Ask any resident what it’s like to live on Glen Arbor Street during the holidays, and you’ll likely hear the same word: magical. Every winter since 1947, this unassuming Salt Lake City cul-de-sac transforms into its festive alter-ego: Christmas Street. It is a beloved, enduring tradition, not just for the dazzling display, but for the story of neighborly goodwill it represents. This is a story passed down through generations, often quite literally, within a humble banker’s box.
Christmas Street Know-Before-You-Go Info
- The lights are turned on the Friday after Thanksgiving
- The display stays up until New Years Day
- Come between 5pm and 10:30pm
- There’s often a line of slow moving traffic, that’s part of the fun
- If you’d rather walk, you can park on surrounding streets
- Santa will be making an appearance on the evening of December 6th, everyone is welcome
The Handover: Two Chairwomen Meet
Five years ago, Emma Thatcher and her young family were instantly charmed by a sweet rambler on Glen Arbor Street. They knew it was meant to be their first home. What they didn’t know was that they were inheriting a legacy. Emma soon found herself the Chairperson of the Christmas Street Association, tasked with keeping the decades old tradition alive.
By a wonderful twist of fate, Emma met Cori Pugsley, who served as the committee chair alongside her husband, Joe, from 2007 to 2016. Niche Homes was a sponsor for the Santa Party on Christmas Street in 2024 and we had a meeting to discuss how to support the effort again this year. Cori, a mortgage loan officer and trusted colleague of our team, happened to be at our office at the same time. Listening to them chat was like hearing two lifelong friends reminisce. They were laughing, nostalgic, and bonded by the tradition they had in common. The fact that they had just met felt, well, like magic.
A Treasure Box of History
Emma had brought a worn banker’s box packed with mementos, meeting minutes, and yellowed newspaper clippings dating back to 1950—that is passed from one chairperson to the next.
As they poured over the contents, Cori was delighted to find papers strewn with her own handwriting and doodles from her tenure—a precious time capsule of her years on the street.
In that same box, a fascinating piece of history emerged: the minutes from a 1961 Christmas Street Association Meeting. Listed under the important assignment of “Securing Santa and his gift” was the name LaRue Oberhansley. LaRue’s granddaughter, Cassidy, is a dear friend.
White Collars and Robotic Children: Memories of the 1960s
This discovery led to a conversation with LaRue’s daughter, Cheryl Walker, who grew up on Christmas Street during the 1950s and ‘60s. Cheryl recalled her enchanted childhood:
“I lived on Christmas Street from age 3 to 15. Christmas time was magical. One of the moms made white collars for us every year to wear while caroling, and Santa came right to our street to greet us next to the giant live tree in the dead end circle. All the houses were connected with strings of lights, and every house had a giant electric red candle in the middle of the front yard.”
Cheryl even recalled the joy of entertaining the nightly visitors: “My best friend and I dressed in our sheep skin coats and pretended to be robotic children interacting with the candle. It was so fun to see people driving by looking at us and trying to figure out if we were human or not.”
Saving the Sign: The Power of Community
The tradition was in jeopardy during the winter of 2024 when the iconic neon Christmas Street sign needed expensive repairs. Emma wasn’t sure she could rally the community for a fundraiser that big. She sought counsel from a lifelong Christmas Street resident who was just a young boy when the tradition began in 1947. When Emma asked what he thought about the possible end of Christmas Street, the eighty-something neighbor replied simply:
“This is the most magical street in the world.”
That was all the encouragement Emma needed. After decades of residents generously sharing their tradition with the rest of the city, the city had the opportunity to show their appreciation. Emma and her neighbors were overwhelmed by the outpouring of financial support, enabling them to fix the sign and enhance the lighting overall.
Cori explains that this reciprocity is a key element in the street’s enduring magic. It’s not just the connection between immediate neighbors, but with the community at large. She recalled being serenaded by groups of carolers, watching people cross-country ski around the circle on snowy days, and kids waving from car windows as they passed.
The Tradition Endures
A lot has changed in Salt Lake City since the Christmas Street tradition started in 1947. Thankfully, the sturdy, post-war ramblers on Glen Arbor Street are still intact. And thanks to the dedication of generations of residents—from LaRue in 1961 to Cori in 2016, and now Emma—the lights will be on for all to enjoy again this year. For the 78th season, Christmas Street welcomes all Salt Lakers to drive by, take a lap around the tree, and appreciate the way this caring community lovingly continues the lights, the stories, and the magic.
Other Free Holiday Events Around the Salt Lake Valley
- Frosty’s Wonderland in The Avenues
- Unite and Light Michigan Avenue in Yalecrest
- Gallivan Center Lights Display
- Tree of Life in Draper City
Niche Homes is a full-service real estate agency specializing in Wasatch Front neighborhoods and enclaves. Contact us if you are interested in buying or selling a home.
