City Hall has decided to go with an Elvis Presley-like “Blue Christmas” look this year and abandon the traditional outdoor holiday tree, while residents throughout the city have managed to outdo themselves decorating their homes in colorful holiday spirit.
The city held its annual Hanukkah menorah lighting last week. Its choice for Christmas left City Hall glowing with an art deco dark blue, while elsewhere in the city residents bathed their porches and balconies with more traditional lights and some innovative lawn pieces that make driving through the city at night pure joy.
From working class homes on Jefferson Street, Liberty and Terrace avenues in The Heights, to Union and Williams avenues near the West Side boundary with Greenville, house lights illuminated the night, and brought a festive spirit to whole blocks.
Local cable television personality Pat O’Meila is expected to make his yearly rounds to determine which displays are the most ostentatious. He often declares a winner for Jersey City.
One of the top contenders each year, a property on Liberty Avenue near North Street, casts a glow that lights up the neighborhood. But this year, that display is rivaled by a Terrace Avenue near Bleeker Street that actually encompasses the front of two houses and includes Santa, candy canes, and a host of reindeer.
A display near West Side Avenue and Williams Avenue is the pride of lower Jersey City, although a number of contenders have also cropped up on nearby Union Avenue.
The block on Jefferson Avenue near the old pump house for the Heights reservoir has several great displays this year. So does Charles Street.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.