It's time for holiday lights! Here's your guide to local displays.

Leah Romero, Las Cruces Sun-News
·2 min read

LAS CRUCES – When snow is not a given in southern New Mexico, lights and decorations are what signal the holiday season. Driving around town, taking in the lights is a tradition beloved by many.

Christmas and winter holiday decorations typically start popping up around Thanksgiving in preparation for the rest of the year. Las Cruces and the larger Doña Ana County is full of beautiful displays and exciting light shows.

A home on Doña Ana Road adorns their house with Christmas lights and decorations in Las Cruces on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2021.
A home on Doña Ana Road adorns their house with Christmas lights and decorations in Las Cruces on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2021.

One Las Cruces family decorated their Griggs Avenue home with over 20,000 LED lights and other decorations. People are invited to drive by the home and tune their radios to 87.9 FM to enjoy the synced lights and playlist.

The display will be up and running from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 6 p.m. to midnight Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Head over to 1755 E. Griggs Ave. for the holiday fun.

Another home off Sonoma Ranch Boulevard will feature holiday decorations as well as special appearances by Santa Claus, the Grinch, Las Cruces Catholic School Choir and Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Drive by and see the lights, or hop out to take pictures and talk with the special guests. The schedule includes:

  • Santa Claus: Dec. 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24

  • The Grinch: Dec. 14, 15, 19, 21, 23, 24

  • Las Cruces Catholic School Choir: 6 p.m. Dec. 21

  • Mickey and Minnie Mouse: Dec. 22, 24

Local students will sing for visitors Dec. 21 for a night titled Letters to Santa. Children will be invited to write their own letters to Santa and drop them in the mailbox in front of the home. Several of the letters will be chosen at random and the child's wish will be granted on Christmas Eve.

This is the second year the family has hosted Letters to Santa. All event days with special guests will last from 6 to 9 p.m. Otherwise, the home, at 7496 Sierra de Oro will be lit with decorations.

Community displays include luminarias set up in the Village of Doña Ana’s plaza near the De La O Community Center on Cristo Rey Street and the Town of Mesilla’s display in the historic plaza.

The Sun-News put together a map of popular holiday decoration displays around town. Let us know if we missed a display. Email news@lcsun-news.com.

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Leah Romero is the trending reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-418-3442, LRomero@lcsun-news.com or @rromero_leah on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: It's time for holiday lights! Here's your guide to local displays.