"Have you been to 37th Street yet?" I know it's the Christmas season when I start hearing that question. 37th Street, the Street of Lights, is the most Austin of Austin weirdness - it's almost impossible to describe. Well, you could, I suppose, describe one tiny part of it at a time - but it would take you a long, long time, because the 37th Street Lights are something that grew organically from a neighborhood of likeminded folk, all approaching Christmas lights as an eclectic art - and the community responded. BOY, did the community respond! Imagine, if you will, a street with Christmas displays - a volcano of lights that erupts periodically, pouring glowing lava down the roof of the house; a car completely done in lights. An entire two-story house with a "trail of lights" down the side yard, through the back, and out the other side, impossible to see everything there, try though you may - but stop and put a dollar or five in the box as you leave, it helps to pay for the electric bill (which is stupendous).

On the news the other night, I heard that some of the original founders of the 37th Street tradition are moving on, and new people are buying their houses and moving in. 37th Street is an Austin tradition, so, of course, this made the news. One woman mentioned that she had to include in her Seller's Disclosure the fact that this was, after all, 37th Street, and any new buyer should expect there to be thousands upon thousands of people walking down the street and driving their cars down the street with their lights off (there's a sign reminding you to turn them off so you don't ruin the lights for everyone else) for several weeks of the year just before Christmas - and you WILL be expected to decorate the house for Christmas, as uniquely as possible!

It's really impossible to describe - you have to experience it. But, on the chance that you're not going to drive to Austin, or fly to Austin, or take a boat up the Colorado River to Austin, just to see the 37th Street lights, I looked online and found a couple of places where you can experience them virtually.

Go here, or here, (or better yet, go to both), and enjoy the show! Later, I'll show you other places in Central Texas where the holiday lights are worth a visit.