Catching glimpses of outdoor Christmas decorations is a fun part of driving around San Fernando Valley neighborhoods and streets during the Christmas season.
Excursions to see the creativity of homeowners during one year may yield a bumper crop of homes festooned with multi-colored bulbs or white icicle Christmas lights — maybe even all red, all green or all blue lights if you’re lucky on your Christmas Bingo card!
There may be Santa Claus inflatables, animatronic nodding reindeer and snowflakes (magically projected onto garage doors and house facades). Some homeowners are known for synchronizing Christmas tunes to blinking lights.
The storied “Candy Cane Lane” area of streets in Woodland Hills has been a drive through Christmastime tradition since 1952, with highly-decorated homes and front yards. Some houses in the past had cartoon or movie characters on display.
Decorating by homeowners is voluntary, and like a hope of seeing Santa Claus the public has high hopes to see Christmas lights and other decorations on the group of streets off Oxnard Street (east of Winnetka Avenue and west of Corbin Avenue, bordered to the south by Martha Street, next to the 101 Freeway).
Part of the charm of the neighborhood has been original signs with holiday names and accompanying designs that were planted on designated street corners: the “real” Candy Cane Lane (Lubao Avenue) plus Caroler’s Way (Penfield Avenue), Candlelight Lane (Oakdale Avenue) and Avenue of the Bells (Jumilla Avenue).
Motorists move through the neighborhood at a very slow speed and with dimmed headlights to take in the decorations. The drive-thru takes place nightly from 6-10 p.m. until Dec. 25.
Even though the tradition was to drive through the area, some people now walk the streets.
Residents ask visitors to respect homeowners by not driving by after 10 p.m. on weeknights or after 11 p.m. on weekends.
Don’t spoil the residents’ heartfelt and fun offering by littering or destructive actions in the neighborhood (Santa Claus will know and skip your house).