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2016 KHTS Holiday Lights Tour

KHTS AM-1220 Announces 2016 Holiday Lights Tour Winners, Route Information (VIDEO)

After touring seven different SCV neighborhoods on Wednesday as part of the 2016 KHTS Holiday Lights Tour, the KHTS Features team has named the top three best decorated houses in the valley, and is releasing tour information so residents know where to go this holiday season.


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First Place: 24225 Vista Ridge Drive in Newhall

This fantastically decorated home blew the 2016 KHTS Holiday Lights Tour judges away with its spinning lighted Christmas tree, moving ski lift and impressive train custom built by homeowner Mitch McDiffett.

2016 KHTS Holiday Lights Tour - 1st Place

First Place Winner: 24225 Vista Ridge Drive in Newhall.

McDiffett’s home stands out on an otherwise mostly dark street, shining as brightly as the many elaborately decorated homes in popular neighborhoods like Wakefield Court in Saugus.

Brand new this year is a festive holiday train led by motion penguins who wave at passersby, which McDiffett noted he custom built, and plans to transform into a playground for his five grandchildren after the holidays.

Residents may also recognize the colors of a number of SCV high schools in the uniforms of marching band cutouts decorating the yard, which bear the initials of schools like Saugus and West Ranch.

McDiffett has expanded his holiday home decorations every year over the last seven years — along with the help of his now 80-year-old father — and hopes residents come by to marvel at his festive creations.

Watch the Facebook Live video at Vista Ridge Drive from Wednesday’s tour!

Second Place: Courtyard at the 27800 block of Crown Court Circle in Valencia

This quaint Valencia courtyard is truly a hidden gem in the SCV!

2016 KHTS Holiday Lights Tour - 2nd Place

Second Place Winner: 27800 block of Crown Court Circle in Valencia.

Residents of the block come together every year to create a cohesive holiday courtyard complete with a programmed lights show every 30 minutes on weekends.

Six speakers placed throughout the courtyard play holiday music for those on foot, while passersby can also tune into 90.5 on their car stereo to hear that same music.

Then every 30 minutes on weekend days, a spectacular holiday lights show begins, each show coordinated with a different holiday song throughout the evening.

Residents of the block have continued to expand their holiday decorations over the last 15 years, and even host “Hot Chocolate Under the Stars” every Friday starting at 6:30 p.m. Open to the public, guests can join the homeowners around a fire pit and a number of outdoor heaters for some hot chocolate while enjoying the lights and music.

Watch the Facebook Live video at Crown Court Circle from Wednesday’s tour!

Third Place: 21990 Wakefield Court in Saugus

The 2016 KHTS Holiday Lights Tour judges found it almost impossible to single out a home in the extremely popular Wakefield Winter Wonderland in Saugus, but were impressed by this home’s magnificently lit trees and “Operation Present Drop” helicopter.

2016 KHTS Holiday Lights Tour - 3rd Place

Third Place Winner: 21990 Wakefield Court in Saugus.

Passersby can spot a towering lighted Christmas tree beside a giant inflatable Santa Claus in this home’s yard from a distance, and enjoy more than a dozen matching miniature trees — each with flashing light decorations just as elaborate as the larger tree — lining the driveway.

Holiday music plays for passersby as they get closer, with a myriad of lights flashing along to the beat.

An inflatable helicopter sits atop the home’s roof with the words “Operation Present Drop” on its side, piloted by Santa himself, his elves hanging out of the helicopter with presents galore in their hands.

Tour judges couldn’t help but be in awe of Wakefield Court as a whole, and would like to recognize the entire neighborhood for its dedication and hard work in bringing Wakefield Winter Wonderland to the residents of the Santa Clarita Valley every year. The entire neighborhood is definitely a must-see!

Watch the Facebook Live video at Wakefield Court from Wednesday’s tour!

