Santa’s actual house, right here in Pilsen

WALKING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WATCHING THE SEASONS CHANGE, is always a treat. Maybe never more so than right now. Our neighbors embrace the holidays. Some with modest, quiet displays in their windows, some with exuberance. But all our walks and drives through the neighborhood had not prepared us for this.

Marion had read about the house on Block Club Chicago, a local online source for neighborhood news and stories. As we drove along a dark side street with an approximate address in hand, we wondered if we would find it. The glow we saw from a block away tipped us off. The photo above barely hints at the electric splendor. Lights and decorations wrap from the back of the house to the front, filling the side yard and spilling out onto the sidewalk in front.

All of this holiday spirit is the work of one woman. Block Club Chicago called her Isabel Hernandez in their coverage of her yard-filling Día De Los Muertos altar last fall. When we were there recently, admiring this spectacular Christmas display, we met Ms. Hernandez. She told us her full name is Santa Isabel Hernandez. So we were gazing upon Santa’s house.

For 30 years now, Ms. Hernandez has created this amazing display, adding to it every year, changing things, replacing things, always looking for something new. To hang the lights that decorate the second floor, she goes up on her roof and leans over the edge. Making things even more interesting—upping the degree of difficulty, as they say in some sports competitions—Ms. Hernandez doesn’t drive. For really bulky pieces, she relies on friends to drive her, but most pieces come home with her on the bus.

Except the things she finds in Mexico City. She pointed out light displays like nothing we’ve seen anywhere and described the giant market where she found them—we had been in that neighborhood on our visit to Mexico City, but had seen nothing like these. We’ve added the market to our growing list of places to see when we go back.

For now, we’re content to travel our neighborhood streets and bask in the joy our neighbors share. We hope you’re finding some joy to bask in as this strange year draws to a close. Happy holidays, all. Here’s to a brighter new year.