Growing up, one of my favorite times of the year was driving around to see Christmas lights. We stayed up late, drank hot chocolate in the back seat and oo’d and aaah’d at all the pretty twinkling lights.
So when we moved to San Diego and I heard about neighborhoods going all out with decorations, I knew we had to check them out.
So a few days before Christmas last year, we kept them up past bedtime, plopped them in the stroller, added some layers, and took a stroll through Candy Cane Lane in Poway.
Last year was the first year my kids (then almost 4 and almost 2) really got into the spirit of Christmas, so it was the perfect time to start our new tradition of looking at Christmas lights. Santa Clause, festive music, presents, lights, baking cookies—they were into the whole shebang, which made it even more fun for us to watch the holidays through their eyes.
You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see a row of cars parked on the sides of the streets, and throngs of people and strollers heading in one direction.
Every house goes all out with lights, decorations, themes at some places, and even inflatable decorations.
Some homes go even further by playing music, offering hot coco, projecting holiday movies on their garage, and if your little one can squeeze their way into the front of the line, they can even write a letter to Santa!
We’re already planning on heading back to Candy Cane Lane this year, and making it a tradition; my oldest already told me she’s so excited for “that time of year.”
A few things to remember if you go with little ones: pack layers of clothes, and maybe even bring a blanket. It may start out on the warmer side, but the temps can drop and make your kids cold. This year I may buy some of those battery-operated string lights you see at the Target dollar section and put them around our stroller to be a little more festive. We also played Christmas music on our phone as we walked around. It made it more jolly while we were in between homes. And one last tip: bring change/money if you plan on donating for some of the snacks along the way. I wished that I brought at least a little bit so I could contribute.
I know there are several other neighborhoods in San Diego that go all out, so if you’ve been to one, tell me a little bit about it in the comments so we can add it to our list for this year!
For more info on Poway’s Candy Cane Lane, follow them on Facebook.
Originally published: December 5, 2017
