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In a city famed for its perennially brilliant neon, you might think the residents would be sick of twinkling lights by the time the festive season comes around. Think again. Every year neighbors and neighborhoods all over the valley spare no expense in celebrating the yuletide spirit and decking out their homes not just with traditional candy canes, wreaths, Santas, and snowflakes, but with an array of multi-colored animated extravaganzas that in recent years have also featured snowmen, angels, Disney characters, Magi, deer, reindeer, polar bears, pandas, penguins, camels, flamingos, moose, Teddy Bears, caroling mice, toy soldiers, dolls, elves, bells, stars, flowing rivers, exotic candles, cactus plants, carousels, Ferris wheels, palm trees, gingerbread houses, U.S. flags, trains, enchanted forests, and even a helicopter.
Each year the Las Vegas Review-Journal conducts a survey at the beginning of December, inviting readers to write in with details of the best-decked houses in their neighborhood. A big feature called "Holiday Home Tour" then runs in the "Living" section a couple of weeks later, after they’ve compiled all the data and had a chance to send a photographer out to capture the most impressive tableaux. This year the call went out on Sunday Nov. 27, requesting information (full street address and cross-street, detailed description of the display etc.) to be received by no later than 5 pm the following Friday. The results are due to be listed in the "Living" section on Dec. 15, which you can view online at www.reviewjournal.com if you're not able to purchase a hard copy of the paper that day.
And just in case you somehow miss the RJ's 2005 round-up, here's a list of some of the properties that regularly make it into the Holiday Home Tour, quoted courtesy of last year's feature:
- 4730 Gunlack Circle, near Decatur Boulevard and Lone Mountain Road: Thousands of lights decorate six houses in a cul-de-sac, along with life-sized Nativity, menorah, Christmas cottage, and cookie house. Santa and Mrs. Claus make appearances for pictures.
- 5820 Halfmoon Way, near Gowan Road and Miramar Drive: 15-foot-long motion-activated train, eight-foot lighted arch with Santa underneath, Snoopy and his doghouse, North Pole with polar bears, trees with gifts under them, full-sized gingerbread house, candy cane tree, snowman and other decorations.
- 7040 Darby Ave., near Rainbow Boulevard and Desert Inn Road: Santa with nine flying reindeer and sleigh, more than 50,000 lights, Christmas carols playing through 10 outside speakers, large Nativity scene with fiber-optic palm trees, pink flamingos in small pond, an animated train, a carousel, and other decorations.
- 3433 Costa Verde St., near Rainbow Boulevard and Spring Mountain Road: Thousands of colored lights, green garland and several different three-dimensional holiday figures adorning the yard and house windows, Santa and nine reindeer on the roof, gingerbread house and Christmas carols.
- 204, 206, 205, 207 S. White Cloud Creek, near Windmill Lane and Valley Verde Drive: Several houses in a cul-de-sac decorated with synchronized lights; music plays in the background.
Update 16 December 2005
The
RJ's annual "Holiday Home Tour" piece ran yesterday, featuring a number of the regular locations, plus some new additions. It seems that "giant snow globes" are the popular novelty item this year, along with the traditional array of Santas, reindeer, angels, and snowmen. If you missed the piece, you can access it in the
RJ archives (it's members only, but a free temporary membership is available).
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