Best Christmas Light Displays Near Charlotte, Lake Norman

Jolly red Santas. Dancing green Christmas trees. Snow white reindeer. The holiday season is ramping up and elaborate Christmas light displays are popping up across the country, including in North Carolina. If you’re one of the many parents who’d rather drive your kids to the nearest Clark Griswold-esque house rather than climb onto the roof and staple 10,000 tiny lights to your house, you’re in luck.

The good folks over at ChrismasLightFinder.com have built an easy way to see the best Christmas light displays near you. For your convenience we’ve rounded up a few of them near Charlotte and Lake Norman.

• Fallatts Charlotte Christmas
• 3801 Maple Forest Court, Charlotte
• Description: Hours are Sunday through Thursday, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 7 p.m. - 11 p.m., Donations will go to A Child’s Place.
• Cooper’s Christmas Chaos
• 682 Harper Davis Road, Lake Wylie, SC
• Description: Static display
• Dancing Lights
• 107 Sycamore Road, Salisbury, NC
• Description: Lights dance to music.
• Coleman Family Christmas
• 7661 Natalie Commons Drive, Denver, NC
• Description: This display features thousands of lights and has its own website.
• Speedway Christmas at Charlotte Motor Speedway
• 5555 Concord Parkway, Concord, NC
• Description: 3.5 million lights surround the race track in this spectacular light show that also features a Christmas village.

Of course if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you may take a road trip to McAdenville, North Carolina, which was named the single best Christmas light display in North Carolina last year by the Daily Meal. Here’s what the report had to say about the display:

“McAdenville, North Carolina, rebrands itself as Christmas Town USA every year, so you know they do lights well. Homes and businesses in this festive town turn their spaces into mini fantasy worlds. The homes here have been decking the halls for 62 years now, so they have it down to a science.”

Many of the best Christmas light displays share familiar themes. You’ll see many illuminated snowmen, more than a couple Rudolph’s with shiny red noses and quite a few candy canes. But some take a unique spin on the holiday. In Caldwell, Idaho, event organizers create a “Winter Wonderland.” Brilliant blue, green and red lights cover trees and immerse festivalgoers in the spirit of the season. Look closely and you’ll even see Santa fishing in a stream.

You’ll also see some inspiring houses. Take last year’s “Lights on Suter” display in North Haledon, New Jersey. Each year the Tomasi family creates a light display. Last year, it was set to the tune of Llama by the band Phish. The family has also created a display based on the film "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

The “West Chester Griswolds” in Pennsylvania have a light display have a holiday-themed display up already with more than 100,000 lights. The display, which is completely controlled by computers, features a massive Christmas tree, dozens of icicles and numerous holiday characters.

RELATED:

• Best Christmas Lights In North Carolina: Where Are They?
• Rev Up Your Holiday With Christmas Lights At Charlotte Speedway

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.

Photo credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images