Merry Christmas, Joy to the Weird, and festive holiday greetings to you from Austin! Last night, on Christmas Eve, my family and I joined curious throngs of people walking and cruising along W. 37th Street, with a jog down Home Lane and over to W. 35th Street, to soak up some of the weirdest holiday lights in town.

Raising the red lantern, this colorfully lit yard on W. 35th entices visitors to enter with a medley of string lights along a narrow, winding path marked by a park-style Hiking Trail sign. Don’t mind if I do! We ducked in from the street…

…and were dazzled by laser lights dancing like disco fairies in a stand of bamboo.

At another house, a sock monkey creche put an Austin spin on the traditional Christmas display.

The Texas climate may not be hospitable to reindeer, but armadillos? We’ve got ’em, and so does Santa.

This house on 37th Street went with a Bollywood theme, featuring the Taj Mahal, an Indian elephant, and Bollywood stars, along with sari-like, colorful porch hangings.

Like a tinsel-tree mantel display come to life, this miniature forest evokes a nostalgic mood.

“Hmmm, good have you been?”

Uh-oh. The Grinch, stealing Christmas lights, will be getting only coal in his stocking.

Christmas lights give a patch of prickly pear a colorful glow.

Here’s a twist on a flocked Christmas tree. It’s flocked with flamingos!

Like lovebirds, a pair of plastic flamingos nestles in the center of a sago palm.

At this house, it’s the nightmare before Xmas. Santa got caught in a spiderweb, and a large black spider menaces from the roofline. Watch out, Santa!

A blast from the past, this glowing T-Rex welcomes visitors to 37th Street. I do love the spirit of this town.

Merry Christmas, y’all!

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Digging Deeper

Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Season 8 kicks off in fall 2024. Stay tuned for more info!