Dallas homes and neighborhoods sparkle and shine through the holidays, with dazzling coordinated displays, choreographed shows, and Christmas lights so merry and bright that Santa can see them from the North Pole.

Below is a roundup of the best neighborhoods and homes for a holiday-light pilgrimage in 2024. Many of them are plugging in Thanksgiving weekend; check back often, as the list will grow and grow as the season goes on.

For a longer list of marvelous Christmas lights around Dallas - including drive-thru attractions, immersive experiences, commercial displays and more, head to this story.

Neighborhoods and subdivisions with special displays

Deerfield Holiday Lights, Plano, December 1-30
The Deerfield subdivision of northwest Plano hosts a magical winter wonderland you can walk or drive through. You can even book carriage rides in advance to see dancing Santas, millions of twinkling lights, and larger-than-life displays. Deerfield is located between Preston Road and Coit Road. Check the website for maps and important information about traffic flow and parking. The free event runs 7 pm-10 pm on weekdays and 7 pm-11 pm on weekends.

Interlochen Lights, Arlington, December 14-26
The Interlochen neighborhood in northwest Arlington annually presents Interlochen Lights, more than 200 homes decked out in lights and holiday-themed displays. The event allows guests to drive through the neighborhood and pick out favorite displays while they tune into holiday music in the car. The route map is here. This year, the lights will be on from 6-11 pm December 14-26; free to drive through. Watch for updates on their website and Facebook page.

Glenbrook Christmas, Bedford, December 1-31
The Bedford neighborhood lights up nightly to tell the story of “The Night Before Christmas - In Texas That Is” - along with other festive displays. The entrance to Glenbrook is on Brookside Drive located between Cummings and Forest Ridge. The displays will be on daily, 6-10 pm. Follow the Facebook page for updates.

Regents Park Luminary Event, McKinney, December 14-15
Residents of this Stonebridge Ranch neighborhood hand fold over 2,500 paper bags each year and line the streets and central park area with luminaries for families to enjoy. Grab a cup of hot chocolate or apple cider and drive or walk through streets lined with traditional luminaries and enjoy the Christmas lights that adorn the Craftsman-style homes. For updates, follow the Facebook page (highly recommended as this is a weather dependent event). Runs December 14-15 only.

Homes with over-the-top lights

Electric Lizzyland, Old East Dallas
Liz Simmons has brought the Lakewood-area favorite back for 2024. Fans look forward to seeing her creative and eclectic displays, from a front lawn is aglow with tens of thousands of lights, to vignettes that, in past years, have included Santa and his reindeer, an Abominable Snowman, a glittery mural adorning the house, and much more. Walk through the spectacle from about 6-8:30 pm (weather permitting) December 14-25. Find it at 714 Newell Ave., Dallas, 75223. Follow their Facebook page for updates.

Santa House, University Park
Once hailed "the single best Christmas light display in Dallas," this perennial favorite fills the front lawn with hundreds of lighted blow-mold decorations that homeowner Wayne Smith has amassed over the years. But look up — way up to the roof — and you'll find his distinctly "Dallas" touch: the head of the State Fair's very first Big Tex, restored to his original form as St. Nick in 1949 and donning a Santa hat. Find it nightly at 3629 Southwestern Blvd., Dallas.

Miracle on 134th Street, Celina, November 23-December 23
A Celina family has turned their massive property into a holiday amusement park, complete with over 1 million lights, a train, carousel ride, Santa's workshop, Mrs. Claus’ bakery, and much more. Tickets start at $26.99 for adults; $20.99 for kids 3-12, with season passes available and free on-site parking. It runs 5:30-9 pm through December 23. Find it at 10455 County Road 133, Celina, 75009. Follow theFacebook page for updates on special photo ops and more. Here's a preview:

Burkman Holiday Home, Frisco, starts December 1
An alumni of ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight, the Burkmans’ home is one of the most famous Christmas-light attractions in the area. It features nearly 115,000 lights, animatronic figures, special “character” photo nights, and more. They also collect new/unwrapped toys for the The LiyanaStrong Foundation and charitable donations for a scholarship fund. They're featured on the new Hallmark+ show Ready, Set, Glow! Ready, Set, Glow! starting December 12. Open nightly beginning December 1, but closed the first two Mondays in December and for inclement weather. Hours are 5:30-10 Sunday-Thursday and 5:30-11 Friday-Saturday through December 28. Check the Facebook page for updates.

