From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

Every year, people from all over the Philadelphia area visit the Miracle on South 13th Street to admire the elaborate Christmas displays that light up the block.

Residents on the 1600 block decorate their rowhouses with painted versions of the beloved characters from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” playful penguins in Christmas hats going down a slide, a fake fireplace with a free library of children’s books or glowing icicles that line a house’s railing, awning and windows.

The street poles are wrapped up like candy canes, and some houses play Christmas music when the holiday lights turn on from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Theresa Ackerman, who has lived on 13th Street for more than a decade, said the holiday tradition is “more than just lights.”

“The best part of my day is after sundown when you start to see all the happy children and families,” Ackerman said. “Whether you lived here for a long time, or you’re a brand new neighbor, or if you’re just one of the surrounding neighbors, you can always see something new. Everybody is always adding or changing things up or finding a way to make it more joyful.”

Sean Ferrarini, who also lives on the block, said the best way to enjoy the lights is by walking through.

“I walk down here two or three times a day and I pick up on things. I was one of the people that helped put the lights on. I still don’t notice things that some of the neighbors put up,” he said.

For instance, he pointed out how the house with the glowing icicles added a deer to their display this year.

Local traffic only?

However, there are also people who drive down the street to admire the lights, trolley tours that bring visitors through and some drivers passing through who honk at the slow moving traffic.

Some nearby residents are increasingly thinking of ways to keep the beloved tradition going, but without the car traffic and honking that comes from impatient drivers as a result.

Beckett Woodworth, who lives on 13th Street, decorates his house every year and would like the tradition to continue. However, he also said it would be good if there could be some limits on car traffic when the lights go on, such as only letting local residents drive through.

That happened recently during a large block party. He said that worked well, and it would be good to consider limiting vehicle traffic on weekends when the Miracle is on, to adjust to how the attraction has grown since it started more than 20 years ago.

“It’s more and more popular. More and more people come, more trolleys … just because it was working fine for 20 years, doesn’t mean that the current way is the right way,” Woodworth said.

Ferrarini, who is more involved in helping set up the displays earlier in the year, said he and the other neighbors are not city planners, so they leave decisions like that up to the Streets Department and other experts and follow their lead.

The police and fire departments say they know what happens every year with the Miracle, and have never had any issues with emergency vehicles getting through. However, Jamill Taylor, a police inspector and commanding officer of South Police Division, said traffic in the area is a “nightmare” this year because of construction happening on other nearby streets.

Councilman Mark Squilla, who represents the area, said a resident told him that a driver who was asked to stop honking responded by saying “I have a gun.” He said that was scary to hear about, and anyone who encounters something like that should file a police report.

Squilla added that some additional measures have helped reduce the congestion: electronic signs warning drivers about slow traffic, tour buses and trolleys dropping visitors off further away so they can walk to enjoy the lights, and residents turning off the holiday displays by 10 p.m. during the week.

“I would say the majority of people think it helped,” Squilla said. “Do they think it made everything go away? I’m going to say no, but I do think that because of everybody working together we’re able to put some things in place to address the concerns and we’ll continue to do that on an ongoing basis.”