Lifestyle

Houston Neighborhood Brings Back Bright Christmas Tradition

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Since 1968, plentiful Christmas lights have been a tradition in the Houston neighborhood Shepherd Park Plaza. Homeowners decorate their yards and install arches with twinkling white light for visitors to drive through while taking in all of the holiday cheer.

KHOU reports that Shepherd Park Plaza has had some off-years since the 1960s due to an “energy crisis in the 1980s, vandalism in the 1990s and an aging group of homeowners…” Now, the neighbors are back to going all in with illumination.

Last year, Houstonia Magazine talked to resident Leann Salmons about her family’s decorating traditions. She said they use about 30 – 40 boxes of lights along with items like “a waving Santa in a rocking chair one year or another in a helicopter the next year, all ready to be displayed and set to music that can be heard via radio broadcast.”

Salmons said the only small downfall of the Christmas light extravaganza in her neighborhood is that once the sun goes down she sometimes has to wait in a line of cars to get to her house! KHOU writes that “through Christmas Eve, you can join hundreds of others driving, strolling and taking a hay ride through Shepherd Park Plaza.”

Late work night, headin' home sweet home. #shepherdparkplaza

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