Tips for Seeing Christmas Light Displays in Your Vehicle

Every year, for about six weeks in late November through December, we love to light up the night with Christmas lights indoors and out. It’s a tradition to set aside an entire evening to drive through your favorite neighborhoods and gaze at elaborate, beautiful plays of light with child-like wonder.

Read our complete guide with some tips on seeing Christmas light displays in your vehicle to make your journey to a winter wonderland easy, memorable, and fun!

Research Your Favorite Christmas Light Displays

First things first. Research the must-see light displays your family wants to see. Some neighborhoods go all-out and have house after house after house on display. Other light displays come from businesses or city parks. 

Do a search online for the best Christmas light displays in your area to see which ones get the highest ratings and reviews from people who have gone in previous years. Social media offers a great way to connect with homes and neighborhoods. Some displays might even have their own website or a Google Business Profile.

Plan Your Route

Plan your route for the Christmas light displays you want to see. Consider using a free route planner app on your smartphone that will let you input various addresses and landmarks, and then it will plan the most effective route. 

You might decide that there are so many great choices for excellent light displays out there that you’ll have to take multiple trips because one night just isn’t enough.

Decorate Your Car, Too!

You’ve seen the red noses or reindeer antlers you can put on your car, truck, or SUV for the holiday season. Look for reflective, temporary decals that look like Christmas tree lights. Consider specially made wreaths to put on the grille or window clings that look like a snowman, or Santa is riding in your vehicle. You’ve got some options when it comes to decorating your vehicle for the holidays!

Pro Tip: Please don’t string ordinary Christmas tree lights, even if they are rated for outdoors, on your vehicle. There are street-legal strips of LED lights you can attach to the undercarriage that will make it festive and bright!

Check the Weather Beforehand

Winter is filled with unpredictable weather, even if the weather is warm or if you live in a warmer climate. Check the weather forecast beforehand. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, reschedule your Christmas light display trip for another night. Have weather alerts and traffic alerts active on your phone so you can stay informed of conditions during your trip.

Know That Some Nights Are Less Crowded

Many families may consider taking these trips on the weekend, like on a Friday or Saturday night. They could also wait until the kids are out of school on winter break so they can maintain their nighttime routines as much as possible. If you can, think about driving to Christmas light displays on a weeknight without staying out too late. Perhaps the parents can get off work early one day, pick up the kids from school, get an early dinner, and then see Christmas lights from 5:30 to 9 p.m. before heading home on a weeknight.  

Fill Up Your Gas Tank or Fully Charge Before Departing

Even though you’ve planned your route accordingly, sometimes traffic or detours might get in the way of your plans. Fill up your gas tank all the way or charge your EV to at least 80% before leaving for your Christmas light display extravaganza. Consider charging your EV during the day, like at a public charging station, to make sure you have enough juice. Keep a traffic app on your phone handy in case road conditions change during your night out due to an accident or traffic snarls.

Pro EV Tip: Remember, cold weather in the winter might make your EV’s battery not as effective. If you use the heater a lot due to the cold, an EV’s battery will drain faster.

Fully Charge Your Phones & Bring Chargers With You

Just like your vehicle’s gas tank or EV battery, fully charge everyone’s phones before leaving the house. That way, in case there are snafus with phone chargers, everyone will be good for a few hours.

Bring cell phone chargers with you if your vehicle doesn’t have chargers already in it. Some phones may have different chargers, so remember to bring at least one charger for every brand of phone in your family.

Make Sure the Heater Works

Chances are good your vehicle’s heater works just fine. But just in case, turn on the heat before you set off on your light-seeing excursion. Remember, you should replace your cabin air filter every 15,000 to 30,000 miles. You might find that your vehicle’s heater/air conditioner isn’t working as effectively as it should, which doesn’t mean you have a major repair on your hands. It could just mean you need a new air filter to keep your cabin air fresh and clean!

Pack Food & Snacks (Especially Holiday Food)

Pack plenty of everyone’s favorite holiday treats, like candy, cookies, bite-sized cake pieces, popcorn, and other scrumptious yummies. Finger foods are easiest. For drinks, there’s always hot cocoa or apple cider to celebrate the season. Make sure to have lids on the cups! Bring a small trash bag and perhaps some paper towels or handy wipes to clean up sticky fingers and any spills or messes. 

Make the Trip a Special Occasion!

Traditionally, we go over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s house. Instead, take grandma with you on your motorized sleigh ride to see Christmas light displays. If you have room in your vehicle, invite a couple of your kids’ closest friends to see the lights for a night out your child will remember! Make sure to get a list of food allergies (if any) from the child’s parent and any other special considerations.

Include Bathroom Breaks

Even though everyone will use the bathroom at home before leaving on your Christmas Light excursion, you’ll need to plan for bathroom breaks along your route. Make sure there is a public restroom within a mile of each stop in case someone has to use the restroom in a pinch. For babies still in diapers, don’t forget the diaper bag with plenty of supplies!

Pro tip: Even though everyone washes their hands after going to a public restroom, consider liquid hand sanitizer or wipes for when you stop to eat a snack along your journey.

Leave Plenty of Time for Each Light Display

Seeing Christmas light displays is a spectator sport! You love seeing your kids’ faces light up with excitement when they see all of the beautiful lights and hear any music that accompanies them. There might be crowds of cars and big lines in some neighborhoods, so be patient as you drive through each one. Prepare for longer wait times with some in-car activities for younger kids who might not be patient for a slow drive through a neighborhood.

Have a Passenger Take Plenty of Photos or Videos!

You want to cherish these pleasant memories for years to come. Have an adult passenger in your car take some photos or videos of both the displays and your kid’s reactions to the displays. There might be some years when you take a break from going to light displays, or there’s inclement weather on the night you plan to go. Rather than driving through a light display, replay a previous year’s trip through screen mirroring on your TV if you have videos or photos from previous years. 

Find videos online of light displays for your kids to watch at home to keep the magic going even after your night of light displays.  These videos will also come in handy if there’s inclement weather on the night you plan to drive to your favorite light displays.

Southwest Missouri Light Displays

Thompson Sales serves Southwest Missouri as one of the top Buick and GMC dealers in Missouri. Take a look at some of the best Christmas light displays in our area, including Springfield and Branson.

Bagwell Lights

Just east of Glenstone and Battlefield is a seemingly quiet residential street. From late November to late December, Mike Bagwell lights up his yard and house with more than 150,000 LEDs synchronized to music at 2008 E. Cambridge. 

Springfield’s Festival of Lights

Jordan Valley Park and Park Central Square light up for the Christmas season with plenty of lights and Christmas trees starting in late November.

Ozark’s Finley River Park

Head down to Ozark’s historic Finley River Park to see a drive-through display celebrating the city’s history and culture. 

Branson, Branson, and Branson

If there is any city in the Ozarks that embraces the Christmas spirit, it’s Branson. There are plenty of places to drive through, but other venues have special displays that leave your car behind, like the one at Silver Dollar City.

For driving through, Shepherd of Hills has a massive display, as does Big Cedar Lodge. 

Check Social Media & the News

There are new displays that come up every year, so check social media and news media outlets each November to see where the top displays are located!

Happy Holidays From Thompson Sales!

The staff at Thompson Sales wishes you and your loved ones a happy and healthy holiday season! And may you have a prosperous and joyful new year.