Phoenix's best Christmas lights and holiday displays in 2024

Editor's note: This story was published Nov. 27. It was updated on Dec. 24.

Where can you find the best Christmas lights in Phoenix? The short answer: everywhere.

From now until Jan. 1, extravagant holiday displays will illuminate every part of the Valley, from Scottsdale to Surprise. That includes neighborhoods and homes around town that are decked out with massive amounts of lights and decorations.

This year, more Phoenix homes than ever are glowing with holiday lights. Some DIY displays on local houses are quaint and colorful. Others offer enough LEDs, animatronic figures and inflatables to earn an appearance on ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight” or are big enough to drive a car through. There’s even on where you can play games of “Pong” or “Pac-Man.”

These homes are featured on our list of Phoenix’s best Christmas lights and holiday displays for 2024. Take a look, grab your coat and plan to see as many as possible. Just don’t forget the hot cocoa.

West Valley

Winter Wonderland Phoenix

4237 W. State Ave.

David Chuchla’s holiday display spanning the exterior and interior of his 2,800-square-foot home is a sight to behold. Outside, thousands of lights and hundreds of plastic and animated figures adorn his yard. Inside, rooms overflow with ornaments, miniatures, collectibles and even an Eminem-themed scene. Hours: Sunday to Friday, 6 to 10 p.m.; Saturdays and Christmas Eve, 6 to 11 p.m. through Dec. 29.

Palacio Residence

7734 N. 41st Ave.

Heads up, “South Park” fans: Emilio Palacio’s holiday display pays tribute to the infamous cartoon with 80-plus characters (including Cartman, Kenny, Towelie, Mr. Hanky, Chef and many more) adorning his yard and home. Hours: Nightly, dusk to 11 p.m., through early January.

Redneck Christmas

3353 W. Northview Ave.

Amble over to this humorous and homespun West Valley holiday display with 15,000 lights and around 100 inflatables. Bubba the Redneck Grinch makes special appearances on Fridays and Saturdays leading up to Christmas. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 10 p.m., weather permitting through the holidays.

Pirate Lights on Laurie Lane

4552 W. Laurie Lane, Glendale

Set sail for this pirate-themed display with 50,000 dancing lights, a crew of costumed skeletons, a festive soundtrack, a bounce house shaped like a ship and a selfie station. Hours: Nightly, dusk to 11 p.m., from Nov. 28 to Jan. 24.

Christmas Winter Wonderland

5315 W. Cholla St., Glendale

Stroll through this enchanting walk-through display featuring 300,000 lights, 160-plus inflatables, Santa’s workshop, an illuminated snowfield and themed photo-ops while the music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra plays. Hours: 5 to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 5 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday, until Jan. 6.

A Molar Christmas

8252 W. Camino De Oro, Peoria

Like Hermey the Elf from “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” retired dentist Charles Gatti embraces both Christmastime and proper dental care. Hence this festive display with 143,000 LEDs synchronized to a holiday music mix. Hours: Nightly, 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., until early January.

Joe Sirakis

8374 W. Meadow Drive, Peoria

Disney fans will dig the display created by Joe Sirakis at his Peoria home. This year’s version features 48,000 lights, 88 handmade wooden cutouts of Disney characters, a snow machine and a 25-foot-tall mega-tree topped with Mickey Mouse. Hours: 5:30 to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., Friday through Sunday until Dec. 27.

Santa's Castle Christmas

3829 W. Sandra Terrace

More than 100,000 lights illuminate the castle-themed display at William Reira’s home that includes reindeer stables, leaping arches, Frosty's winter wonderland and a workshop for Santa. Dazzling synchronized audio-visual shows fit for royalty occur nightly with music broadcast on 88.9 FM. Hours: Nightly from dusk until 10 p.m. starting Dec. 7.

Lights on Bluefield

7625 W. Bluefield Ave., Glendale

Santa and his reindeer soar above this charming display featuring 140 Disney cutouts, 200,000 lights, a Ferris wheel, vintage blow molds and other festive delights. A snow machine and Santa’s mailbox will be offered on Fridays and Saturdays. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 10 p.m., from Dec. 1 to 31.

