Best Christmas Lights Near You? Here's A Map For That!
/Ottawa’s Most Magical Holiday Decorations & Christmas Houses
https://map.proxi.co/r/ottawachristmasdisplays - click to see the 2022 holiday lights map from explore 613 on any device.
Taffy Lane in Orleans? Albertini’s CHEO Home in Rockland? Turcotte’ Elf House on Cypress Gardens in Stittsville?
If you are looking for the best Christmas Houses and Holiday Decorations in Ottawa Region - you have landed on the right page. 2022’s Holiday & Christmas Lights Map is already loaded up with some of the best decorated houses around.
But of course, Explore 613 wants to see them all. Just like the Ottawa Halloween Map - if you submit your house, you are added to the map. If you added lights on a beautiful tree in your yard, the only house on the block with lights, an extravagant radio light show synced to Christmas Tunes, inflatables taking over your yard, the most magical themed Holiday Home, or just a simple classy Christmas Light set up - Explore613’s #Holidays613 map wants them all. If you have decorations or lights up for whatever you may celebrate this winter season - I’d love to see it. It may be Christmas forward, but I would be so happy to include all holidays and celebrations.
This is a great opportunity to go explore your neighbourhood, or discover new ones. Load up the car with hot chocolate and holiday cookies, and take a drive with friends, loved ones, or the entire family to tour some of the most beautiful Christmas Displays and Holiday Homes in all of the 613.
We started these maps a few years ago and they have grown significantly, thanks to all of you. We are always trying to break the barrier that this isn’t only for Ottawa. It’s for anyone with a 613 or 819 Area Code: Alymer, Quebec, Carleton Place, Almonte, Cornwall, Arnprior, Rockland, Pembroke, Perth, Lanark, Gananoque, Brockville, Osgoode, Carp, Smiths Falls - if you have a house with lights or decorations near any of these areas - submit it, we love the opportunity to explore beyond the Ottawa border and visit new areas, checking out local stores and cafes along the way. It’s all about supporting local. So adding and expanding this map is helping out your neighbour’s local businesses as well.
A few highlights so far (as of December 1st 2022!) of our Christmas Lights Map & Holiday Decorations of Ottawa and beyond:
Turcotte’s Elf House in Stittsville
Raising money for CHEO again this year, Shawn Turcotte is back with his epic decorations on Cypress Gardens with #Elf2022
photo: Shawn Turcotte
Turcotte Family’s #Elf2022 Home - 18 Cypress Gardens, Stittsville, Ontario - Starts on December 1st 2022
Ever since Shawn and I crossed paths on Twitter (@sturcotte9999) a few years ago, I’ve been following his love for Christmas. We were both featured in an article from CBC by Sara Frizzell back in 2021, about his Home Alone house and the Explore613 Christmas Map. Then Ottawa Morning with Robyn Bresnahan featured us both on their radio show last year.
For 2022 - Shawn chose to decorate in honour of the Elf Movie. 2021 the theme was Home Alone and they raised over $66,000 for CHEO. 2020 the house was themed around National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation they raised $50,000 for the Stittsville Food Bank. This year they are raising funds for CHEO Youth Mental Health Services - hoping to break the record of last year’s $66000.
You can find Turcotte’s Elf House in Stittsville on our #Holidays613 by their very own symbol (looks like an Elf with a square green hat!)
New York City Skyline was created with over 22,000 LEGO bricks by ParLUGment of Ottawa
Donations are accepted on site by cash, or QR code. You can also find the link on our map, under their listing by clicking “more info” or directly here: https://cheofoundation.donordrive.com/campaign/Turcotte-Fundraiser
Check out this video from Ottawa Citizen for a sneak peek of #Elf2022 https://youtu.be/uY8u4KNBW_I
Display will be available to view all day, at any time (best at night though!) until January 1st 2023
The Albertini Family's Christmas Display for CHEO
Most magical display of Christmas Decorations in Rockland Ontario hoping to raise some money for CHEO.
Photo: Megan Albertini
The Albertini House - 1105 Des Merisiers Street Rockland, Ontario - Starts on December 1st 2022
Albertini Family house used to decorate their home in Arnprior and then Orleans on Elderberry Terrace, but have recently moved to Rockland. Carrying on their legacy of beautiful Christmas displays for 2022, their new home is lit up bigger than ever!
Lights will be on nightly from 5pm until 10pm from December 1 2022, until January 1st 2023
Free, but accepting donations to CHEO via cash or QR code at their Christmas Yard Display. You can also find a direct link on our map under their location by clicking “more info” - or here: https://cheofoundation.donordrive.com/campaign/ChristmasDisplayforCHEO
Santa Visit! Santa will be making an appearance for visitors on December 3 & 4, December 10 & 11, December 16, 17 & 18th, as well as December 23 & 24, from 6pm-8pm - Kids can also bring their addressed-to-Santa letters with their return address by December 8th for a reply.
TAFFY LANE, ORLEANS
Most famous Christmas Decorations in Ottawa, as most of the entire street is decorated in Orleans.
Taffy Lane, Orleans, Ontario - Starting December 1st 2022
Almost the entire street joins in year after year to get Taffy Lane decorated and lit up for Christmas.
