New York has the Rockefeller Center. Paris has the Grands Magasins and the Champs-Elysées. London has Trafalgar Square and Regent Street. In Palo Alto, holiday spirit is displayed on Christmas Tree Lane, known as Fulton Street for the first eleven months of the year.

In December, the houses on Fulton become quasi-tourist attractions as they are adorned with Christmas lights and display festive ornaments in their front gardens. Since residents began decorating their houses in 1940, family strolls and caroling have become popular activities on December evenings and bring a sense of unity to Old Palo Alto.

“Decorating really brings the whole community together once a year,” said Nancy Hall, a resident in the renowned “smurfs” house.

While Christmas Tree Lane features two blocks of decorated houses, several stand out with originality, brightness, and entertaining appeal. Most prominent are:

# 1700

Number 1700 provides a simple start to the Fulton experience. A two dimensional Santa, surely measuring over seven feet, stands with a benevolent smile and is surrounded by a bear and rabbits, welcoming passers-by to Christmas Tree Lane.

# 1705

Across from big Santa stands the home with arguably the best window-display on the street. Teddy bears in the front window, ample lighting, and two dimensional Nutcracker characters on the front lawn make #1705 a complementing house to #1700 at the beginning of the street.

#1708

Next-door to big Santa starts Fulton’s colorful lighting. Flashing stars spread across a large bay-window and the façade of the house is adorned with colored Christmas lights. Some even hang down the sides of a fountain, creating the impression of flowing light.

#1716

In contrast to #1700’s big Santa stand relatively minute two dimensional figures that nevertheless lend a humorous touch to the decorations: smurfs. The caroling little blue German cartoon characters accompany colorful lighting, garlands with scattered candy, giant candy canes planted on the front lawn, and a wreath on the front door.

#1726

Number 1726 sets the bar pretty high for all of the homes around it, as it not only incorporates a complete scene of two dimensional characters and objects, including Santa, his sleigh, and a replica of a cozy fire-place, it also features the only audio on the block. Passers-by can stop to listen to “The Night before Christmas” by the “fire,” although gloves and a jacket remain advisable as the fire is no physical phenomenon and does not give off heat.

# 1881

While perhaps a little plain at first glance, #1881 rivals all the homes around it with its amusing cartoon reindeer. Over the brick path to the front door stands an archway of lights, with a subtle sign reading “Reindeer Xing” next to it. Again, perhaps not the most elaborate, but definitely worth a look and a laugh.

Christmas Tree Lane will be lit from Dec. 11 to Dec. 31 this year. Lights come on at 5 p.m. and parking on Fulton is not permitted from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. The Saturday before Christmas and Christmas Eve are the most popular days for visiting the street, according to Hall, so for anyone without plans for Christmas Eve, Christmas Tree Lane is a festive and spirited option.