For the past 64 years, generations of Valley residents have made the trek to Ceres to add to their Christmas celebration.

Ceres is known for its annual Christmas Tree Lane event, which kicks off its season the first Saturday in December. Since 1961, residents on Henry Avenue and Vaughn Street west of Smyrna Park selflessly spend days and sometimes weeks setting up dazzling lights, Christmas character cutouts, outdoor speakers for Christmas music and other features so that others can experience a free annual holiday tradition.

With each year, Christmas Tree Lane has progressively spilled into the adjoining neighborhoods on Caswell Avenue, Jewel Street and Leslie Lane. For example, a few years ago a giant blow-up Santa towering over 30 feet appeared over the intersection of Sixth Street and Caswell Avenue. The Facey family purchased the gargantuan Santa from Amazon in 2022.

Christmas Tree Lane debuts this year following the annual Ceres Christmas Festival, organized by the city of Ceres Recreation Department, on Saturday, Dec. 6. The free event takes place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ceres Community Center, 2701 Fourth Street. The event will include crafts, face painting, writing letters to Santa, food vendors and free pictures with Santa. Free coffee and hot chocolate will be served and deserts but vendors will be on hand selling foods.

To officially usher in Christmas Tree Lane, a 7 p.m.parade will begin at Fowler and Moffet roads, work its way down southbound Rose Avenue, westbound on Garrison Street and onto Christmas Tree Lane on Henry Avenue and Vaughn Street, reversing its path from last year. Marching bands from Ceres High School (100-150 students) and Central Valley High School will lead the way through as surrounding streets will be closed to vehicular traffic. Dance groups from local dance studios, floats, commercial entries and police vehicles will be in the parade as well.

While the city does not allow residents to sell their own food items, an approved list of vendors will set up in nearby Smyrna Park along Moffett Road.

The lane will only be closed to vehicular traffic on Saturday evening, Dec. 6 to accommodate pedestrians for that special night.

Among those who have made a stroll on the lane aChristmas tradition are Anthony and Cece Miranda with their children in tow.

Anthony grew up on Caswell and has been familiar with the Ceres tradition.

In 2023 the couple reported that their favorite yard was decorated in the 1993 “The Nightmare before Christmas” movie theme. Ian and Cindy Campbell chose the popular Tim Burton movie because it’s among their favorite holiday movies.

Other yards have celebrated with “National Lampoon Christmas Vacation,” Disney and the Grinch themes.

Since 2018, the Campbells have occupied the house once occupied by Ian’s grandparents, Herb and Betty Campbell who participated in Christmas Tree Lane before they passed away.

“It takes roughly a day to decorate the house and yard,” he noted.

“We just love it because we hear all the compliments about the house and hear all the kids excited, even the adults, too,” commented Cindy Campbell.

Last year was the first Christmas Tree Lane experience as homeowners for Vaughn and Gina Black who moved from Oakdale.

“We grew up in Ceres and loved this growing up,” said Gina. “We knew what we were getting into – I think.”                 

“I do all the cutouts and stuff and then she does the painting,” said Vaugh, a carpenter. “Painting and making them it probably took us three weeks.”

“It’s neat coming out here and seeing your neighbors, each one’s outside their fire pits with their families. That’s an awesome feeling. It’s neat to see. Plus since we’ve been here, all these neighbors we’ve talked to, everybody’s just been so nice.”

Christmas Tree Lane is something that can be enjoyed every night from Dec. 6 – either by car or walking – to Christmas Day.