Tons of variety from Christmas Lights, Fun Christmas Inflatables, Homemade Christmas Decorations, Holiday Displays, and Vintage Christmas Decor.
Best tip: park at the Orleans United Church at the corner of Orleans Blvd and Sugar Creek Way, and walk from that end of Taffy Lane (it starts right across from the church parking lot!) all the way to the end, and then hang a left on Sugar Creek Way back to the Church parking lot. (There are some beautiful decorated homes on Sugar Creek Way as well - so don’t miss them!)
If you choose to drive, or need to drive - enter Taffy Lane across from the church parking lot only - keep it ONE WAY. Please please, drive as slowly and be alert to your surroundings as possible - as so many kids and families are walking and can be hard to see at night. (It wouldn’t hurt to play Christmas Music while you drive slow though!)
Taffy Lane Residents will be collecting non-perishables for Orléans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre (food bank) - there is usually a bin near the end of Taffy Lane for the collection.
All houses participating should be on by December 1st 2022! It gets busy, so use our map to find other displays nearby to make the trip well worth it.
THE EXPLORE613 #HOLIDAYS613 MAP - I’ve mapped out some of the coolest decorated houses and lights for Christmas and the Holidays in Ottawa and beyond all in one place.
You can find a direct link to the map right here: https://map.proxi.co/r/ottawachristmasdisplays
We are using a new map software this year by https://www.proxi.co/ - a women-founded start-up, that began by creating Halloween Maps (my favourite thing to do!), and they needed more than what google offered.
I am trying it out this season for the first time - so if you have any feedback for me about Proxi vs our previous google maps - please email me wicked@explore613.ca, I’d love to hear it, and Proxi has been amazing with suggestions as well.
A few tips about the new Beyond Ottawa Christmas Lights & Holiday Displays Map:
Each point can be clicked to find all the information and photos that I was provided by the submitter of the decorated display. If they provided me with a website, social media, or fundraiser link - you will find this on the “more info” button at each location.
There are categories listed at the top, to see the full list click on the “ > " button to the right of the screen and it will show them all.
If you click on one or many of the categories - it will show only the chosen categories on the map.
Any Christmas Display / Holiday Home points with a RED HALO around it means it is a fundraiser, still free to visit, but they are raising funds or collecting non-perishables for a charity. Click on the location for details!
Explore 613 has also included Christmas Tree Farms this year, to see the entire list of where to cut your own Christmas Tree in 2022 see this link: https://explore613.ca/blog//2022christmastreefarms
MAP LEGEND
Light String: Christmas Lights - beautiful display of lights either on house or a big tree etc
Snowman: Blowup Display - holiday inflatables are the main focus here
Elf: Elaborate Displays - whole streets, entire yard / house, huge themed display etc
Music Symbol: Radio Light Show - lights synced with a radio station
Snowglobe: Walkthrough Yard (get out of the car, and walk through a dedicated path or garage display)
Decorated Christmas Tree: Christmas Tree Farms to visit
Star Symbol: Holiday Event submitted to the map by a business
Elf with Green Square Hat: Turcotte’s House
Gingerbread Cookie: Albertini’s House
Candy Cane: Taffy Lane
Sleigh: Magic Of Lights drive through event (paid!)
Submitting your Christmas Lights or Holiday Display
Choose a form that best suits your needs… both forms are the same, but one is able to accept photo uploads (it does require you to sign in to google for photo uploads only)
You can provide information about your cool lights or decorations, social media links, youtube links, dates and times, fundraiser information and so much more directly on the form. The more info you provide, the better map I can create.
Photo Upload Form:https://forms.gle/jjGFDA4fT2HscK4t9
No Photos Form: https://forms.gle/hGnUmyf28oqLKP7n9
If you want to send me a video (no forms accept video upload, just links and photos) for your Holiday or Christmas Decorations, after you fill out the form, you can do so here (please include the address you used on the form!): wicked@explore613.ca
Can’t wait to see all the coolest and amazing decorations in Ottawa, the Ottawa Valley, The Seaway, Gatineau and beyond!
*One last note: PLEASE be respectful of people’s homes and property. Do not walk across lawns unless there is clear signage to do so. Don’t litter. Don’t touch any decorations or displays unless there is signage stating otherwise. Stay safe, dress warm, and if you are walking at night - please wear something bright or reflective. Most of all, enjoy the holiday, winter, and Christmas season and all the work that goes into all the beautiful displays we all enjoy so much.
Cheers,
Jessi
she/her/hers
If you would like to help spread the word about our map please follow Explore613 on our socials above & share these posts:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explore613/posts/pfbid0ZVG4pZoyWYURBX8KNU5LG3TGeA6y7tVSZy2WCHhxGXXZcTtZULTw1PJQZ7qHxJ8Wl
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/ClPMgd9vYCU/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/exploring613/status/1594809724792348689?s=20&t=aweaM4e-srNRi3WulcpRhg
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ottawa/comments/zauml0/christmas_lights_and_holiday_house_map/
For any questions, concerns, changes/removals of a home, or media inquiries about the map - please contact Jessi Sharp at wicked@explore613.ca
