents, everything you can possibly imagine including the most important thing of them all: a box for letters to Santa.
Come on, off you go – it’s time to go holiday light watching.