How Neighborhoods Plan and Coordinate their Christmas Displays

You might see them in movies, or on a drive out and about. Maybe you’re lucky enough to live in one. Their displays are magnificent, and orchestrated with fine attention-to-detail. These neighborhoods that plan and coordinate their Christmas displays…

How do they do it?

In one neighborhood, it all started with a contest to lure prospective residents. Let’s start our guide into coordinating Christmas displays in your neighborhood by looking at the story of Deerfield in Plano, a charming neighborhood that’s committed to spreading the joy of Christmas in all of its glowing glory…

The Story of Deerfield in Plano

Deerfield is a neighborhood in Plano, Texas where many people come to see a curated collection of magnificent Christmas displays. It’s a popular destination during the holidays—so much that the lines to drive through the neighborhood can take hours to chug through! But it wasn’t always like that. In fact, Deerfield was once thought to be a remote area too far from Plano.

So the homebuilders had a plan: entice potential buyers of homes by hosting holiday decorating contests. These contests were held for 3 or 4 Christmases, and homeowners who etched their names in the top 3 spots of displays were rewarded handsomely: 1st place received $5,000, 2nd place received $2,500, and 3rd place received $1,000. Denizens of Deerfield went all out, eager to out-decorate each other in the spirit of neighborly competition.

Although these contests aren’t held anymore, Deerfield keeps this tradition of coordinating Christmas displays throughout the neighborhood alive and well.

The Best Types of Christmas lights and Decorations for Neighborhood Coordination

C9 Lights and Light Line

If you want your neighborhood to sport displays that make passersby do a double-take, then you’ll want the best type of Christmas lights for your house. And C9 lights are ideal for your house’s perimeter and outline.

C9 lights on light line carry a clean and refined appearance, and look professional when you go with pro grade. These lights will put your house in its best light (pun definitely intended) because you are outlining silhouettes and the most attractive parts of your house. Rows of houses with hip roofs and gable roofs all lit up look impressive, and even mesmerizing.

Lit Wreaths and Garland

These iconic pieces of holiday tradition are never out of style. Gorgeous during the day and night, lit wreaths and garlands maximize the value of your other decorations through introducing contrast and texture. And why not add some vibrance? Red bows give a big pop of color against natural and artificial foliage during the daytime. If you really want to nail how your neighborhood coordinates their Christmas displays, plan how each house will incorporate a lit wreath or garland.

Ways to Encourage Neighborhood Participation

You’ll need to be on the same page with your fellow community members to figure out how to coordinate Christmas displays in your neighborhood. And you’ll want to be sure your neighbors are willing to find the joy in decorating for themselves! Below are ways to get your neighborhood on board and encourage them to get involved in a wider decoration effort.

Local Forums

These days, technology makes communicating and arranging plans for groups efficient. Local forums such as NextDoor are convenient for making announcements and discussing relevant plans. It’s also worth checking to see if your neighborhood has a Facebook page. If it’s nowhere to be found, work with your neighbors to create a page!

In these digital spaces, you can interact with your neighbors and discuss plans for displays, such as themes and color schemes. Find out how your neighbors will be decorating their homes, and where they’re shopping for Christmas lights as well. To get a truly cohesive look across your neighborhood’s Christmas displays, we recommend you and your neighbors all shop from a trusted professional Christmas lights supplier. Always stay away from the big box retail lights.

Of course, if you know your next door neighbors, you can do something on your street that's special and buzzworthy. With a bit of word-of-mouth and supplies sharing, you can come up with a special attraction that brings the fun and joy to your block. A neighborhood in north Dallas had this idea when they created light arches across their sidewalk. Using PVC piping, C6 string lights, rope light, garland, zip cord and other materials, the loops were constructed with unique colors and decorations to match the houses behind them. Neighbors and visitors were encouraged to walk through the tunnel's unique, Candyland-like experience!

Host an Annual Decorating Contest

Host an annual decorating contest to inspire your neighborhood to coordinate their Christmas displays. People often go above and beyond to impress in the name of competition. A contest also makes it a lot more fun for your neighbors to decorate their homes into idyllic Christmas masterpieces, too. Your annual decorating contest just might make coordinating extravagant Christmas displays in your neighborhood a tradition like in Deerfield!

Your contest will need some planning so that everything is understood among your neighbors. Formulate rules, select judges, and set dates for contest entry and judging of displays. Depending on how many of your neighbors join up for the contest, designate different categories for displays, such as “most colorful” or “brightest.” And to incentivize the creation of the highest quality displays from your neighbors, award those who earn the top spots with prizes. Thoughtfully chosen items, cash, or even fun made-up trophies are all fair game for encouraging your neighborhood to exceed expectations.

Put Up a Central Tower Tree

A central tree has the power to bring your neighborhood together in place and spirit, representing the unity of a tight-knit community. If you have a community clubhouse, park or other central gathering point, the addition of a large commercial Christmas tree can really conjure up community spirit. With your neighborhood’s Christmas tree where it belongs, host a tree lighting ceremony to bring like-minded neighbors together and summon the motivation to decorate. This kind of gathering is the perfect opportunity to discuss how your neighborhood can plan and coordinate Christmas displays.

Contact Your Homeowners Association (HOA)

Your neighborhood’s homeowners association serves as a key component in guiding your neighborhood on planning and coordinating Christmas displays. Your HOA may have rules in place on Christmas decorations regarding elements such as themes or timeline. And it’s in your HOA’s interest to maintain rules on decorating because displays from house-to-house collectively make up the look of your neighborhood during the holidays. Find out what rules your HOA has in place already. Then, work with them if need be to establish further guidance on how your neighborhood can coordinate Christmas displays.

How to Find Awesome Neighborhoods for Christmas Lights

Looking for some inspiration? Yearning to live in a community that’s as passionate about Christmas decorating as you? Or do you just want to take a fun and festive tour of breathtaking neighborhood displays? Here are the top methods for finding neighborhoods that coordinate Christmas displays with each other excellently.

Search for Social Media Pages

A plethora of drive-through neighborhoods and popular houses have their own special pages on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These pages usually offer helpful info about show dates, times of operation, and parking. Use them as a resource to find the best neighborhood displays, near or far.

Keep an Eye Out for Neighborhoods Offering Horse Carriage Service

Deerfield of Plano and Highland Park are two affluent neighborhoods with huge, detailed houses and substantial participation in Christmas decorating. Both neighborhoods have horse carriage services that attract visitors looking to enjoy a calm, romantic journey through the streets. Horse carriages in the neighborhood are always a great indicator of promising Christmas light enthusiasm.

Social Media Pages

Writers and influencers who are in the know are always cooking up great content covering the best neighborhoods to admire coordinated Christmas displays. Content about neighborhoods generally stays relevant for years, so you can be confident that blog articles over 5 years old still provide reliable info.

Getting your neighbors on board with an organized approach to Christmas displays can transform your neighborhood into a dazzlingly decorated wonderland. And we’re here if you need help getting there. Reach out through the contact information below with any questions on how to coordinate Christmas displays in your neighborhood.