West Seattle, Washington
13 Saturday
Thanks to Emily for sending tonight’s photo! These lights are on 50th SW, between SW Hudson and SW Edmunds, a block we last featured five years ago.
To see other lights we’ve featured, scroll through this archive. If you have tips – your own lights or someone else’s, with or without a photo – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
After we featured Ken Arkills‘ house at 39th/Trenton in Fauntlee Hills two weeks ago, he suggested we return to the neighborhood to check out neighbors’ brightly lit homes. We did that tonight, and this one stood out, at the corner of 40th/Donovan. But there are others nearby – explore the streets that stretch north and uphill from SW Barton.
To see other lights we’ve featured, scroll through this archive. If you have tips – your own lights or someone else’s, with or without a photo – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
After we featured the revived Gai Family holiday display last Sunday, the comment discussion turned to other longtime sentimental favorites, like this one – the yard full of “Peanuts” characters, in the 2100 block of 47th SW. So we went by tonight for a photo. We last featured this display in 2017, when Don Rice sent us a photo and noted that he’s been doing this for more than 40 years.
To see other lights we’ve featured, scroll through this archive. And if you have tips – your own lights or someone else’s, with or without photos – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Tonight’s West Seattle Christmas lights spotlight are courtesy of Mark Bader, who sent the photo and video of his music-synched lights in Gatewood:
“Austin Street Christmas Lights” is at 3711 SW Austin Street. I have about 2000 lights; all of them are LED lights that can change to any color. There are 5 songs that are synced to the lights, if you stay and watch all of them, it’s about 15 minutes of music. The lights run from 4 pm to 10 pm nightly – tune your car radio to 99.5 to hear the music.
To see other lights we’ve featured, scroll through this archive. And if you have tips – your own lights or someone else’s, with or without photos – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
For tonight’s Christmas-lights spotlight, we went a bit south of the city/county line. These lights are on the west side of 26th SW, just south of SW 102nd [map]. Lots of twinkling if you stop and watch for a while; the house on its north side has a fun display too. If you drive 26th south from Barton (Westwood Village), you’ll see several other bright displays along the way.
Want to suggest lights for us to check out? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you! See what we’ve showcased already – scroll through the archive!
A longtime Christmas-season landmark in West Seattle is shining again. We received multiple tips abut the return of lights to the Gai Family house in the 3200 block of 36th SW. Not just the lights, but also the Madonna:
The family retired the display in 1996, according to a newspaper ad that year thanking the community. That was nine years before the death of patriarch Phil Gai, who with his brother Henry ran their namesake breadmaking company. One of the tipsters who told us about this, Douglas, says the Gais’ son Ron was “putting on the final touches” just last night.
P.S. Know of lights we should see? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Extra-big crowd at Menashe Family Lights (5605 Beach Drive SW) tonight because of the special guest – Santa Claus! He’s there until 10 pm for photos with the twinkling display as a backdrop. Bring nonperishable food for the West Seattle Food Bank, and look for the canopy out front.
P.S. If you can’t catch Santa there tonight, look for him at the Hometown Holidays Santa House on the south end of the West Seattle Farmers’ Market tomorrow, 11 am-2 pm, California/Alaska.
We have a fondness for balcony Christmas lights, with childhood memories from apartment living. So we had to grab a photo of this one when we spotted it tonight – a charming configuration on a balcony in North Admiral, west side of California, just south of Atlantic. (Got lights to suggest, yours or someone else’s? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!)
Though West Seattle Lights is no more, the neighborhood near that show’s former site is still full of holiday spirit – including Wyatt‘s house at 40th and Charlestown. Wyatt notes, “Our whole block is also very festive again this year.” Thanks for sending the photo! More tips – with or without photos – appreciate at westseattleblog@gmail.com; you can scroll through our archive of Christmas-lights coverage by going here.
(WSB photos)
For tonight’s West Seattle Christmas lights spotlight, we head back to the north half of the peninsula – Doug and Diane Hintz sent word of their display at 3403 SW Manning.
They’re on a corner, which means multiple sides to admire!
We’ll keep featuring lights nightly through Christmas – now just two weeks away – if you have a suggestion, whether your own display or one you’ve seen, let us know – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you! (Our archive of previously shown lights is here.)
Tonight’s featured West Seattle Christmas lights are on SW Holly – appropriately enough – between Sylvan and 31st. We got two tips about the block.
Thanks to Lina, and to Erin, who wrote, “Our whole block has been working hard to ‘up our Christmas light game’ this year.”
Got lights to let us know about, whether yours or someone else’s? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com – and see past spotlighted lights by scrolling through this WSB archive.
As we continue featuring West Seattle Christmas lights nightly through the season, thanks to Sonia for the photo: “An annual favorite of ours.” It’s at 3431 48th SW (also featured previously – here’s a 2012 photo courtesy of the display’s creators, the McKean Family). We appreciate tips, with or without photos – here’s how to reach us. And here’s our archive of past featured lights.
As we do most years, we are continuing to feature West Seattle Christmas lights as we see them or hear about them. Spotted this display on the west side of the 6000 block of 42nd SW – the peace sign and Santa holding up lights are nice touches. Got something to suggest? Let us know! See what we’ve shown (in previous years, too) by scrolling through this WSB archive.
From the lights-and-lightings section of the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide: East of The Junction, music-synched West Seattle Yuletide is bigger and brighter this year.
” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>As explained here, the show will run Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, 5-9 pm, until December 20th, when it’ll go nightly. You can find West Seattle Yuletide on the east side of 38th SW between Genesee and Dakota; the soundtrack, audible if you’re on the sidewalk, is broadcast on 101.9 FM if you’re in your car.
