Holiday Lights

Let there be light: The best of South Florida’s holiday lights displays

 

For these South Florida families, their holiday spirit is nothing short of electric. From towering Santas to miniature trains, here are some of our favorite front-yard lights displays.

If you go

Heading out to enjoy some holiday lights? Here are a few of our favorite South Florida home display highlights:

Richmond West:

14205 SW 156th Terr., The Upshaw family: Six Christmas trees, life-sized Nutcrackers guarding the home’s garage, Santa Claus’ workshop and a North Pole station. Display is open from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. through Jan. 1. Lights remain on all night on Christmas Eve.

Kendall:

12331 SW 109th Terrace, The Hannah family: about 70,000 lights, plus a Disney-inspired castle façade and a clock tower that strikes at 6 p.m., when the lights turn on. The light show is synchronized to the tunes of Disney holiday songs. Lights are on from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, until 11 p.m. on weekends through Jan. 6.

Sunset:

9241 SW 70th St., Angel and Millie Alduncin: A miniature city, complete with a train, school, a hotel, and a church closely resembling St. Hugh Catholic Church in Coconut Grove; a mailbox for letters to Santa. Christmas songs play as well. Display runs from 6:05 p.m. to 11 p.m. (the music is turned off at 9 p.m. ) through Jan. 8.

West Miami:

6112 SW14th St, Armando and Lenny Caravia: Thousands of lights, a prominent Nativity scene, a 6-foot tall Santa Claus, a Christmas tree. Display runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. until Jan. 1.

Coral Terrace:

1930 SW 57th Place, Carlos and Nelia San Martin: About 20,000 lights; a hand-made igloo with penguins inside; the San Martin Express train perched atop the yard’s fence; Santa’s mailbox. Display runs from 6 to 10 p.m. until Jan. 8.

Cutler Bay:

19281 Holiday Road, Mark and Margaret Steele: Four small wood houses sheltering dozens of stuffed toys. About 20,000 lights, 10 Christmas trees, two Nativity scenes, and a 20-foot star atop the scene, trains that move throughout the yard. Display runs from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. until Jan. 6.

8740 SW 186th St., The Rapport family: A Nativity scene; motorized animals playing Christmas music; thousands of lights. Display runs from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and until midnight on weekend through Jan. 6. Santa Claus comes out at 8 p.m. every night to pass out candy canes.

Country Walk:

14535 SW 139th Ct., The Catanach family: Golfing reindeer, a skiing bull and a menagerie that includes a cow, a pig three polar bears, a turtle, two dog, an elephant, and a hippo (to name a few). Display runs from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. until Jan. 8.

Miami Springs:

1120 Quail Ave., The Hutchings: About 100,000 LED lights synchronized to music you can listen to on your car radio, a tall Christmas tree shaped from lights, a life-sized Nutcracker. Display runs from 7 to 11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays; 6 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays; Display will be up through Dec. 31.

Broward County

Davie:

13300 SW 26th St., The Hammels: About 80,000 LED lights; at least 150 figurines; a 40-foot wide by 10-foot tall projector screen for Christmas movies. Display runs from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. until Jan.6.

Hollywood:

2300 N 57th Ave., The Dyga family: About 60,000 lights synchronized to Christmas songs that could be listened to on outdoor speakers or on 97.7 FM; snow machines; 22 inflatable figures; a virtual Santa Claus and train children can ride. The more than 20 inflatable figures are activated between 7 and 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and 4 to 6 p.m.; Nighttime display runs from 6 p.m. until midnight. Lights and figures will remain until Jan. 6.

Sunrise:

10660 SW 32nd St., The Mesaros: About 40,000 lights; an 18-foot tall Christmas tree, plus elves, deer, a 6-foot tall Nutcracker and a 7-foot tall Santa Claus; music can be heard on 106.9 FM as well as outside from speakers in the yard. Display runs from 6 pm. to 10 p.m. through Jan.1.

Hollywood:

4601 Madison St., The Haberkams: About 20,000 lights computer synchronized to music from speakers outside the home as well as on 102.1 FM; Display runs from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. until Jan. 2.


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For the past 26 years, the family’s home has grown popular with visitors. Sometimes fathers who came to see the display when they were children bring their own sons and daughters.

“That’s how you know we’ve been doing it for awhile,” said Mark Steele.

Added Margaret Steele: “The best part is watching the kids, seeing their faces, and their take on what everything is.”

Boyhood dreams

Ever since Brandon Hammel was 9 years old, he would put up lights in his South Florida home’s front yard.

Every year he would ask his parents for more and more lights.

“I’d get out of school and I’d go home and do Christmas stuff,” he said.

So when it came time for him to buy his own home, he saved up and purchased one with a big front yard in Davie that he could decorate for Christmas.

“I bought this house so that I could do lights,” said Hammel, 37.

He plans his holiday lights display like a business.

“I budget for Christmas. Not Easter or Halloween.”

The 20,000-square-foot front yard has allowed Hamel to put up about 80,000 LED lights and at least 150 figures. The newest addition this year is a 40-foot wide and 10-foot tall screen on which Christmas movies are projected. Decorations include candy canes lining the driveway. The rest of the figurines are organized symmetrically as well as thematically. Cartoon characters go together, so do not be surprised when you see the Tasmanian Devil next to Tweety. There are also igloos with penguins, Mr. and Ms. Snowman, carol-singer figurines with Christmas music playing near them, Elmo and Cookie Monster, and Santa Claus.

“When you look through here, it looks Christmasy,” said Hammel. “You always see people walking by with a smile. I want people to feel like they are in a Christmas wonderland. I have been trying to share this with everyone since I was 9.”

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