Christmas Card Lane is a holiday light display in San Diego, California in the community of Rancho Penasquitos. It is one of the most famous holiday displays in San Diego.[1][2][3][4]
Residents erect giant plywood greetings in their front yards depicting cartoon characters, religious images, or Christmas themes.
History
Christmas Card Lane was started in 1982 by resident Alana Hastings as a way to share the Christmas spirit of the tight-knit community with others in the city.[5] Residents began to call local radio stations to advertise Christmas Card Lane.[5] Initially 15 families on Ellingham Street participated. Now there are about 200, spreading onto Oviedo and Renato streets.[1]
Displays range from Mickey Mouse representing the noted "Christmas Carol" story, to testing out the new naughty-or-nice software. Some displays are so elaborate that residents keep parts up all year.[6][7] School and scouting organizations often sell baked goods and hot chocolate, and members of the local school bands play Christmas carols, while other organizations rent horse-drawn carriages, double decker buses, or limousines: groups sing carols while driving around the neighborhood.[5]
The displays start going up right after Thanksgiving, with most in place by the second week of December and staying there through New Year's. Some displays require weeks of preparation.[5]
