Sharing The Cheer Holiday Lights, Decorations Bring Joy To Those Who Pass By, Strangers And Friends Alike

At Christmas, even plywood cut in the shape of a tree and fitted with lights somehow seems magical. Exactly when neighborhoods in Spokane began coordinating their Christmas-themed lawn ornaments I do not know, but I’ve always suspected the idea originated among homeowners on Christmas Tree Lane on the South Hill.

When I was a child some three decades ago, one of our family traditions was driving to Christmas Tree Lane where it seemed every house had just the perfectly shaped little evergreen planted on the front lawn and strung thick with lights. All the other decorations seemed secondary to those little outdoor Christmas trees. We would drive slowly up and down the lane and the lights reflected off the snow in soft pools of red and blue and orange.

On a nearby street, each house boasted a fat candy cane as tall as I was and I’m certain I encouraged my mom and dad to organize just such an effort in our neighborhood. To no avail, of course.

Other streets, even without such inspiring names, had organized efforts at themed decor through the years, and when the traditions faded on Christmas Tree Lane and the candy cane street, we drove north instead to Glass and Courtland avenues, where one street became a Christmas tree street, the other displayed stars. The tree forms were cut from sheets of plywood and old-fashioned fat Christmas lights stuck out through holes in the plywood. Pie tins, like those that Swanson’s pot pies come in, were used as light reflectors.

Some stars were completely covered with aluminum foil for the same effect, and then mounted on the roof. Eventually, of course, people sold their homes and moved. Some new owners continued mounting the star on the roof or the tree in the yard; others brought their own holiday expressions and decorating took an eclectic turn.

Still, though, I maintain the Christmas tradition of driving around the city to see the Christmas lights, cruising all my favorite neighborhoods some evening just before Christmas. For a time, the area in north Spokane near St. Thomas More Church was rich in yards bright with lights, and some years the Brentwood neighborhood bounded by Division and Hawthorne Road offers inspiring viewing. The Courtland and Glass corridor, though, remains the gem of my tour.

And, based on years of experience, I offer these tips for an optimum Christmas light tour:

Fill the gas tank.

Be aware there will be cars driving on these streets with the headlights off. This is standard practice (albeit illegal), so the headlights don’t shine in the faces of oncoming vehicles, and so the lights in the yards are not drowned out by vehicle lights. Parking lights are encouraged. (And drivers should watch carefully for parked cars.)

Be patient as the vehicles in front of you stop to allow passengers to admire a particularly stunning yard display.

Dress warmly and, if possible, take a half-hour and walk up and down both Glass and Courtland (it’s about a six-block stretch). Some displays include carols played softly and you’ll miss this element from inside a vehicle with the windows rolled up. If walking isn’t an option, bring a tape of Christmas music to play in your vehicle during your tour.

Following is a list of the houses that readers reported as having particularly good Christmas light displays:

Spokane

North Side

5712 N. Elgin. The yard sports dozens of big candy canes with lights, a display house with a moving Santa (with a sleigh and reindeer on the roof), Frosty the Snowman and some soldiers, a 40-foot blue spruce loaded with lights and more lights.

Corner of Monroe and Kiernan. Lights, ornaments and figurines.

2635 W. Heroy. “They have 7,000 lights, Christmas trees in each window, Mr. and Mrs. Claus, a thousand lights in kitchen and gingerbread men.”

1918 W. Clark Ave. “Reindeer and lots of red and white lights on the house, in the garden and the gazebo.”

3727 E. Fairview. Decorations include boughs, lights, trees, painted wooden decorations.

5610 W. Lowell. “The most extensive display I’ve ever seen.” Features Santa and Mrs. Clause, sleigh and reindeer, lighted bells on the eves of the house, candy canes lining the driveway, and extensive lighting.

4117 N. Whitehouse. “All white lights and pine boughs on a beautiful Victorian house.”

11505 N. Whitehouse. Toy soldiers on both doorways, a forest, white lights and two huge Christmas trees.

7020 N. Calispel. “Many, many lights, animation, Santa, a Nativity scene and arches.

6623 N. Post. About 8,000 lights, more than 100 figures in the yard, a lighted star that rises 40 feet in the air, and Santa and his reindeer flying above the house.

