Where to See Christmas Lights in White Plains

Before the I-287 noise barrier was erected, you could see Chuck Barringer’s home all the way from the highway. Now, most people find out about the 7,600 light display at 21 N. Kensico Ave., through the Internet or by word-of-mouth.

“It’s not how many lights you have, it’s what you do with them,” said Barringer, who works at United Processing Corp. in Somers.

The 48-year-old White Plains resident—who along with his housemate Eric Pham has been decking out his home for the last six years—says that his colorful display of blinking lights and holiday figurines isn’t as bold as what some people do to their house.

 “I didn’t want to go down the avenue of being one of those tacky houses that you see all the time,” said Barringer. “I wanted my house to look pretty in the daytime, as well as pretty in the night.”

Barringer, who used to own an audio-visual company, ramped up his decorating efforts over the last two years and adds new elements to his display each year. This year during every fifth song that plays, Santa will appear in the attic window.

Check the song schedule here for the best to time to get out of the car and take a photo with the kids.  If you tune your FM car radio to 107.7 , you can hear the music for the lights in your car—or you can listen through a speaker near the mailbox on the property.

“It takes two to three hours at minimum to do one song—setting all the light queues, fading up and down and setting it to the beat of the music,” explained Barringer.

He says it usually takes about a weekend and a half to get all the decorations up. This first show of the year kicked off on Nov. 26 at 5:30 p.m. The last show is on Jan. 2.

Barringer, who also decorates for Halloween, says that though he uses mostly incandescent lights, he only pays Con Edison about $2.25 a day for his holiday lights display—which he says is a small price to pay for the all the joy the lights bring.

“What’s not to love about Christmas lights,” said Barringer. “I enjoy that my neighbors across the street and to the side of me have also gotten into the spirit and put out their Christmas lights as well. It’s so cute that the whole block is all lit up and festive, so anyone coming down Lake Street or South Kensico is attracted to the lights. You can see them slowly drive by the house, then come back later with a  car-load of kids, so that’s fun!”

Check out the YouTube videos of Barringer's home and learn more about the display on his website: http://www.nychristmaslights.com/ 

Theresa Stagg said her Christmas light display came with the territory when she moved into her home at 9 Sammis Ln. 

“We knew when we moved in it was on the path to the lights on Briga Lane,” said Stagg, who had been decorating her house for the past 15 years.

According to a 1992 article in The New York Times, Briga Lane began decking out its neighborhood with angels, gingerbread men, Santas, snowmen and the nativity scene almost 30 years. Though the decorations have changed over the years, locals still wait in line to cruise down the street each year to see all the sparkling lights.

Decorating your house this year? Snap a photo and enter our “Deck the House,” contest. Click for more information.