Christmas Lights In The Lake Area

When I was a little girl, our family had a tradition of piling into the car and driving around to see the Christmas lights. Even today, seeing a house decorated and those lights blinking still gives me a warm feeling and puts an enormous, toothy grin on my face.

Technology, music, imagination, and the sheer joy of giving the gift of a happy heart have converged so that even the scroogiest of scrooges can feel merry and bright. And what amazing talent these homeowners have!

We are fortunate in the Lake area to have the opportunity to see all their designs, from the simple to the hang-on-to-your-Santa-hat, in several area towns. Plan a night to load up the family, turn up the holiday tunes, and enjoy one of the season's simplest pleasures.

• Christmas on the Hill, 2151 Lynn Trahan Rd., Sulphur- The light show begins at 5:30 each night and is set to a short-range radio signal you can catch within a certain distance from the location.
• Carlyss Light Show Spectacular,1372 Carl Lyons Rd., Sulphur- Their display also starts at 5:30, and they've got a new display this year!
• LeJeune's House of Lights, 515 Mill Ave., Lake Arthur- Not only can you enjoy the lights, the children can deliver their letters to Santa! They may even get to visit with the Jolly Ole Elf himself. If you go see the LeJeune's impressive display, bring a canned good or two, if you're able. They collect them each year in conjunction with their holiday light event, and then donate them for needy families.
• Cruze's Christmas Light Show, 2193 W. Armand St., Moss Bluff- With over 21,000 lights and all of them set to a full playlist of Christmas music you can catch on short-range radio and maybe even a visit from St. Nick himself, this display will get you into the spirit of the season. There are some requests for visitors, so check their Facebook page for details.

Public parks and buildings you shouldn't miss on your Christmas light trail:

• Lake Charles Civic Center
• Prien Lake Park, Lake Charles
• The Grove at Heritage Square, Sulphur
• Founder's Park, Jennings
• Jennings Main Street
• Downtown Deridder Christmas Light Show
• Downtown Crowley Christmas Lighting Display

KPLC listed quite a few other homes in the southwest Louisiana area in the last year that pulled out all the stops and plugged in all the cords to light it up this Christmas.

If you're up for a road trip, there's even a Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights!

Have fun, be safe, and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!