Below is Wonderland’s guide to dazzling holiday decorations around greater Boston, from Attleboro to Somerville (listed by community, in alphabetical order). This is based on several years exploring region during the Christmas season. Below are sites I’ve confirmed for 2018. At bottom, is a list of places that have often spectacularly decorated in past years, but that I’ve not yet confirmed for this holiday season. I’ll be updating this list throughout the month of December. If you know of great places I’ve missed, please let me know!
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Attleboro: 947 Park St.
The National Shrine of Our Lady Of La Salette, 947 Park St., Attleboro, fills its grounds with its annual “Christmas Festival of Lights.”
Beverly: 48 Railroad Ave. at Hardy Street
Boston: 26 Norton St., in Boston’s Hyde Park/Readville neighborhood
The Canale family has been putting on the display for nearly 45 years. After Kenneth C. Canale Sr. died in December 2010, his son Kenneth Jr. took it on. But the family posted on facebook on Oct. 6: “Please spread the word that this will be the last year we will be decorating 26 Norton street. I know it’s very sad, so let’s make our last year the biggest ever!”
Boston: Community Boating, along the Esplanade near the Longfellow Bridge at 21 David G. Mugar Way
Boston: Christopher Columbus Park in North End
Danvers: Arthur Street
Dedham: 262 Needham St.
The nativity scene outside St. Susanna’s Parish Church challenges U.S. immigration policy by showing the baby Jesus in a cage and the wise men are separated from the others by a tall wall. A sign asks, “Peace on Earth?” Last year’s Nativity scene addressed mass shootings.
Gloucester: 86 Middle St.
For Hanukkah, Temple Ahavat Achim displays what they’ve dubbed the “world’s first lobster pot menorah.”
Malden: Bainbridge Street, just west of Rockwell Street
On Bainbridge Street, they go all out for the holidays. Over the past decade, Maryann Spinney and her daughter and son-in-law Evelyn and Mark Anzalone have lit up houses down the lane from each other. Several neighbors have also gotten into the act, so that it’s become a whole glowing holiday neighborhood.
Malden: 20 Dale St.
Melrose: 223 Washington St. just south of Gould Street.
Saugus: 5 Laurine Road, just east of Lynn Fells Parkway
Saugus: 7 Lynn Fells Parkway
Saugus: 16 and 22 Lynn Fells Parkway, east of Rivers Lane
The Amsden and the Guarino families, who share a driveway, have long been behind this show-stopping display.
Saugus: 401 Lynn Fells Parkway
Saugus: 403 Lynn Fells Parkway, just east of Donna Road
Michael Conlon wishes visitors “Peace on Earth” at his Saugus home distinguished by its blue and white lights.
Somerville: 7-9 Ames St. at the corner of Robinson Street
Somerville: 440-442 Medford St.
Somerville: Otis Street, just west of Cross Street
“I’ve been doing it almost 30 years,” John Ragno told me in 2013. He decorates three houses he owns here, two side by side, and one across the street. “I started off with a manger outside, a small manger on the porch. And it grew.”
Stoneham: 149 Pond St.
The Stone Zoo’s wooded paths are lit up for its annual “ZooLights” nightly through Dec. 31. Visit Santa’s Castle for a sit down with the jolly old elf. See a live reindeer. Admission charges.
Stoneham: 83 Franklin St., at Pearl Street
Brian Gudzevich’s computer animated display of some 30,000 lights on 83 Franklin St., at Pearl Street, that he calls “The Lights at Wolf Hill.”
Unconfirmed for 2018
• Belmont: 441 and 429 Pleasant St.
• Braintree: 120 Messina Woods Drive. In past years, several neighboring houses have featured lights synchronized to music.
• Boston: Adams Street, just north of Victory Road, Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood.
• Boston: 62 Tuttle St.
• Chelsea: Corner of Marginal and Pearl streets, atop salt piles at Eastern Minerals along the Chelsea River.
• Framingham: Perry H Henderson Drive
• Lincoln: Trapelo Road near library.
• Medford: 6 Everett St.
• Medford: 56 and 60 Haines St.
• Medford: 85 George P. Hassett Dr., Medford City Hall
http://www.jinglebellfestival.org/events/event1.htm
• Peabody: 10 Summit St., visible from Route 128
• Somerville: 141-143 Boston Ave.
• Somerville: Concord Avenue and Springfield Street.
• Somerville: 13 Melvin St.
• Somerville: 25 to 42 Preston Road.
• Somerville: 12 Raymond Ave.
• Somerville: 320 Washington St.
• Waltham: 30 Albemarle Rd. Much of this elaborate display has been hand-made by the Schueler family over three decades.
• Waltham: 1369 Trapelo Rd.
• Woburn: 219 Cambridge Rd.
Help Wonderland keep producing our great coverage of local arts, cultures and activisms (and our great festivals) by contributing to Wonderland on Patreon. And sign up for our free, weekly newsletter so that you don’t miss any of our reporting.