City and County Building with Christmas decorations
Holiday Lights
What I love most about Denver during the holiday season are the lights! From the garish display of lights on the City and County Building to the lawn decorations, people love decorating for the holidays. And Denver has some of the best displays to be found. My children will tell you that their earliest memories are watching the Parade of Lights. Then of course we took our time going home as we drove around town looking at neighborhood lights especially the houses on Milwaukee between 13th and 12th in Congress Park.
Lawrence Street Methodist Church
So how did Denver get to be the spectacular holiday display leader in the nation? Denver’s faith communities have played a large part in all of this. Since 1883 when Trinity United Methodist, then known as Lawrence Street Methodist Church, had the first Christmas tree ablaze with 30 incandescent bulbs, Denver has been crazy about lights.
Civic Center Christmas celebration
Outdoor lights took off in the 19-teens. In 1914 David Dwight Sturgeon had an ill son. To raise the boys spirits he dipped regular light bulbs in red and green paint, strung them on a branch outside the sick room window. Neighbors told friends and soon folks were driving by just to have a look at the lights. Denver Post encouraged the first outdoor lighting contest in 1918. The first lights went up in Civic Center in 1919. Not until 1935 was the City and County Building transformed. 1947 saw a negative reaction from the public over a restrained display. Apparently Denver has always preferred an exuberance in holiday lighting.
Christmas decorations
Swedish Evangelical Free Church 10th Avenue and Acoma
St. John’s Cathedral German Nativity display donated in the 1950s as a gift from Bob and Nancy Joyce Woodward.
For me, no holiday season is complete without a visit to St. John’s Cathedral to see the hand carved German Nativity display donated in the 1950s as a gift from Bob and Nancy Joyce Woodward.
Kwanza Santa
Rock and Roll Santa
Walking through Cory-Merrill there are lots of lawn decorations. Driving along Alameda the Hanukkah lights, lawn displays and homes, glow. And as our winter festivals do not conclude until after the National Western Stock Show the air will soon resonate with the aroma of cowboys and cattle.
Denver Neighborhood Winter Scene
As you walk or drive through your local community in the coming weeks and memories of Denver winter holidays come to mind please share these thoughts. I want to know what are your favorite Colorado holiday memories are.
Comments
Every year the light displays get more elaborate on my block (1700 Grape). Next year I plan to get purple icicle lights for our house so we can keep up.
Lisa,
Will drive by and see the displays
I am glad that many people in Denver leave their Christmas lights and decorations up until the end of the Stock Show. I enjoy looking for the remaining Christmas displays as long as possible (and, come October/November 2015, I will be looking to see who will have their decorations in place first!).
Penny
Someone in my neighborhood had a tree up at Halloween!
There were also the lighted and animated windows of May D&F and the Denver Dry Goods Store. In Englewood, the Frohlich Crane Co also raised a giant lighted tree with the crane between Broadway and Santa Fe.
Bonnie
Now you have flooded me with memories of my first Christmas in Denver!
I could hardly wait for the day after Thanksgiving to go downtown to see the windows at what was at that time simply the May Company, and of course the Denver Dry.
Had to go to the Denver Dry Tea Room, after looking at the windows.
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