6717 N. Howard. Lots of lights, homemade figurines, and decorations in the trees and on the house.

328 E. Columbia Ave. Disney-themed lights and displays.

5333 N. Greenwood. Toy soldiers, bears, thousands of lights, Santa and a Nativity scene.

2422 W. Rockwell. “The yard is lit up like Las Vegas with all the lights and figurines.”

1707 E. Liberty. “Thirty wooden decorations, 4,500 lights, Santa, reindeer, and a dog pulling down the pants of Santa.”

5404 Driscoll Blvd. Elves, singing animals and wood displays.

2815 W. Holyoke. “Two snowmen on ice skates, Santa falling off roof with elves, sleighs, candy canes and lots of lights.”

8919 N. Farmdale. An aerial Santa flying home, elves, toy soldiers, lights, carolers and Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

353 W. Columbia. “Santa and his reindeer and a shooting star.

Belt and Wellesley (across from Shadle Center). Angels and deer, plus “they’ve got everything.”

910 W. Central (Lincoln and Central). Homemade decorations.

1700 to 2000 blocks of West Courtland and Glass. Every year there are dozens of homes with lights, reindeer, Santas and more, plus a church with a Nativity scene.

323 W. Barnes Road. There is music, lights and a Nativity scene.

6015 N. Moore. About 4,000 lights, candy canes and snowmen.

9823 N. Andrew. Flying reindeer and a Nativity scene.

3205 N. Wellington Place. Red and white lights, stars and a Nativity scene - “it’s just breathtaking.”

2904 E. Liberty. The house is all wrapped up for Christmas with garlands and bows.

2317 E. Joseph. A lot of lights, a Nativity scene and Christmas figures.

South Side

The Eagle Ridge neighborhood, across Highway 195 from Qualchan Golf Course. There are many homes with lights. The person who can come closest to guessing the number of lights on the large pine trees near the model homes wins a $500 gift certificate to Tidyman’s; call 328-9680 for details.

1115 E. 18th. Display includes deer, trees and icicle lights.

1221 S. Cannon. Lights and candy canes.

1203 E. 20th. A snowman in the yard, along with an elf, a four-foot-high stocking and Santa’s sleigh. There’s a reindeer on the roof and Santa’s legs sticking out the chimney. Thousands of lights cover the house and surrounding trees.

Corner of Moreland and Bettman. Lights on house and on the lawn, displays, Santas and reindeer on the roof and on the lawn.

Gundy Street and Skyview Drive between 37th and High Drive. The homes on Gundy sport candy canes in the yard, Skyview homes are Christmas tree-themed.

Valley

13002 E. Sembo. In addition to lights, trees and a house covered with lights, there is a train, Looney Tunes figures, a sleigh, reindeer in yard, a snowman, and a helicopter and sled that move.

1100 block of north MacArthur, corner of MacArthur and Boone. Santa on all-terrain vehicles - “they can’t run the microwave without blowing a circuit from all the lights.”

4414 S. Altamont. A huge tree and decorated house as well as reindeer and waving Santas.

2821 S. Thor. A galaxy of tiny white lights adorns seven large evergreens in this yard one-half block off 29th Avenue. A perimeter of toy soldiers stand watch over a tradition manger scene, as angels twinkle overhead.

14206 E. Wellesly. Lights, reindeer and shooting stars.

2000 block of Fawn Drive. “Tons of lights.”

1722 S. Bettman Road. Magical lights, sculptures, animation and more than 30,000 lights.

25319 Wabash Circle (Newman Lake). Thousands of lights and hundreds of homemade yard decorations.

1911 N. Ely. Thousands of lights on the house, shrubs, and gazebo. Santa and reindeer are in the front yard.

18518 E. Alki. A lot of lights on the fence and house, Santa and a snowman sit on the roof, candy canes line the driveway, and a decorated Christmas tree is in the pasture.

11204 E. 28th. Lights and signs all over the yard.

Idaho

13th and Spokane streets, Post Falls. A big white house fully decorated for the season.

2433 Ninth, Coeur d’Alene. A lot of blinking lights and Santa’s sleigh.

Coeur d’Alene Place is full of them.

Cheney

Between Cheney and Four Lakes on Cheney Road on the left and in Four Lakes on Fourth Avenue.

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