2016 KHTS Holiday Lights Tour

Other Tour Participants:

Essex Place, aka “Reindeer Road” in Valencia

This charming cul de sac near McBean Parkway and Decoro has a different reindeer in the yard of each home, and is known for hiding Rudolph in a different yard every weekend.

As passersby admire the beautiful holiday lights of Reindeer Road, they can also search for Rudolph — not to be mistaken for his reindeer friends like Dasher, Dancer or Prancer — before coming to the end of the street and being greeted by a reindeer cutout asking, “Did you find Rudolph?”

Watch the Facebook Live video at Essex Place from Wednesday’s tour!

Wakefield Court, aka “Wakefield Winter Wonderland” in Saugus

Perhaps one of the most popular holiday lights destinations in the Santa Clarita Valley, Wakefield Court is the largest stop on the 2016 KHTS Holiday Lights Tour by far.

Dozens of magnificently decorated, elaborately lit homes come together every year to bring Wakefield Winter Wonderland to life — from elaborate traditional decorations to themes like Disney, sports and even penguins!

Cars line up on Copper Hill over the weekends to get a glimpse of that year’s magic and wonder of Wakefield Court, while passersby wander the cul de sac on foot to get a better look. This neighborhood is a must-see!

Watch the Facebook Live video at Wakefield Court from Wednesday’s tour!

22300 block of Homestead Place in Saugus

Just a few minutes away from Wakefield Court in Saugus, Homestead Place is the second-largest stop on the 2016 KHTS Holiday Lights Tour.

Children pass out candy canes to passersby as they admire the neighborhood’s beauty, taking in everything from Looney Tunes themed houses to more traditional, but still spectacular, holiday decorations.

Watch the Facebook Live video at Homestead Place from Wednesday’s tour!

27600 block of Woodfield Place in Valencia

This quaint stretch of Woodfield Place features everything from fake falling snow to an automated lighted mailbox that opens on its own to reveal a brightly colored letter to Santa himself.

Residents can enjoy holiday music while they stroll through the magnificently decorated homes of Woodfield Place.

Watch the Facebook Live video at Woodfield Place from Wednesday’s tour!

20008 Drasin Drive in Canyon Country

This individual home in Canyon Country stands out on otherwise mostly dark street, with lights strung from the roof to a towering tree and giant holiday ornaments hanging from above.

Lighted reindeer graze at a river of bright blue lights that runs through the yard, while inflatable snowmen, miniature Christmas trees and lighted presents surround them.

Watch the Facebook Live video at Drasin Drive from Wednesday’s tour!

KHTS Features

Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.

KHTS AM-1220 Announces 2016 Holiday Lights Tour Winners, Route Information (VIDEO)

One comment

  1. Thanks for the nice preview. Looking forward to doing a tour.

    Couple of suggestions to make this story stronger:
    1. Find some royalty-free Christmas music instead of the too-modern piece that in there now. It doesn’t fit the mood.
    2. Alternatively, record natural sound at each location and use that… or record one long piece of natural sound at each location and edit your shots to those.
    3. Do more wides, mediums, and tights instead of panning and tilting all over the place. Use a tripod unless you’re doing a walk-through. Makes for better visual storytelling.
    4. Show people enjoying it… faces, kids, older people… the joy.

    Sincerely,
    Jim Bohanon
    Editor, “It’s A Wonderful Life”
    Not Really

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About Melissa Lampert-Abramovitch

Melissa Lampert-Abramovitch has been writing for KHTS since Feb. 2014. She currently writes “Community Spotlight” and feature stories, and coordinates all aspects of both the”KHTS Adopt a Pet” video feature series and “Top Things to Do in Santa Clarita.” She is the creator of “KHTS Adopt a Pet” and acted as News Editor from 2019-2020, as well as Features Director and Newsroom Manager from 2016-2018. A former Valley Publications Staff Writer, Melissa was a contributor to the Santa Clarita Gazette and Canyon Country Magazine from 2015-2016. She has published feature stories with Pet Me Magazine, The Pet Press, The Signal, COC's Cougar News, and KJAMS Radio.