The Interlochen Christmas Lights are one of Arlington’s most popular holiday traditions. It began in 1976 when a family in the fledgling neighborhood decorated their home for Christmas. The neighborhood developer, Bob Findlay, liked the idea and sponsored a contest the following year to entice others to decorate. He hoped it would help sell more lots and houses in the young neighborhood, and it did. Admittedly, the origins were a tad more financial than festive, but the event has grown to embody the Christmas spirit.
Interlochen Christmas Lights
The holiday event remains popular over 40 years later. As over 200 homes usually participate, who wouldn’t enjoy seeing that many homes decorated for the holidays? Families and friends pack their cars and slowly snake through the neighborhood to admire the lights and displays. Nearly 100,000 people drive through the neighborhood each year to see the lights, with folks coming from all over the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond. The event is officially open for about ten days before Christmas. The Arlington Police Department is there to help direct traffic and keep it somewhat organized, with visitors encouraged to stay in specific lanes and follow the designated path.
The organized approach wasn’t always there, though. In the early days, cars could go whichever way they wanted. As the event grew, the homeowner’s association partnered with the City of Arlington, setting up a designated path and controlling the entrance and exit points, making the traffic flow easier to manage. Today, there’s only a single entrance and exit, and the designed path makes something of a loop.
Growing up in nearby Mansfield, my family often visited Arlington to see the lights. This was in the late 1980s and early 1990s when it felt like a long trip. (It still does today, but that’s probably because of Arlington’s growth, construction, and traffic!) I went begrudgingly each time as a kid but ended up enjoying it. The event can fill you with the Christmas spirit, even when you’re a Scrooge or a Grinch at heart. I don’t get overly sentimental at Christmas, but the Interlochen lights are nostalgic.
Interlochen 2023
My wife and I try to go each year and make it one of our Christmas traditions. We arrived at about 7:15 on a Wednesday night, and it took nearly an hour to get inside the neighborhood. Last year, our wait was much shorter—the wait depends on when you arrive, and the earlier the better. Whether by design or default, more homes are decorated near the entrance than later in the tour. The traffic also starts to thin out after a while. People start going at varying speeds depending on their interests and how patient or indulgent their carload is. There are shortcuts through the neighborhood if you want to bypass parts of it, too, and you notice cars starting to skip cul-de-sacs or entire streets.
In past years, neighbors sometimes joined together for a theme, but this year, most everyone went solo. Some keep it old school with tasteful lights and displays they’ve used for years, while others add contemporary touches like inflatables, synchronized light shows, projections, animatronics, and other festive outbursts. Residents take pride in their decorations, and rightfully so. Some may hire professionals for certain things, but it’s mostly a neighborhood doing what it can with what they have. I like that, as it fits in with the “can-do” spirit of Arlington.
As you’d expect, there were thousands of Christmas lights, with every color, style, and design imaginable represented. Displays included the usual suspects—Santa, snowmen, reindeer, candy canes, trees, nativity scenes, the Grinch, and the like. There were many inflatables this year—too many, my wife and I agreed. I liked the inflatables that were 40 feet high and sometimes taller than the house, though. Nothing says over-the-top like a 40-foot Santa Claus in the front yard! Well, nothing except the house with several 40-foot inflatables, which was surreal, ostentatious, and quite possibly the stuff of Christmas nightmares.
One house was apparently obsessed with pink flamingos, while moose surprisingly seemed popular this year. A few houses supported local college teams, while others showed love for their favorite characters or causes. Snoopy and his friends were popular, as were Disney characters. There was an interfaith house with a large Star of David paired with a cross. In contrast, another had a giant stuffed teddy bear that slowly moved—I can’t decide whether it was festive or frightening.
The Star Wars-themed house was memorable, but I believe they did the exact same thing last year. I liked the “Home Alone” themed house, though, and the 80s-themed one was indeed totally rad. I also liked the old pickup trucks with lights and decorations. Carolers sometimes serenade the cars, but I didn’t see any this year; some houses had Christmas music playing to enhance the mood, though. A few houses were selling hot chocolate and other goodies, although the neighborhood generally discourages this as it can slow down the traffic.
The Christmas spirit inevitably leads to the spirit of competition. With so many houses decorating, you know there’s a friendly (or perhaps not-so-friendly) competition amongst some residents to outdo each other. The neighborhood gives out a few awards, including “Best of Show” and a “Griswold” award to the house that goes the most over the top. Award-winners proudly display the sign in their yards. Bragging rights, for sure, but the January electric bill? Probably not so much.
There’s so much to see that it’s nearly a blur by the time it’s over. We finished the lights at about 9:15, and there was still a long line to get inside the neighborhood. Get there early if you can! Organizers recommend going Monday through Thursday around 6:00 PM for smaller crowds. Even then, expect a line sometimes to get in. Santa Claus himself wouldn’t even try going on the weekends when the line to get into the neighborhood can stretch a few miles. There may be less crowded neighborhoods to see Christmas lights, but none of them have the nostalgia of Interlochen.
About the neighborhood
Interlochen is a well-kept, affluent neighborhood with many houses clocking in at 3,500 square feet and valued at $400,000. Most homes were built in the 1970s and feature unique designs and architecture. It’s an attractive neighborhood to drive through, even without the Christmas lights. The area is actually called Lake Interlochen, as there is a private 12-acre lake with five channels in the neighborhood. The lake is part of the rainwater drainage system for northwest Arlington. Not only is it functional for rainwater, but it also allows recreational opportunities for boating and fishing. It’s aesthetically pleasing, too, which adds to the neighborhood’s appeal. There are about 260 homes in the 100-acre community, including 140 waterfront residences. It is also the site of Bob Findlay Linear Park, named for the developer of the Interlochen neighborhood.
The residents also enjoy holiday boat parades with pontoons, kayaks, and canoes on the lake and channels. Independence Day is their largest celebration, with smaller ones for Mardi Gras, Easter, and Halloween. I wouldn’t mind taking a kayak on a private waterway through my neighborhood. No sir, I wouldn’t mind that one bit!
Blog post by Jason S. Sullivan, 12-24-23
Photos by Jennifer Sullivan (I was driving!)
Jason S. Sullivan 