2020 Holiday Lights Guide: Find the best Christmas lights in the Sacramento area

Editor’s note: Light displays have not been verified for this year. City Christmas trees and lights in downtown areas can be found at the end of this listing.

Some decked out homes and neighborhoods are such a feast for the eyes, they warrant a stop. Here’s our annual guide to the best-dressed homes for the holiday season, sure to set your spirit ablaze.

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A robust 9-foot teddy bear sits among 20 inflatables. Also features more than 24,000 lights, including candy-cane lights lining the yard. Keep an eye out for the 9-foot-tall teddy bear.

This head-turner is home to more than 80 snowmen, and features a gingerbread community, North Pole village, about 20,000 lights, Santa and his reindeer with a sleight that once adorned Sacramento City Hall.

3537 Pinehill Way, Antelope, 95843

A huge lights display operates every night, with thousands of twinkling lights.

One holly, jolly spread, with clear icicle lights hanging from the entire house; clear lights outlining roof lines and an archway over driveway; multicolored lights around windows, doors and garage; illuminated Christmas star (on 12-foot pole), Nativity scene, spiral trees, wreath and snowflakes; Santa, reindeer mounted on roof; projected Christmas scene on garage door; red ribbons and bows adorning garage door and front door; net lights draped over shrubs and bushes; multicolored light strands attached to candy-cane stakes along walkways, driveway and fence surrounding front yard; inflatable characters and 7-foot snowman display; twinkling “Merry Christmas” sign displayed above garage door; Christmas trees and candles displayed on walls, fences and in windows.

Wrapped up in more than 20,000 lights, and themed inflatables, including Star Wars, Disney and Warner Brothers. New this year: a Cinderella castle.

7600 Farmgate Way, Citrus Heights, 95610:

This “Winter Wonderland” is made up of more than 20,000 lights on the outside and there are a few hundred on the inside. This display is a magical combination of the arctic and forest, with sections including a penguin corner, reindeer forest and polar alley. There are two arch tunnel to walk through as well. The color scheme is a mix of blue, soft white and cool white.

Spilling into the neighbor’s front yard, the display mostly consists of inflatables: from planes, trains, helicopter and a ship to Hello Kitty, Star Wars and Peanuts characters.

8486 Mainstay Court, Elk Grove; 95624

This bright house features 22 songs synchronized to thousands of lights. Check out a preview on YouTube at https://youtu.be/n9fWqY2r2ho.

3316 Lake Terrace Drive, Elk Grove; 95758

The house has over 100,000 LED lights. There are 45 computer controlled circuit boards that run the display. Due to COVID-19, the family is not having a big light/music show in order to prevent people from congregating. This year the lights are much more mellow but just as beautiful. Please feel free to bring a nonperishable food item to drop off for the Elk Grove Food Bank.

Some stops merit a close-up peek. Discover a Christmas village and Santa’s workshop beyond the porch windows. The yard display includes a Santa photo op in the gazebo; castle princess and carriage; inflatables; lighted trees; lighted archways; Santa on the roof.

Assorted decorations with Yoda, SpongeBob and Friends, the Minions, Snoopy, Santa in his race car, and Santa playing golf.

Sure to suit any Disney fan, this twinkling-lit home is where you’ll find many Disney characters, including Winnie the Pooh and friends, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, Chip and Dale, Tinkerbell, princesses and “Frozen” characters. Plus, there’s a 35-foot decorated tree, Disney castle banner on the garage, and a Christmas countdown clock.

Showcases a large display of lights and characters such Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Plus, penguins, Santas, snowmen, ginger bread house, train, carousel and soldiers.

More than 8,000 LED lights synchronized to music from 5 to 10:30 nightly, through Dec. 31. Accepting canned food items for Twin Lakes Food Bank.

101 to 120 Ledgemont Court, Folsom

This short street of 11 homes goes all out for the holidays. Each home has a unique theme and there will be hundreds of attendees on Fridays and Saturdays, so plan ahead.

This synchronized light show entices onlookers with its Christmas songs; over 10,000 lights; animated structures; illuminated star; homemade props, spheres, snowflakes. Tune to 88.5 FM. For video, visit www.lightmaestros.com.

The yard is aglow in oversized light bulbs lining the walkway, a row of candy-cane lights, and snowman and Snoopy lights.

2039 Roaring Camp Drive, Gold River; 95670:

If you’re looking for something a little different — or just have a love for the classic “A Christmas Story” — check out this display. The majority of it is handmade scenes from the movie, including, yes, dad’s favorite lamp. You know the one.

Few neighborhoods create a stir as much as Dovewood Court. Grand displays include inflatables, music, handmade props, “Support Our Troops” lit-up block letters, Nativity scene and life-size Buddy character from “Elf.” We suggest you park and stroll the cul-de-sac.

PLACERVILLE

2975 Five Mile Road, 95667:

You can see the giant Santa Claus from the highway to help guide you to the show.