Bauler Family Lights

13626 W. Hearn Rd., Surprise

Mesmerizing animated light shows synched to holiday tunes and EDM bangers shimmer and dance across the 100,000-plus LED pixels making up this cutting-edge display. Hours: 5:30 to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 5:30 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, until early January.

Cox Residence

4827 W. Osborn Road

This Phoenix home radiates holiday cheer with its picket-fenced yard and exterior adorned in a festive array of Santas, snowmen, inflatables, Christmas trees and 80,000 lights. Hours: 6 to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 6 to midnight, Friday and Saturday, through the holidays.

Laveen Christmas House

8211 S. 63rd Ave., Laveen

Mel and Patti Tasker’s free drive-thru display along their circular driveway contains 300,000 lights, 475 cutouts of cartoon and comic book characters, 35 illuminated animals and an abundance of holiday cheer. Hours: Nightly, 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., until Jan. 5.

Crandall Residence

15128 W. Grant St., Goodyear

An eight-foot gingerbread house, colorful cutouts, a Christmas light tunnel and photo-ops with Santa are some of the highlights of this quaint display. Hot cocoa is available from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 6, 13 and 20. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 9 p.m., through Jan. 3.

Sanda Residence

13204 S. 176th Ave., Goodyear

Robert Sanda’s “What is Christmas?” display blends reverence and revelry by offering 50,000 lights, a nativity scene and an illuminated message board exploring the reasons behind the season. Hours: 6 to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 6 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday until Jan. 1.

Hoffman Manor

15847 W. Glenrosa Ave., Goodyear

Goodyear resident Corey Hoffman created this dazzling display offering illuminated deer and other glowing fauna, a 10-foot archway, nearly a dozen Christmas trees and well over 100,000 lights synchronized to 45 different songs. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 10 p.m., until Jan. 1.

The Lights on Evergreen

3131 N. Evergreen St., Buckeye

A dazzling array of 32,000 LED pixels and singing characters adorning this two-story home will entertain and enchant during hourly light shows set to music. Lawn and camping chairs are permitted. Hours: 6 to 9:30 p.m., Fridays through Sundays until Dec. 22, and on Dec. 24 and 25.

North Valley

Scary Christmas House

4431 W. Escuda Drive, Glendale

Jack Skellington, eat your heart out. This enormous tribute to “The Nightmare Before Christmas” created by the Spacy family boasts 120,000-plus lights and custom-built props, characters and scenes from the film. New this year: A seven-foot-tall water fountain from Halloween Town, animated presents and more character props. Hours: 6 to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 6 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from Nov. 29 to Dec. 25.

ReinDeer Valley Christmas

3302 W. Adobe Dam Road

This long-running display is a festive spectacle boasting 75,000 lights, Disney-inspired decorations and plenty of charm. Synchronized light shows set to music occur nightly with bubble effects and artificial snow filling the air on weekends. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 10 p.m., from Dec. 1 to Jan. 1.

Miracle on 34th Lane

22415 N. 34th Lane

Every holiday season, the MacGregor family transforms their home into a cheery scene featuring 50,000 twinkling lights, a miniature Ferris wheel and carousel, various wreaths, multiple Santas, a towering 20-foot-tall mega-tree and 100-plus figurines. It's scheduled to appear on ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight” in December. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 10 p.m., through Jan. 1, weather permitting.

Christmas Lights on Voltaire

4600-4800 E. Voltaire Ave.

More than 50 neighboring homes along Voltaire Avenue between 46th and 48th streets get in the spirit of the holidays with this cooperative display. Each residence is individually decorated and linked together for a synchronized light show set to a Christmas megamix broadcast over 98.1 FM. Hours: 5:30 to 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 5:30 to 11 p.m., Friday through Sunday until Dec. 31.

