Festive spectacle on Washougal’s 51st Street

WASHOUGAL — Travis Gibson and Grace Christensen puttered down 51st Street in a golf cart, giving commentary on the holiday displays lining the street.

“A really cool thing about this house: If you look, there’s a hologram in the window of Santa Claus. I think they’ve done it for the past two years,” said Gibson, 11.

The pair of Jemtegaard Middle School students interviewed homeowners along 51st Street about their Christmas lights and decorations. For the past 10 years, it’s been a neighborhood tradition that nearly every house on 51st Street is lit up for the holidays.

“These guys don’t have their lights on, but they have a dog named Tank,” said Gibson, pointing to another house. “They add something new every year and that tree — they cover that whole tree in lights.”

The hilly street on Clark County’s eastern edge attracts people who set up tripods to take photos and others who simply drive slowly to take it all in. Rudy Ramirez’ wife used to count the cars that went by until she would lose track or lose interest.

“More people up on top are starting to get involved,” said Ramirez, 77. “Those are all pretty new homes, built in the last three years.”

Ramirez moved to 51st Street 12 years ago after retiring in California and has been decorating his house most of the time he’s been here. Having a Rudolph in his yard is Ramirez’ trademark (and namesake). His next-door neighbor goes all out with lights, a large Noel sign and a telephone pole that’s painstakingly wrapped in lights using a fishing pole.

“I always believed in decorating and all that, and so I started doing it,” he said. “Now, it’s to where it’s at now.”

He’s not as involved anymore now that his wife is living in an Alzheimer’s facility, but people who are newer to the neighborhood are carrying on the tradition. Typically, the lights are on 5 to 11 p.m. daily through New Year’s Day.

“Closer to Christmas, it really gets kind of busy,” Ramirez said. “It’s exciting to be part of, you know, helping the season be jolly.”

Brian Dryden moved to 51st Street about 1 1/2 years ago.

“My Realtor told me ahead of time that it was something. They said, ‘Yeah, they do their lights up really big on 51st Street here. You’re going to enjoy it,'” said Dryden, 33. “My dad’s been doing big displays since I was a kid. This is only my second year doing it. I’m slowly getting there.”

He restored and rewired a pair of vintage lanterns and a “Season’s Greetings” sign and had put up a new train display. A teacher at Gause Elementary School, he said his students knew about the lights at his house.

Washougal’s 51st Street has been compared to Peacock Lane in Portland. It’s quieter and less crowded in Washougal, but some would say just as festive.

Visiting the decorated houses along Peacock Lane is not for the fainthearted. The four-block street in southeast Portland is a well-known and popular Christmas tradition that gets congested with people and cars. Police are often called upon to direct traffic and patrol the area. It can be hard to find parking nearby, especially when the street is closed to vehicles.

One of 51st Street’s residents went to Peacock Lane last year to compare the displays.

“She said we had them beat,” Ramirez said. “Everybody’s really getting in the spirit of doing it more and more.”

There are about 30 houses decorated on 51st Street. Those visiting may luck out and be able to take a guided tour in the golf cart or buy a cup of hot chocolate.

The neighborhood also does caroling, a Fourth of July parade and decorates for Halloween, but Christmastime is when the neighborhood really shines.

More lights around the county

SALMON CREEK, FELIDA, PLEASANT HIGHLANDS, HAZEL DELL

• Darcie Bird’s house at 13615 N.E. Sixth Ave. has peppermints lining the yard, plus reindeer and a snowman. Bird said some houses along Sixth Avenue are competing for top billing as the biggest, best holiday display.

• The yard and house at 4113 N.E. 132nd Circle are neatly lined with multi-colored lights and icicle lights. Snoopy and some snowmen are posted near the front door.

• The lights were strung with care at 8516 N.E. 35th Ave., where reindeer are on the front lawn.

• At 13400 N.W. Second Ave., passersby can watch the lights dance to music if they tune in to 96.7 FM. The lights are on from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. and 3 to 10 p.m.

ROSE VILLAGE, NORTHWEST

• Jim Mains goes all out for Christmas, helping to decorate five properties including his own at 4616 N.W. Franklin St. This year’s displays include Santa’s sleigh and eight life-size reindeer, Santa on the roof and a nativity scene. There will be snowmen, gingerbread people, Rudolph, reindeer, caroling penguins and — arguably the most popular characters — Anna, Elsa and Olaf from “Frozen.” The Grinch will be parked in a pickup on the street (if anyone was thinking this sounds too joyful). Santa will wave to people from an upstairs window at Mains’ home. Lights and music are on nightly from 5 to 9 p.m. until Christmas Eve. On that day, the lights will be on all night with snow falling every half hour until midnight and throughout the day on Christmas Day.

• Pam and Joe Schwartz say they have lost track of how many lights they have. At 2210 E. 33rd St., they’ve got Santas, reindeer, candy canes and a nativity scene.

