City

Which San Jose neighborhood has the best holiday light display?

Holiday lights are serious business in some neighborhoods in San Jose. We take a look at some of the brightest, most colorful holiday displays around town.

December 12, 2023 • 
Gregg Aronica
A holiday light display in Willow Glen: a brightly lit two-story home, with a white star over the doorway, "Merry Christmas" in red lights, white light deer, a white light angel, multi-colored light gifts, and a brightly lit dancefloor.

Willow Glen isn’t the only neighborhood in San Jose to show off during the holidays.

Photo by SJtoday staff

Table of Contents
Willow Glen
Rose Garden
Northside
Hayes-Edenvale
Cambrian Park
Hidden Glen South
Oster

We asked where you go to see holiday lights were in San Jose, and this week, we’re putting your favorite neighborhoods on blast.

Spoiler alert: some neighborhoods go so hard, Clark Griswold would weep from jealousy.

Twinkle, twinkle, Christmas star — we’re judging you from inside our cars.

Willow Glen

Nearly every street glitters, with snowflakes draping across each avenue. One house hosted a Christmas-themed dance party in their driveway, and on another corner, a group of high school students sold hot chocolate + cookies for $1 each to benefit Sacred Heart. Score: Hot chocolate/10

Red and white candy-canes line this house's lawn, with a green christmas tree, three blue snowmen, stars, and lanterns.

This Rose Garden home’s display is a real tree-t.

Photo by SJtoday staff

Rose Garden

Many homes opt for the simple, yet elegant approach. One mansion, along University Avenue, hung twinkling stars along the branches of an enormous tree. Another home projected the words “Merry Christmas” on the side of the house. Not a cohesive experience, but there’s plenty to enjoy. Score: Twinkling stars/10

Bright, twinkling arches over and lining the sidewalk, with two colorful holiday trees in the yard.

Some Northside homes opt for more minimalist displays.

Photo by SJtoday staff

Northside

Significantly more sparse, it appears homes in Northside are still in the process of putting together their displays. However, one house’s flickering arches pulsed and strobed to unheard music. Score: Strobing lights/10

Three yellow lighted arches with multicolored disco-balls line the sidewalk, with blue twinkling lights along the roof of the house, red and white candy-cane shaped lights in the yard, and three multi-colored palm trees on the right.

Bright arches appear to be en vogue in San Jose this year.

Photo by SJtoday staff

Hayes-Edenvale

A few displays dot the map, but most homes opted for the classic string of bulbs across the top of the garage. A single menorah (the first we’d seen in this entire trip) lit up a window. One home stood out — rings of lights light up the yard’s palm trees + shrubs. Score: One menorah/10

Cambrian Park

A lot more displays were visible on our second trip, and nearly every street had twinkling, sparkling lights. One house even had a neat light show that danced along to a custom FM radio station. Score: Holly jolly radio songs/10

Hidden Glen South

Nearly every tree on Sunset Glen Drive had colorful lights swirling to the top, with bright displays on each house, and more than a few drivers + pedestrians walking through to see the spectacle. Score: We almost thought it was daytime/10

Oster

The house on Nelson Way is positively fabulous. Several red and white candy canes, multiple Santas on the roof (including one who looks like he’s doing his best Klay Thompson impression). There must be 30+ inflatables on the lawn. Score: Clark Griswold would be jealous/10

If you see any cool holiday displays in your neighborhood, let us know.