Valley residents go all out with holiday displays

There is an understanding around the Guerriero household that come Christmas time, the hair dyer and microwave — pretty much all appliances, really — are off limits after 5:30 p.m. There’s been one too many blown fuses.

Yes, the Guerriero’s home (on Tenaya Avenue, near Van Ness and Sierra) taxes the grid, what with its massive display of holiday lights and decorations.

“Every year we buy more and more,” says Mary Guerriero, who, along with her husband, Joe Guerriero, spends a month (or more) each year setting up the display, which is lit from 5:30 to 11 p.m. through Christmas Day.

Even once all the decor is up, there are still small tweaks to be made, Mary says.

“I’m still doing it every day.”

The display has nine trees modeled after NYC’s famous Tavern on the Green and more than 20,000 lights, Mary says. That’s really just a rough estimate.

And it’s not just the exterior that gets a holiday makeover. While Mary’s husband is in charge outside the home, Mary does the interior decorating, which includes “multiple” Christmas trees. Note the quotation.

The Guerrieros aren’t the only Valley residents to go all-out around the holidays. Two area families had displays featured on the ABC competition show “Great Christmas Light Fight.” The Alexanders, whose home is at the end Christmas Tree Lane, won $50,000 on its episode of the show, which aired Monday, Dec. 15. The Canizales family will have their Sanger home featured on Monday, Dec. 22.

Here is a list of other Valley homes known for putting up light displays in the area.

Synchronized light displays

Neighborhood displays

This story was originally published December 18, 2014 at 1:04 PM with the headline "Valley residents go all out with holiday displays."