Kudos to everyone who kept their displays going through all the stormy weather this December. Inflatables were blowing over, tree branches were dropping on displays, and everything was sitting in an inch-deep lawn puddle.
A lot of the displays I saw this year had obvious damage, malfunctioning lights, or deflated inflatables, all probably because of the weather, so keep that in mind if you’re looking at these houses in the future.
We got a few suggestions for houses in University Place so we branched out a little this year.
This year’s collection zig zags all over the city so be sure to check the past years’ houses on the master list as you’ll almost certainly pass a few others along the way. This year’s houses will go on the list later on.
As always, please be respectful of private property, drive like you’re the only one paying attention, and if you have any good houses to add to the list, be sure to drop a comment below.
And if any of these houses stand out to you, even if it’s one of the less extravagant ones, it would be really nice to take a couple minutes and write them a letter. It can be as simple as, “Thanks for the pretty lights!” If you have kids who are old enough to write a thank you note or scribble a picture, that’s even better.
Knowing that your efforts brought someone joy—especially someone you don’t even know—is one of the greatest feelings you can have. The people who put up these displays do it out of love for our community, pure and simple, and it would be great to reflect some of that back to them.
5110 S 11th St.
A yard full of inflatables is fun to see but I respect a good collection of hard plastic statues. This one’s high enough up that it’s mostly visible to little kids in car seats.
2918 S 14th St.
I saw this one driving by a block south and it caught my attention. I wasn’t going to stop at first but my five-year-old spontaneously rated it a 20 on a scale of 10 so I figured it was worthwhile.
2125 S Wilkeson St.
I couldn’t believe the helicopter inflatable was still going with all the wind but it was a nice one to see. Most of it was easy to see while driving by but it’s worth stopping and walking around since there are two other houses nearby with nice displays.
Atlas Foundry
Whoever climbed all the way up there to hang a bunch of lights on the smoke stack deserves a round of applause and a free beer after work. That’s nice to see and completely unexpected.
6307 S C St.
Classic rainbow lights, straight to the point. The house across the street at 6308 is also very colorful.
6464 S L St.
All the candy canes and light-up displays your heart desires. The wind took out a couple toy soldiers but it was still an impressive setup. Bonus points for the clever sign.
6466 S M St.
This house has a lot of different features but they all match up really well with the house itself. Very classy.
4504 N Visscher St.
Lots and lots of tiny little lights. This one’s nice and high up so littles can see from a car seat.
5120 N 44th St
The manger was having a hard time in the weather but inflatable Jesus didn’t seem to mind. All the bushes were covered well with lights.
3302 N Villard St
I love dressed up trees, especially bare-branched deciduous trees. Maybe it’s because I know how much of a pain it must be to string them all up on a ladder and take them down and I just admire their perseverance. I think it makes a great yard, though.
Three Seven Two Four N 22nd St
The balls on these trees might be a navigation hazard to low-flying aircraft. They were so bright I had to squint when I was walking up to them from across the street. If you’re looking for some fun photos of the kids, this is the spot to do it. The LEDs are literally as bright as daylight so it’ll be easy to do. Bonus points for the extra fancy spelled out address.
6915 N 11th St
I don’t know if the boat is a permanent yard fixture or if they bring it out every year just for Christmas. This one is tucked into a neighborhood off the main road but it’s worth checking out.
2721 Sunset Dr W
Blue-white LEDs can feel cold and unwelcoming in a house but when you build your whole display with them, it makes a cool effect. It’s also up high enough to easily see from a car seat.
3328 Sunset Dr W
This one is definitely worth visiting but the lights were off when I went by. Possibly because of bad weather, maybe it was just too late. They have a whole Facebook page that you can check out, though.
1311 Magnolia Ct
This house was an unexpected surprise. I wasn’t shopping for Fircrest lights but it was too good to pass up. Maligayang Pasko means Merry Christmas in Tagalog and they were definitely feeling the holiday spirit. One small request for next year though, that yellow fire hydrant would make a perfect Santa minion.
5611 S Huson St
This last house jumped out of the darkness and grabbed my eyeballs as I was heading home on 56th St. It’s a little out of the way but worth it. Classic rainbow or warm white lights are great but when people just go all the way with crazy LED colors and iridescent deer, it’s a whole different kind of fun.
