This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Whether it's a '65 Chevy pickup festooned with stars and colored lights on "Candy Cane Lane" in Los Angeles or the row houses on 34th Street in Baltimore, festively transformed to the "Miracle on 34th Street," Americans go all-out decorating their houses and front yards for the Christmas holiday. Homes in Cary, N.C., and Montgomery Ala., are so populated with radiant Nativity figures, shimmering snowmen and towering Santas, that barely a patch of lawn is visible. In California, a firehouse in San Francisco and a surf shack in San Diego opt for simpler adornments, the natural setting adding to the beauty of the display. Here are some highlights from across the country.