Holiday 2017: Naperville Christmas Lights Map

NAPERVILLE, IL — It's fair to say that Naperville residents outshine other towns with their dazzling Christmas light displays. To feast your eyes on more than 50 homes that would make an envier of even Clark Griswold, look no further than this map produced by the Nilles-Knoth family.

To produce the map, Nilles scouts the locations beginning around Thanksgiving. Over the years, she's seen neighbors come and go, some growing older, unable to hang the decorations like they used to. Others move to the area bringing with them elaborate setups. Either way, she's documenting it all through her holiday map.

Accompanying her on her map making quest, sometimes, is her daughter and mother. Always, she brings her Canon to capture images of front yards for the interactive map. Thanks to the help of her blog's readers, they were able to add 11 more homes to the 2017 list.

She started making the map in 2015 for her love of Christmas lights, which dates back to her childhood in 1960s-70s Chicago.

"Ever heard of Candy Cane Lane? It is something my sister and I always did with our grandmother. So when I became a Mom, my husband Kevin and I started the same tradition for Megan. A night out to view Christmas lights!"

Years later, she said, her family went from viewing lights to participating. The Nilles-Knoth family is the proud owner of what is now known as "The Believe House" on Vicksburg Court. The map is free, but they appreciate $1 donations for the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Drive.

A special note about the map (which, a day after its release, has been shared on Facebook almost 250 times): She still plots the old houses that have gone dark. It's Nilles's way of paying homage to the "good people who once decorated and filled so many hearts with joy." She recognizes that some of those homes have carved memories for adults who once enjoyed their lights as children. "In my book," she said, "this is worth acknowledging on the map."

Map key:

• Red: Holiday homes
• Yellow:Free events around town
• Green: Season-long events
• Blue diamonds: Christmas past (click for pictures)

Deb Nilles has even gone to the trouble of having each home professionally photographed, but we recommend saving the surprise for the up-close-and-personal experience. Grab a thermos, pop some corn, and enjoy the show from the comfort of your own car.

If you're looking for an activity to pair with the excursion, check out our holiday event guide. There is no shortage of things to do in the Naperville area this December.

Featured video: A home in the Ashbury subdivision set their display to the Trans Siberian Orchestra's "Dreams of Fireflies."

Main image courtesy of Deborah M. Nilles.