Light It Up

The Dallas area has several neighborhoods whose residents go over the top with Christmas displays. There's the visible-from-space wattage draping the mansions of Highland Park, the eccentric displays in Little Forest Hills, the Twelve Days displays in Oak Highlands and the elaborate decorations in Plano's Deerfield neighborhood. Participation is a matter of heavy peer pressure, if not homeowners association mandates, but surely everyone doing it sees the value of providing holiday spirit for neighbors and strangers alike. Leave it to Grand Prairie, home of Nokia Theatre, to completely miss the point and charge admission to its "holiday light park." Admittedly, Prairie Lights sounds pretty cool: a two-mile path winding through 600 separate elaborate displays totaling 3 million lights, concession stands, carnival rides, Santa visits and restrooms. If a Thermos full of hot toddies or loaded eggnog is a necessity on your light-viewing ride, by the end of the tour the restrooms alone might be worth the admission. Prairie Lights is open 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. weekends through December 31. Admission is $12 to $15 for cars and $30 to $75 for limos and buses. Lynn Creek Park is at 5700 Lake Ridge Parkway in Grand Prairie. Call 972-237-4569 or visit prairielights.org.
Mondays-Thursdays, 6-9 p.m.; Saturdays, Sundays, 6-10 p.m. Starts: Dec. 19. Continues through Dec. 31, 2007