14 Dec 8th–Dec 14th, 2022 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | music | cafe | film | culTuRe | NighT+Day | feaTuRe | NeWs | OPiNiON | feeDBacK | cONTeNTs | F or some Valley residents, too much Christmas is never enough. Everyone indulges in a little excess while celebrating the holidays, but some folks take things to the extreme. Lights and decorations are as much a part of holidays in metro Phoenix as buying tamales or trucking in snow. The razzle-dazzle of lights is everywhere to be seen, from local businesses and landmarks to modest arrays of lights on thousands of houses and Yuletide die-hards who go all out with dressing up their homes. Others, though, dial things up to 11, spending enormous amounts of cash decking their domiciles with enough lights, ornaments, animated figures, and festive decorations to make Clark W. Griswold from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation jealous. Several go even bigger than that. A few holiday light displays span multiple houses across a large chunk of neighborhoods. One is large enough to drive your vehicle through. Several have been featured on ABC’s reality show The Great Christmas Light Fight. Many of these folks are included in our annual compilation of the biggest, boldest, and most over-the-top home displays across the Valley, from Gilbert to Goodyear and beyond. Read on and make plans to visit as many as you can, as they’ll only be around until the new year. Central Phoenix Pinchot Avenue’s Candy Canes 2801 East Pinchot Avenue You could easily drive this two-block stretch of Pinchot Avenue between 26th and 28th streets dotted by a series of candy canes wrapped in lights, but it’s better as a walking experience. Along the way, you’ll spy an illuminated Christmas star and peace symbol hanging overhead and a series of vintage houses, some of which are festively decorated. Hours: Nightly starting at dusk through early January. Sepanek Residence 4415 East Calle Tuberia Lee and Patricia Sepanek’s annual outdoor display is as massive as it is popular. Thousands flock to their Arcadia home for a cheery tableau of 250,000 lights, inflat- ables, animatronic figures, and kitschy window displays containing ornaments and dioramas while Santa and his reindeer soar overhead. As always, they’ll screen holiday movies on video screens and serve free cups of hot cocoa. Hours: Runs nightly, 6 to 10 p.m., through early January. North Valley North Phoenix Lights 18639 North First Avenue northphoenixlights.neocities.org You’ll lose count of the multitude of vintage plastic blow mold figurines Carl Jimenez packs into his front yard (we gave up at 56). There are Santas and elves. Nutcrackers and toy soldiers. Christmas trees and glowing gifts. New this year: A photo-op called “Gingerassic Park” where you can get pics with inflatable dinosaurs “from the Christmas that time forgot.” Hours: Nightly, 6 to 9 p.m., through December 25. Makela Family Light Show 104 West Marco Polo Road instagram.com/makela.lights In the mood to headbang during the holidays? Dial up 91.9 FM on your car’s radio to hear EDM remixes of Yuletide favorites and other fast-paced tunes driving this home’s kinetic, 15-minute-long light show. Leave the glowsticks at home, though, as their 30,000-ish pixels offer plenty of illuminated fun. Hours: On display 6 to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 6 to 10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, through December 31.. ReinDeer Valley Christmas 3302 West Adobe Dam Road reindeervalleychristmas.com If all the Mickey Mouse heads amid the 55,000-plus lights of this display weren’t enough of a hint, the family behind ReinDeer Valley Christmas loves the char- acter. There are even more Mickeys this year, including a re-creation of Disneyland’s Cinderella Castle with his silhouette at the center. They’ve also added a Rudolph-themed area in their side yard and a Christmas tree-shaped photo op. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 10 p.m., with bubbles and snow on weekends, through January 1. Miracle on 34th Lane 22415 North 34th Lane facebook.com/miracleon34thlane James MacGregor got bitten by the holiday decorating bug in 2014 after putting up some strings of lights. Eight Christmases later, his property is covered by a vast display with 40,000 bulbs, a 20-foot-tall tree, glowing snowflakes and figures, a miniature Ferris wheel and carousel, and a scene in his garage starring Santa Claus. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 10:30 p.m., through December 31, weather permitting. Christmas Lights on Voltaire 4600-4800 East Voltaire Avenue You won’t find a better example of “the more the merrier” than this collection of a dozen homes linked together by a synchro- nized light show. Located on Voltaire Avenue between 46th and 48th streets and also along Sharon Drive and 46th Place, each is uniquely decorated and features lighting schemes flashing in unison to music available on 98.1 FM. Hours: 5:30 to 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 5:30 to 11 p.m., Friday through Sunday, through early January.. Moon Valley’s 12 Homes of Christmas Moon Valley Neighborhood moonvalley.org Spend an evening cruising around the area west of Seventh Street between Greenway Parkway and Thunderbird Road and you’ll witness dozens of homes dressed up in dazzling and creative ways. It’s part of an annual contest where Moon Valley home- owners attempt to outdo each other for awards and bragging rights. A list of partic- ipants and winners is available via an app available at app.moonvalley.org. Hours: Nightly through early January. Scary Christmas House 4431 West Escuda Drive, Glendale scarychristmashouse.com Fans of The Nightmare Before Christmas will exclaim “What’s this? What’s this?” when walking through the monstrously- sized tribute to the animated film. Bob Spacy Jr. channeled Jack Skellington’s can-do spirit when creating the display, hand-building props, scenes, characters, and elements. Like the Pumpkin King, he spends countless hours prepping for the holidays. This year, there are more lights, a cutout of Santa dangling in Oogie Boogie’s lair, a snake eating a Christmas tree, and skeleton reindeer pulling Jack in a sleigh. Hours: 6 to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 6 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday, through December 28. West Valley Phoenix Winter Wonderland 4237 West State Avenue phoenixwinterwonderland.com David Chuchla spends six months prepping this voluminous display adorning every inch of his home’s interior and exterior. Out front are 80,000-plus lights The Lights Fantastic BY BENJAMIN LEATHERMAN The Sepanek Residence. Benjamin Leatherman
