There are many hallmarks of the holiday season. There are Christmas trees with presents underneath, stockings hung by the chimney with care, Santa Claus comes to town.

Perhaps the most spectacular of seasonal decor are Christmas lights, and Warsaw and Winona Lake have impressive installations on display for the holidays.

“This is our 18th season for the Central Park display,” said Warsaw Parks and Recreation Superintendent Larry Plummer. “It started by a donation of display items from Bruce Howe and has grown over the years.”

For anyone willing to brave the cold and venture to Central Park after dark, the display offers an immersive winter wonderland experience.

“This year we have many rope light fixtures as well as carolers, a manger scene and Santa with sleigh and reindeer,” said Plummer. “All buildings will be lit as well as 200,000 lights on trees and bushes.”

“New this year will be a rope light action Santa going down the Center Lake Pavilion chimney and LED drive-through archway entering and exiting the Indiana Street parking lot,” Plummer said. There’s also a large light rope ice skating rink that takes up most of the central lawn at the park.

“It takes our crew approximately a month and a half to get the display ready for opening night,” said Plummer. “Our crew check every strand strand of lights, all rope lighting figurines and displays prior to installation.”

The lights are lit from 4 p.m. to midnight each day. The display will be up until New Year’s Eve.

For more luminous delights, take a cruise down Park Avenue in The Village at Winona Lake. The display there is also rather impressive.

Lining the road are a number of festive scenes. Many of the installations are animated, turning certain lights on and off giving the illusion of movement.

An elf shoots Christmas presents out of a cannon. Santa shimmies down the chimney of The Boathouse restaurant. There are carolers, a nativity, ice skaters and snowmen.

This is the second year lights have been on display in the village. Its display uses more than 1,000 feet of rope lighting, picked out and provided by Dane and Mary Louise Miller.

The lights come on at 5:30 p.m. everyday. They will also be up until the first of the year.

While Warsaw and Winona Lake have impressive offerings, streets throughout the county have been adorned with illuminated snowflakes, wreaths, tree lights and all kinds of holiday trappings.

So bundle up and enjoy the sights of the holidays. After all, ‘tis the season.