In the 2020s, every metro area and even many small towns across the United States have one or more neighborhoods where homeowners join together each December to deck their neighborhood in a dazzling display of Christmas lights, tree-hung ornamentation and winter-themed displays.
Multitudes of locals and visitors alike frequent these seasonal destinations, enjoying the spirit of the season from the warmth of their automobiles or in the frosty air walking down the sidewalks.
But just a few generation, the concept of a residential district of Christmas decorations was unheard of.
The tradition began right here in Southern California, in the Los Angeles foothill suburb of Altadena to be exact, on a 0.7-mile boulevard of deodar cedar trees that lie at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Altadena’s founder, John Woodbury, and his brother Frederick, designed this area in the 1880s. Coming from Iowa and inspired by scenery witnessed on a trip to Europe, the developers planted some 150 conifers on Santa Rosa Avenue.
In 1920, when car culture was just getting started, the president of the Pasadena Chapter of Kiwanis convinced the City of Pasadena and homeowners to participate in a holiday lighting of the trees each December.
As motorists would drive through enjoying the beauty of a Southern California Christmas, they would marvel at the dazzling display of light visible from their car window.
Through the Great Depression, World War II, the postwar suburban boom, economic recessions, and both good times and hard times in between, the tradition has lived on through the generations.
By 1990, the annual display was added to the National Register of Historic Places, a testament to the impact this annual celebration has had on Southern California and the nation.
Photo from January 2024.
Your Visit to Christmas Tree Lane
Compared to today’s holiday spectaculars at theme parks and shopping malls, Christmas Tree Lane might not be as impressive for us as it was for our forebearers.
Still, visiting the neighborhood is a great way to get into the spirit of the season and learn about Christmas history at the same time.
And since the display goes on until Jan. 7, it can easily be added to a visit to the Tournament of Roses Parade or float preparation or post-event viewing.
If you go on a weekend, anticipate a lot of traffic, so you probably will have plenty of time to take in the full display from your car.
Or you might choose to walk the route. But if you do that, be careful, since there aren’t sidewalks.
Add in some music from KOST 103.5 to add to the holiday flavor and enjoy! This is a true California Christmas!
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