The Movie House, Allen, November 28-January 1
This Allen family home turns into a theater, showing highlights from favorite holiday classics like Christmas Vacation, Elf, A Christmas Story, Home Alone, Love Actually, Die Hard and more - all set to music and over 10,000 lights. Guests can also snap a pic in front of a 6-foot star that makes everyone part of the action. The 15-minute show starts on the quarter hour every night from 6-11 pm and runs Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.. 1600 Wagon Wheel Dr., Allen. Preview it here:

Tell Family Lights, Keller, November 28-December 31
The family in this home near Keller Central High School is bigger and better than ever, they say. The choreographed light show features 60 songs, and visitors can now download an app on their phones to listen to the show (or tune in to FM radio in the car). Then vote on a favorite song. (Make sure to not block anyone’s driveway and be careful driving down the street, they advise.) The show runs is on 6-10 pm daily starting Thanksgiving night. Find it at 5016 Keating St., Fort Worth, 76244. Follow their website or Facebook page for more information and updates.

'The Gift of Light' display at Joules-Cornetti home, McKinney, November 28-January 1
This wonderland in McKinney has a little bit of everything: dazzling lights, inflatables, wireframe items, yard art, an entire section devoted to nativities, plus Santas and reindeer, polar bears and penguins, Disney characters, and new for this year - a Buc-ee's inflatable mascot. The "gift" is that they raise money for the American Heart Association, and the story behind their effort is very personal. The lights go on 5-11 pm Thanksgiving through New Year's Day. Find it at 8624 Palermo Way, McKinney. They'll be competing on ABC's Great Christmas Light Fight at 8 pm Thursday, December 5; read more about it in this story.

The Joules-Cornetti family's Christmas light display in McKinney is so big and bright, it can be seen from an airplane. Photo courtesy of ABC

‘Stay in the Light’ display at Hughes Home, Rockwall, December 1-25
Homeowners Brenda and David Hughes have strung more than 150,000 lights outside their home in a festive display. They call it "Stay in the Light" in memory of their son, Nathaniel, who suffered from depression and passed away in 2019 at the age of 29. The couple is accepting donations for Meals on Wheels Senior Services of Rockwall County plus blankets, socks, and toys to a local children’s hospital. The lights are on nightly, 6-10 pm. 1655 Plummer Dr., Rockwall, in The Shores neighborhood. They'll be competing on ABC's Great Christmas Light Fight at 7 pm Thursday, December 5; read more about it in this story.

The Hughes family's light display in Rockwall competed on ABC's Great Christmas Light Fight on December 5, 2024. Photo courtesy of ABC/Great Christmas Light Fight

Wisdom Way Lights, Haltom City, November 28-January 1
The Gonzalez family's past choreographed light shows have gone viral for their Selena and Texas Rangers World Series themes. The 2024 presentation will consist of three new shows: Deadpool Wolverine, Bluey, and Wicked. They're also bringing back last year's hit Mario show. Visitors can view the shows from from their cars and listen on radio channel 89.7 FM. Wisdom Way Lights runs nightly from 6-midnight. Find it at 4521 Wisdom Way, Haltom City, and follow Wisdom Way Lights on Facebook and YouTube for show schedule and updates.

Holiday Howards' Christmas House, Celina, through December 29
This spectacular family house dazzles with over 50,000+ LED lights, animatronics, projection videos, photo booth areas, sparkling lights, lights synchronized to music, and much more. The display is on from 5:30 pm-10 pm Monday-Thursday and 5:30 pm-11 pm Friday-Sunday, through December 29. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the lights will be on from 5:30 pm-11:30 pm. Find it at 4332 Switchgrass Street, Celina, 75009, in the Light Farms Community (Cypress Subdivision) right behind Prosper High School.

Holiday Howards' Christmas House stuns in Celina.Courtesy photo

Worth the drive...

