37th street lights — a quick note to anchor this piece for readers.
37th street lights: Quick notes
December 17, 2025
Austin’s most famous street for Christmas lights, 37th Street, is back this year. We went to see it last Friday, and that Old Austin spirit was in fine form with live music, irreverent light displays, and folks enjoying a beautiful evening together.
A couple kissing under “mistletoe”
Colorful jellyfish swayed against a black sky…
…dangling their tentacles over a kissing booth.
A yard sign declared, “No butts, no glory.” Indeed!
A troop of mannequin legs — and butts — paraded through the yard.
Odd and punny — a 37th Street tradition
At another house, a Prada “storefront” offered a local riff on Prada Marfa.
Another house played on a Grateful Dead theme.
One house boldly, in neon, proclaimed, “Tits the season.”
In another yard, the Hogwarts castle from Harry Potter had come to roost — relocated from the famous Harry Potter House in the Circle C neighborhood that used to wow visitors every Halloween and Christmas. Last year was its final showing, and I’m glad these wonderful homemade structures have found a new home.
Around the corner, a nod to Austin’s famous “Hi, how are you” mural was outlined in lights.
And in glowing cursive, a neighbor offered wishes for “Joy to the Weird.”
I’ve enjoyed the Christmas spirit of 37th Street for decades. Here are a few earlier blog posts:
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My new book, Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State, is here! Find it on Amazon, other online book sellers, and in stores everywhere. It’ll make a great holiday gift for anyone who loves gardens or the natural beauty of Texas. More info here.
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All material © 2025 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
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37th street lights comes up here to connect ideas for clarity.
