There’s always that one person in your neighborhood that goes a little extra during the holidays. For residents of East Dallas, just who that is is abundantly clear and most will likely be more than familiar with the eccentric and exorbitantly decorated home that illuminates Newell Avenue each year.
Liz Simmons, the artist behind the creative and chaotic Christmas town dubbed “Electric Lizzyland”, has been transforming her home into an enormous lights display since moving to the Hollywood/Santa Monica neighborhood in 1999.
Having taken last year off, much to the dismay of loyal locals, the high-voltage Electric Lizzyland is returning this weekend to once again dazzle Dallasites with another other-worldly display.
Over the last couple of decades, the East Dallas homeowner and yuletide mastermind has added more and more to her twinkling Christmas display to the extent that this year over 50,000 twinkling lights will adorn the house, rooftop, and trees around the property.
Walking up to it in 2020 visitors would see Electric Lizzyland emblazoned above a walk-through tunnel of lights that led through the glowing garden.
From a taxidermied coyote in the window to The Abominable in the front yard, you can bet your bottom dollar you’ll be double-taking at many members of this astonishing assemblage.
Likely the most alluring aspect, however, is the 3-D multicolored glitter walls that wrap Simmons’ house. Made by the artist herself, she estimates that more than 40 pounds of glitter go into creating the walls of the display which she makes for everybody to enjoy freely.
“I kind of feel like I’ve created a bit of a monster, but I like my monster,” Simmons told Dallas News. “It’s a nice monster.”
She also said that preparation for her magical mystery manifestation takes months to complete. Everything is made in her workshop which, during the build-up to Christmas, turns into a creative chaos of glue, plywood, paint, and mountains of glitter.
Simmons recycles her materials of course, but every year additional elements are added as she builds on the year before. Even after slipping on the switch to kick off Electric Lizzyland she continues tweaking the display.
Checking the Electric Lizzyland Facebook page before heading over is advised just in case the lights aren’t flicked on due to the weather.
The display can be found at 714 Newell Avenue and will be on nightly from this Sunday through Christmas Day. There is no ticket or fee associated and Simmons advises people to bring friends and family but does ask visitors to consider neighbors when finding somewhere to park nearby.
Photos are also encouraged and visitors of Electric Lizzyland are welcome to leave a note in Simmon’s guest book but she asks both adults and children not to touch anything that makes up the display.
[Featured image from Instagram / @jvaughn7266]