OGDEN, EAST MINNEHAHA

• Whenever someone new moves to Rene Nortz’ neighborhood, she hopes they like Christmas lights. The Nortz Pole, her homegrown winter wonderland at 8310 N.E. Pierce Drive is packed with lights, Rudolph and friends, a playground, dog park, forest, deer haven and icy friends. She’s been decorating the house and yard for more than a decade and starts planning next year’s display, uh, now.

“I get frequent questions throughout the year from people in the neighborhood about what I’m doing for the upcoming season,” she said in an email. “We had the electrical system redone, and a second panel added, many years ago, so I now have 18 outdoor outlets.”

The lights are on 5 to 10 p.m. daily through New Year’s Eve.

• The display at 6523 N.E. 52nd St. started in 2003 and has grown every year since then. There are between 4,000 and 5,000 lights comprising the winter wonderland in the front yard.

RIVERRIDGE, ELLSWORTH SPRINGS, WILDWOOD

• Randy Peppers’ house at 11806 S.E. Riverridge Drive is a mix of modern and vintage Christmas decor. There are recognizable characters including the whole Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer gang: Yukon Cornelius, the Bumble, Hermey the Elf, the Island of Misfit Toys and, of course, Rudolph. A hot-air balloon hovers above the house. Peppers has long been in a friendly competition with his neighbor, Paul Lamb, to see who can put up the most extravagant decorations.

• Lamb’s house at 11812 S.E. Riveridge Drive is lit up between 5:30 and 10 p.m.

• At Ken Thiesmeyer’s house at 9605 S.E. 13th St., you’ll find all kinds of stars: falling stars, jumping stars and a star burst. About 15,000 lights are sequenced along to music such as “Santa’s Coming to Town,” “Silver Bells,” “Hot Chocolate,” “Wizards of Winter” and “Carol of the Bells.” The show starts around 5:30 p.m. and runs every hour until 9:30 p.m. “The neighbors look forward to seeing the Christmas lights every year,” Thiesmeyer said in an email.

• “We have a ton of lights on our house and love to share the holiday cheer,” Justine Godsil said in an email. Her house at 2020 S.E. 132nd Court features multi colored lights, color changing icicles and other decorations.

COUNTRYSIDE WOODS, AIRPORT GREEN, HEARTHWOOD, CASCADE HIGHLANDS

• There’s a lot to take in at the Buchanans’ light show. Father and son Brad and Brant spent between 50 and 60 hours putting up this year’s display. The house at 15309 N.E. Seventh St. has about 30,000 lights, more than 100 figurines and seasonal greetings for passersby.

• For a dazzling, multi-house display, head to Northeast Ninth Street and Hearthwood Boulevard (near the elementary school). There are seven yards with lights that are synchronized to holiday songs, from Elvis’ “Blue Christmas” to a techno version of “Jingle Bells.” People will be working traffic control every evening and be collecting donations to benefit Evergreen High School’s band, color guard and orchestra.

• There’s a bevy of lights and decorations nearby at 714 N.E. 152nd Ave.

• The Humbert home has more than 5,000 lights and 750 channels of computer-controlled animation. Tune your radio to 90.3 FM to catch the show between 4:30 and 10 p.m. nightly at 1719 S.E. 162nd Ave.

NORTH, EAST CLARK COUNTY

• At 17919 N.E. 29th Ave. in Ridgefield, passersby will see a decorated tree and a star on the side of the barn. The house is decorated with lights around the perimeter and in the backyard is an antique windmill wrapped in lights.

• Joyce Livingston says her property in the Proebstel neighborhood is decorated with about 30,000 lights and there are several blow-up displays, including a 17-foot Nutcracker. Trees on the roof blink while Christmas Carols play. The display runs 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. daily at 20306 N.E. 68th St. until New Years Day.

• At 18001 N.E. 27th St., you’ll find a house and tree wrapped in lights, lots of decorations and some familiar characters on the roof. There’s a bin out front collecting donations of canned food and toiletries for Pacific Middle School’s food pantry. The homeowners have been decorating for about 18 years.

• Rick Harrington’s home at 18801 N.E. 23rd St. has more than 45,000 lights, man-made Christmas trees and, of course, a Festivus Pole.

• The “Christmas in Camas” light and music show at 4430 N.W. Crystal Court is showing for the last year. To the dismay of many viewers, this display will go dark at the end of the holiday season. Hours are 5 to around 10 p.m. during the weekdays and 5 to 10:30 p.m. on the weekends. This popular display is synchronized to music heard on 87.9 FM. There’s a 23-foot tree, exploding stars, fire poles, arches, snow flakes and mini trees.

• Roughly 30 homes in Washougal teamed up to create an impressive display that’s been compared to Portland’s Peacock Lane. The tour of the homes north of Jemtegaard Middle School starts at the lower end of D Street which turns into 51st Street.

• Most people know Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad, but how is it said in Dutch or Hawaiian? At 39403 N.W. Ninth Ave., Merry Christmas is spelled out in 12 different languages. There is a nativity scene and other decorations covering about a half a mile in the field of this rural home.

• Mike Richard’s house at 2408 37th St. is known for its holiday display that includes transforming the garage door into a reindeer stall with four animated reindeer. There are Christmas elves, deer, bears and Santa Claus.