The snippet of street today known as Northeast Park Road has unusual origins. Carl Gould, the founder of University of Washington’s architecture program and a prolific local designer, prepared the master plan for this neighborhood nestled against Ravenna Park. It stands out for its (mostly) Tudor-style homes, built in the 1920s, that complement each other without being uniform. And for an unusual layout—with a small circular park in the center—that make the two dozen-ish houses feel like a distinct little community within broader Ravenna.

But it really stands out in December, when Northeast Park Road assumes its megawatt alter ego: Candy Cane Lane. According to local lore (and the Seattle Times) the newspaper ran a contest in the 1950s that challenged homeowners to create a display that showed the most Christmas cheer. The neighborhood took the prize, and a tradition began.

More than 70 years later, families come from all over Seattle to marvel at the illuminated reindeer, snowflakes, nutcrackers, and general radiance of so many homes decked out in strings of lights. A few inflatables have arrived over the years, but in a world of increasingly gaudy LEDs, much of the decor still feels refreshingly homespun—not far removed from the way it looked midcentury. In the 1960s, one resident added a carousel that still spins in the small park circle.

But every other day of the year, these are exceedingly quaint vintage homes in a coveted location, in a city where buying a home often feels like a contact sport. What happens if someone moves into the neighborhood who isn’t interested in mounting a massive lights display every year?

There’s no homeowners’ association, and no requirement that residents participate, says Courtney Williams, a Windermere Real Estate broker who has represented sellers who lived on Candy Cane Lane. “Typically the sellers leave the holiday decorations for the new buyer.” She notes a few residents have opted out over the years, or simply chosen to put up a regular, non-destinationworthy quantity of holiday lights and get on with their lives.

News interviews with residents over the years suggest the annual lights display (and the community it fosters) is one of the main draws for people who buy homes here. And when residents sell, they specifically seek out buyers who are excited to carry on the tradition (and inherit their giant candy canes and Grinch cutouts).

Candy Cane Lane lights up again on December 2 and will glow through January 1. The neighborhood maintains a Facebook page with particulars on the hours, including a few nights just for pedestrians.