Grab your minions and get to Lafayette Elementary (California/Lander) before 7 pm to enjoy the first night of the Winter Lights Festival!
Cute outdoor displays include this pathway lined in lights:
It’ll be open Friday night, 5-7 pm, too. Cookies, cocoa, coffee available too!
P.S. And note that Friday night at Lafayette, you’ll also be able to shop the Craft Fair and Book Fair.
Three weeks until Christmas Eve – so it’s time to start highlighting West Seattle displays! We appreciate your tips every year. First tip we received this season was from Jim, advising us to check out his brother Ken‘s display at 39th SW and SW Trenton in Fauntlee Hills. So we went by tonight.
Fauntlee Hills is known for more than a few extra-bright displays, but this one truly shines. No way to capture all its characters in one photo, so we recorded a video walk-by too:
Got lights we should feature, whether yours or someone else’s? Tell us where! All our contact options are here. Thank you!
6:07 PM: As previewed on Monday and noted in today’s daily-highlights list, this is the first night you can go see West Seattle’s brightest Christmas lights, the Menashe Family‘s display at 5605 Beach Drive SW [map]. Above, the big tree’s candy-cane pattern of red and white lights is part of what’s new; below, the front-door reindeer who has joined the assortment of inflatables:
When we visited at dusk, the bucket truck was still in use as some final touches were being worked on; our photographer has gone back for a few more views we’ll add later.
6:57 PM: The wide view:
A video walkthrough:
The train is a favorite sight:
One more reminder that this year’s visit by Santa – free photos; bring donations for the West Seattle Food Bank – is 6-10 pm on Saturday, December 14th.
Before the weather turned stormy late this afternoon, we checked out the setup under way for West Seattle’s brightest Christmas display – the Menashe Family Lights.
You’ll see some additions this year, including that reindeer by the front door. Josh Menashe told us the family is hoping to turn the lights on this Wednesday, Thanksgiving Eve. If you’re new – 5605 Beach Drive SW is where you’ll find it.
P.S. This year’s special night with Santa photos and a food drive for the West Seattle Food Bank is Saturday, December 14th, 6 pm-10 pm. (See the full list of West Seattle Santa photo ops in our Holiday Guide!)
(WSB file photo from West Seattle Lights)
While working on the just-launched 2019 WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, we discovered the website for a seasonal favorite, music-synched West Seattle Lights, had gone dormant. Its creator Jim Winder confirms that’s because the show is done after a decade. His message for you:
It is with deep sadness that I must inform the West Seattle Community that West Seattle Lights will not be up and running this year. Over the past few years it has become more and more difficult to try to run and maintain West Seattle Lights from my home in Maple Valley.
Growing up, Christmas Lights has always been a big part of my life…especially since my Grandmother only lived one block away from the Gais’ house in West Seattle. I do hope West Seattle Lights has also brought some great memories for you and your family. I especially want to thank the Helmstetler Family for allowing me to take over their home for two months out of the year … but most of all I want to thank you, the West Seattle Community for your generosity and your giving to our two main charities and the Very Special Charities we collected donations for. The West Seattle Food Bank and Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation have greatly appreciated your generous giving over the last ten years….so please remember them and any other charities this holiday season.
If you do get a need for a Sir Charles fix, feel free to come visit us out at Maple Valley Lights!! Again, thanks to you all for a great ten years!!
Jim’s show in Maple Valley is at 22629 SE 263rd Place [map]. We first featured his WS show in November 2009.
Now that the holidays are over, so is the 10th season of West Seattle Lights. Received tonight from the music-synched light show’s creator Jim Winder:
I would just like to thank everyone in and around the West Seattle area for coming to see West Seattle Lights and for donating to our two charities, The West Seattle Food Bank and Northwest Parkinson Foundation. Because of your generosity, we were able to deliver to the West Seattle Food Bank over
300660 pounds in foodstuffs along with $402 and another $402 to NW Parkinson Foundation!! Thank You! Thank You!! Thank You!!! for a great holiday season!!!!
(If you enjoyed WSL this year, you can still donate to its charities online.)
The West Seattle Lights display (which we showcased on Christmas Eve this year) is at a home where friends of Jim’s live. He also now runs a show in Maple Valley.
Of course our Christmas Day lights spotlight would be West Seattle’s brightest display. Thanks to Robert Spears for sharing these photos of the Menashe Family Lights from earlier this season. You’ll find them at 5605 Beach Drive SW as the holiday season continues.
You can see all the lights we’ve showcased this year by scrolling through this WSB archive (and prior years if you keep scrolling!).
For tonight’s Christmas-lights spotlight, we visited West Seattle Lights, the music-synched display that’s in its 10th year at 3908 SW Charlestown. Since Jim Winder created West Seattle Lights in 2009, it’s inspire thousands of dollars (and thousands of pounds of food) in donations, plus it has a spinoff in Maple Valley. Since it’s Christmas Eve, the show’s running until midnight tonight (tomorrow too) – here’s the schedule. (To see other lights we’ve spotlighted, scroll through this WSB archive category.)
Maybe you’ve seen this house, driving SW Morgan from Morgan Junction to High Point? It’s on the southeast corner of 37th/Morgan. As usual, the photo captures just part of the spirit … the star is animated, and both street-facing sides of this corner house are brightly lit. Scroll through this WSB archive category to see what we have featured – and check the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide for ongoing light shows like West Seattle Lights – running until midnight on Christmas Eve!
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