The Deepdale Arcade

501 E. Deepdale Road

Brian and Ty Seibel’s interactive light installation at their Moon Valley home is an old-school gamer’s dream come true. Visitors can use a joystick to play “Pac-Man” and “Pong” against Santa, an elf or another person on a giant screen made from 3,000 LED pixels perched on the roof. Game on! Hours: Nightly, 5:30 to 10 p.m., through Dec. 31.

North Phoenix Lights

18639 N. First Ave.

Carl Jimenez's display makes the most of what little space his front yard offers. His walk-through display is packed with dozens of vintage blow mold figurines, festive elves, cheerful dinosaurs, the “Littlest Christmas tree in Arizona,” a tribute to the “Star Wars Holiday Special” and thousands of lights. A nightly animated light show starts on Dec. 8. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 9 p.m., through Dec. 25.

Makela Family Light Show

104 W. Marco Polo Road

The Makela family’s animated light display is equipped with 30,000 pixels that showcase dynamic and and vibrant nightly lights shows with a pulsating soundtrack that will delight and amaze. Hours: 6 to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 6 to 10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, from Dec. 1 to 31.

Moon Valley’s 12 Homes of Christmas

Moon Valley Neighborhood

The residents of Moon Valley are renowned for their over-the-top holiday displays. The various subdivisions found west of Seventh Street between Greenway Parkway and Thunderbird Road feature many homeowners dressing up their domiciles in festive and creative ways each year. It’s part of an annual contest where Moon Valleyites judge the best displays. This year, the results of the contest and a list of every participating house will be posted in a free app devoted to Moon Valley’s light displays in early December. It can be downloaded at app.moonvalley.org. Hours: Nightly through early January. Display hours vary by residence.

East Valley

Birkett Family’s Winter Wonderland

8414 E. Valley Vista Drive, Scottsdale

Winter Wonderland in Scottsdale is one of the Valley’s most beloved holiday displays, transforming the Birkett family’s property into a scene of Disney-esque magic and splendor. An illuminated castle crowns the roof while rolling hills rise from a field of lights in the yard. Elsewhere, the are a collection Christmas miniatures, mine tunnels to explore and a backyard pool surrounded by characters from Frozen. No wonder the Birkett’s won an episode of “The Great Christmas Light Fight.” Hours: Nightly, 6 to 10 p.m., from Dec. 7 through Jan. 2.

Cox Family Lights

8607 East Via Del Palacio, Scottsdale

Scottsdale resident Brolin Cox decks out his family's sprawling property with a 20-foot-tall mega tree and 40,000 glittering bulbs, which are synchronized to 15 different holiday themes during 40-minute-long light shows. Hours: 6 to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 6 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, from Dec. 1 to 31.

Mesa Christmas

1610 E. Hermosa Vista Drive, Mesa

Each evening, the Kipp family’s two-story home comes alive with vibrant illuminations as animated shows powered by 30,000 lights, hundreds of LED pixels and video projections create a spectacle of color and joyous fun. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 9 p.m., through Dec. 26.

Keeleys’ Light Show

1851 S. Brighton Circle, Mesa

The Keeley family’s stunning animated light show features 25,000-plus LEDs dancing about the trees, arches and other decorations in their yard and a soundtrack of pop, rock and EDM songs. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 10 p.m.

Santa Rita Ranch Lights

10458 E. Osage Ave., Mesa

More than 20 individually decorated houses in this southeast Valley neighborhood are connected by a string of lights overhead, creating both a walkable and driveable holiday experience. Some homes go all out with decorations — the Rowley's Holiday House — while others keep it more modest. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 10 p.m., from Dec. 1 through Jan. 1.

Pelky Residence

1335 N. Papillon Circle, Mesa

Michael and Shelley Pelky have turned their Mesa home into an enormous annual display for decades. It’s adorned with characters from Rankin-Bass animated specials, choruses of angels, herds of reindeer and a candy cane forest. Hours: Nightly from 5:30 to 11 p.m.

Santa's Runway

2329 N. Recker Road, #104, Mesa

It’s hard to miss Danny Dingman’s house in east Mesa. The property boasts 75,000-plus lights, hundreds of glowing decorations and a grip of Disney characters. The driveway also resembles a runway to help Santa with landing his sleigh. Hours: Operates nightly through Dec. 31.

