By Marianne Lincoln

Each year before Christmas Eve is the Pierce Prairie Post traditional Christmas light stroll. Driving around Spanaway, Frederickson, and Parkland neighborhoods with a camera and blaring Christmas music on the car radio, I snap photos of the flamboyant, the unique, the surprising, and even the saddest Christmas displays of the season.

This year’s most memorable were a tipped cow and a snowman run over by Santa in a truck. The other had unique inflatables, a Woody with a Christmas tree on top, a Star Wars Walker, and cars parked in front of the house, so the photo was difficult to capture.

Another unique display was a lighted deer. I have not seen this type of design before. It looks like it might be neon.

Aside from the unfortunate snowman, there were some other sad displays, particularly inflatable that had flats or the Parkland house where they were all tipped over. Perhaps too much celebration at the Shamrock. And some flats in Spanaway with a Santa trying to escape over a fence. Could it be that Santa flattened those reindeer?

Some of my favorites were a house with a roof covered with lights, but no lights anywhere else on the house, the Seahawks colored house, and one that is just a very pretty combination a coordinated decorations.

Of course, some houses did have the reason for the season with manger scenes, stars, and angels. They deserve mention.

The historic Spanaway Exchange Pub was lit up as was the Paradise Bowling Alley, Davita, and PLU with lights around several tree trunks on campus.

Spanaway had a house in pink and blue and Parkland had a house whose living room window was entirely a running reader board saying Merry Christmas.

Here are some others that were entirely delightful. Apologies if some are slightly blurry. You really have to hold a camera very still to get these.

For its decorative simplicity, this house gets my nod. I understand the need to be festive, but simple.

And, as a new tradition, after listing to all those Christmas carols and seeing all those light displays, I really wanted some peppermint ice cream. Since I was in Parkland, and the Baskins and Robbins is open until 10 pm (It was only 7:30), I gave in to my craving. I think this is an idea I should make a tradition.

Merry Christmas everyone!