Mach Christmas Display, Ennis
The Mach family's epic 3.5-acre Texas-themed display is a walk-through attraction that uses half a million lights, 200 inflatables, and more to depict 40 cities across Texas. They're battling on The Great Christmas Light Fight on December 19 (available to stream on Hulu the next day). The display is open on select nights through the holiday season; follow their Facebook page for the schedule and more information. The address is 171 FM1183, Ennis, 75119. Follow the directions at the pin on Google Maps.

The Mach Christmas display in Ennis will compete on ABC's Great Christmas Light Fight on December 19, 2024. Photo courtesy of ABC

More homes recommended by readers:

• 6215 Deloache Ave., Dallas (Highland Park home with stunning white lights covering the house, plus beautiful decorations going viral for attracting a lot of traffic.)
• 14594 Turnbridge Dr., Frisco (Coordinated lights and music display, runs 6-9 pm Sunday-Thursday and 6-10 pm Friday-Saturday)
• 6301 Tuckers Place, Rowlett (Lights and music show)
• Smith Family Lights, 604 McNeill Ln., Saginaw (Coordinated light and music show open 5:15-10 pm nightly.)
• DFWchristmaslightshow - Araujo Family, 4341 Woodglen Dr., Grapevine (animated light show synchronized to music)
• 224 Harper Court, Keller (Coordinated light and music show that plays 6-11 pm nightly; every house in the neighborhood is lit up for city’s theme of "Snow Globe.")
• 6819 Fallbrook Ct., Colleyville (Spectacular set-up of brightly colored lights around the house and trees)
• 5700 block of Montclair, Colleyville (big lights display including "fiery" red tree)
• 7312 Bursey Rd., North Richland Hills (lights display to music)
• 312 Shea Ln., Saginaw (Two walk-thru areas with over 75 inflatables and thousands of lights)
• Live Oak Creek neighborhood, Haywire Ranch Rd., Fort Worth (76108) off White Settlement Rd., west Fort Worth (many homes lit up brightly)
• 5901 Pacers, Fort Worth (lights display to music)
• 4941 Trail Creek Dr., Fort Worth (lights display to music)
• 4113 Carnation Dr. Arlington (lights and inflatables)
• 3905 Drew Ln., Arlington (lights show)

Neighborhoods with pretty lights

The Park Cities
The stately homes in the Park Cities neighborhoods of Dallas dress up with beautiful light displays; pick just about any street where you see houses lit top to bottom in twinkling lights, and there are bound to be a dozen more. Don’t miss Highland Park Village and its 1.5 million lights, and be sure to drive down SMU’s Bishop Boulevard, toward the fountain and back. The annual SMU Celebration of Lights takes place Sunday, December 2.

Kessler Park
Historic Kessler Park features twinkling holiday lights on grand old homes and majestic trees against a backdrop of the Dallas skyline. The holiday decorations are coordinated on various traffic islands in the neighborhood each year. From downtown Dallas, go west on Interstate 30. Take the Sylvan exit, turn south on Sylvan, drive about a half a mile, and turn west on Colorado.

Elderoaks Lights, Oak Cliff
A Dallas tradition more than 30 years strong, Elderoaks sees 96 percent of its homes participate in an impressive display. Located along three streets just south of the old Oak Cliff Country Club (Elderoaks Lane, Elderleaf Drive, and Elderoaks Place), the neighborhood scenes celebrate Christmas with homemade decorations that span medieval times to present day. Don't miss the streaming show of Christmas carols. There's no fee to watch, and lights go on at dusk each night.

Downtown Dallas
While this isn't necessarily a "residential" neighborhood like the others, it's worth noting that downtown is upping the ante when it comes to Christmas light events in 2024. Opportunities include the all-new Dallas Trail of Lights near Reunion Tower; Camp Christmas in the Arts District; and "Ice, Lights & City Nights" at Omni Dallas hotel. Both the Reliant Lights Your Holidays event in the Dallas Arts District and Klyde Warren Park Tree Lighting Celebration take place December 7.

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Know of another spectacular lights display in DFW? Email stephanie@culturemap.com. Please include a website or link to social media page with your recommendation.