Natal Circle

663 W. Natal Circle, Mesa

More than a dozen houses situated around this Mesa cul-de-sac sparkle with scores of glowing bulbs, illuminated inflatables and other electrically powered decorations. Natal Circle residents gleefully participate in the tradition, and each home offers its own lighting scheme and theme. Hours: Nightly, 5 to 10 p.m., through Jan. 1.

The Keeleys’ Light Show

1851 S. Brighton Circle, Mesa

’The Keeley family’s animated light shows feature more than 25,000 LEDs dancing about the trees, arches and other decorations in their yard, accentuated by a varied soundtrack of pop, rock and even EDM songs. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 10 p.m.

M&S Lights

11161 E. Starkey Ave., Mesa

Disneyland geeks will dig Mike and Stacie Parsons’ display, which boasts a large structure modeled after It’s a Small World, complete with the iconic clock face. After dark, the scene gets even more colorful as computerized light shows, synced to glowing decorations on five neighboring houses, begin to sparkle and glow. There’s also a snow machine and a mailbox for letters to Santa. Hours: Runs 5:30 to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; and 5:30 to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, starting Nov. 29.

Santa Train

541 E. Mountain Sky Ave., Ahwatukee

The centerpiece of Frank and Dianne Polimene’s long-running display at their Ahwatukee home is a
1/6th scale train driven by Kris Kringle that chugs along an 80-foot-long track, circling a miniature illuminated volcano and Ferris wheel. Other highlights include an animatronic Santa, a candy cane dispenser and star-shaped lights twinking on the South Mountain foothills behind the house. Hours: Nightly, dusk to 11 p.m., until Jan. 4.

Christmas on Milky Way

4606 W. Milky Way, Chandler

Frank Kostyun’s interstellar-themed display is truly out of this world. It features 150,000 lights, 25 LED stars atop his home, several leaping arches, and a towering 45-foot tree. Hours: 6 to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 6 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday, from Nov. 29 to Jan. 4.

Peanuts Airport

1146 N. Quail Lane, Gilbert

This charming airport-like display, complete with a runway and control tower, includes Snoopy as a World War I Flying Ace bringing his Sopwith Camel in for a landing while cutouts of Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty and other characters are waiting. Hours: Nightly at 5 p.m. through Jan. 1.

Lights on Liberty Lane

396 W. Liberty Lane, Gilbert

This animated display features over 130,000 synchronized lights spanning 14 neighboring homes. The dazzling lights twinkle and shine in impressive, choreographed audio-visual sequences set to dozens of songs. Hours: Nightly, 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., through Dec. 31.

Christmas on Comstock

3642 E. Comstock Drive, Gilbert

Encompassing more than 110,000 lights, 50,000 feet of wire, 300-plus strobes, snow machines, and other amenities, this walkable and driveable holiday extravaganza stretches across 13 homes on Gilbert's Comstock Drive. It's very popular, so be prepared to deal with crowds. Hours: 6 to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; and 6 to 10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday.

Central Phoenix

Arcadia Christmas House

4415 E. Calle Tuberia

What was once an over-the-top spectacle of holiday decorations adorning the home of Arcadia’s Lee Sepanek (a.k.a. “Christmas Lee”) has become a more modest display of 50,000 lights spanning his home and two neighboring residences. Hours: Nightly, 6 to 10 p.m., through Jan. 1.

Pinchot Avenue’s Candy Canes

2801 E. Pinchot Ave.

A two-block stretch of Pinchot Avenue, from 26th to 28th streets, transforms into a walkable or drivable holiday wonderland with candy canes wrapped in colorful lights lining both sides of the road. Overhead, a glowing Christmas star and peace symbol complete the scene. Hours: Nightly at dusk through early January.

Willetta Street

714 W. Willetta St.

The timeless ambiance of this historic American Colonial Revival-style home from the 1920s is accentuated by the glow of 1,200 holiday lights. Hours: Nightly starting at dusk through early January.