This display takes up the 1200 block of East Acacia with bright lights and occasional visits from Santa. The street is closed to car traffic, so bundle up, park the car, and explore the faux wintery wonderland on foot. It’s going to be busy here, so plan for that too—police have stepped up their presence in response to growing crowds.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and advertised as “America’s first large scale Christmas light display,” Altadena’s Christmas Tree Lane is a tradition that dates to the 1920s. The mile-long row of huge deodar cedars trees is festooned in lights each year and opened up to the public. Opening ceremonies are scheduled for December 14, but it’s also magical to see without the throng.

Enchanted, the one-mile-long path in the Descanso gardens public gardens, meanders through eight, large-scale light displays, three of them interactive. Food and drinks are available for sale along the route.

Tickets are for sale online, starting at $28, and are timed for entry. The show is up through January 7.

Here, it’s not about the volume of lights but the location. What says Christmas in California more than a pier along the beach all dressed up with lights? Not much. Manhattan Beach is a walkable, fun town. Go out to dinner, then walk the picturesque pier after the sun sets.

Long Beach’s Naples neighborhood is pretty any time of the year, but it shines in December, when the fancy waterfront houses are decked out in lights and other kitschy and crazy Christmas decorations. One house is even known to look like the set of the best-ever Christmas movie, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. As with the other light displays, the canals draw big crowds, so prepare to feel like you’re standing in line for a ride at Disneyland. But don’t let that deter you. The decorations are worth it.

The ritzy, world-famous shopping icon is decked out this time of year, offering live holiday entertainment on weekends and occasional visits from Santa. There’s no fake snow like at The Grove, but cruising a shopping district to enjoy the lights also presents the opportunity to pick up a last-minute gift along the way.

The Grove’s Christmas tree usually soars at least 100 feet, taller than those at Grand Park and the Music Center in Downtown. But it’s not just the fir that’s lit up. The entire shopping mall is aglow, and there’s a plastic Santa on a sleigh pulled by reindeer taking flight near the fountain. Nightly "snow" at 7 and 8 p.m. through December 25 complete the wintry feeling.

Several blocks of this Pasadena neighborhood coordinate to go all out for Christmas in a big way. This year, visitors might see a giant clocktower that plays music and maybe even catch a glimpse of Santa. The “light up” begins December 7.