House was selected for the SMUD Plugged In 2018 Merry & Bright Contest for possible use in SMUD’s 2019 Holiday Card. Among five homes that have been lighting up for more than 20 years, this bright spot in the neighborhood includes rainbow LED garland looped on the wrought iron fence surrounding the house; winter scene in front yard consists of vintage wire-framed deer updated to LED lighting; twinkling snowman; LED angel; and one week before Christmas, a special visitor will make an appearance in an upstairs window. The other homes have numerous displays, inflatables, lasers and music. Santa will arrive every evening starting Dec. 15.

RESCUE

3085 Travois Circle, Rescue; 95672:

This giant display features large redwoods, 200,000 lights, 12-foot banjos, music and a Santa’s workshop.

Spruced up with more than 15,000 lights, 50 Christmas figures, musical arching tunnel, animated characters, 20 Santas, Santa sleigh and a Nativity scene. Santa makes a stop on Saturdays.

Christmas lights prance to music 5-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, through New Year’s. Tune to 100.7 FM. For video, visit www.RosemontLights.com.

Boasts inflatable camouflage Santa Claus and snowman; Santa Claus hangs from the basketball hoop; two Star Shower lights, and multicolored lights covers roof; spiral-lit trees and illuminated reindeer; driveway outlined with candy canes. Neighbors also have lights and inflatables. This year’s theme is a gingerbread Griswold Christmas house, complete with station wagon and tree.

A modest draping of multicolored lights over shrubs.

Gets attention for its white lights sparkling from the sidewalk to the rooftop, and array of inflatables (penguin, pig, snowman, among others).

Guide your family sleigh in this direction to see a setup of wooden Winnie the Pooh and friends, and a snowman holding a “Happy Snow Days” sign; illuminated penguins around a make-shift fire, igloo, polar bears and presents; Snoopy and Woodstock on top of a mailbox; lights wrapped around columns, and lighted spheres hanging from the trees.

Hillsford Court, Roseville, 95747

Every house goes all out in what’s annually one of the top displays in the area. Bring a food or toy donation to help out a family in need.

1484 Kingswood Drive, Roseville, 95678

Over 100,000 lights brighten eight houses and over 250 characters in this massive display of Christmas spirit. The lights are synchronized to a rotating assortment of music, with breaks for silent contemplation and picture-taking. The show goes on until Jan. 6.

Navigate around this neighborhood for soul-craving Nativity scenes, music and inflatables.

A busy display consisting of blinking lights and music; animated deer; Santas; an illuminated peace sign on roof; blow-up hot-air balloon; animated carousel; and more.

(From 40th to 49th, between J and Folsom). The established East Sacramento neighborhood certainly has its fans, especially this time of year. Many streets have lights strung tree-to-tree and wrapped around tree trunks, and garland draped across the streets.

Six homes using ’50s vintage Christmas yard art, including a full-size 1962 Harold Gale mechanical Santa. Four homes on 56th Avenue also will feature vintage items.

A treasured blockbuster off T Street, where folks continue its annual tradition of illuminated hoops over sidewalks and walkways. Visitors are greeted with a handmade welcome sign. There’s a cutout photo opt, and inflatables such as the Buddy character from “Elf.”

The self-proclaimed “Natomas Rock Opera,” a synchronized light show production, is held on the hour from 5 to 10 p.m. Tune to 98.9 FM.

This colorful scene includes whimsical snowpeople constructed out of tumbleweeds.

Embellished in more than 10,000 lights (until 9:30 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays), with rotating Christmas trees, music (until 9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays), Star Shower lasers in the driveway, Santa waving in the window.

7134 Pocket Road, Sacramento; 95831:

A classic look, with no blow-ups or moving parts.

9224 Carla Way, Sacramento; 95826

RosemontLights.com light display includes over 20,000 lights synchronized to music with a 20 foot tree, inflatable decorations, singing elements and more. Tune in to 100.7 FM from the comfort of your car for a synchronized light show. The display runs 6-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, and 6-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, through New Year’s.

3240 Eastwood Rd, Sacramento; 95821:

It’s a lot to take in here, with 60,000 lights all synced to music using Light-O-Rama software. Lights are on from 6 to 10 every night.

3033 Bertis Dr. Sacramento; 95821

This house is full of fun blow ups and festive decor. Come see the excitement being had in the North Pole and see a Santa delivering presents (watch out for the Grinch!). This is a festive display that’s perfect for the whole family.

2925 Merrywood Drive Sacramento; 95825

This single-family home includes many lights, including an angel on the roof and deer on lawn.

WEST SACRAMENTO

1604 19th Street, West Sacramento, 95691

Lots of inflatables, including a two-story reindeer and Santa in a sleigh pulled by flamingos. One-of-a-kind items including a Christmas alligator.

Municpal lights

This story was originally published December 8, 2020 at 10:39 AM.