PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — One of America’s best Christmas lights shows has gone live for the holiday season in South Philly. The annual “Miracle on South 13th Street” is keeping things merry and bright.
“Merry Christmas, everyone!” said Santa at the block party kickoff on Saturday night. “Welcome to 13th Street. It’s wonderful to see you all.”
Santa rode in on the back of a classic red Chevy pickup truck to officially fire up the annual light display — as he has every year for the last decade on this famed, in South Philly’s East Passyunk Crossing.
On the weekend after Thanksgiving, the block of S. 13th Street, between Tasker and Morris streets transforms into a Christmas wonderland of light and sound. The lights will stay on from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., every day, through the end of the year.
Anna Sosalski has been on and around the block her whole life. Her parents still live there.
“It’s beautiful. I mean, this is like one of a kind. But it’s really a South Philadelphia tradition,” Sosalski said.
Her mother, Maria, has lived on the block for more than 60 years. She’s one of many who chips in to make the magic come to life.
“It’s nice,” she said. “We don’t mind to pay the $50. Every year it’s better [than the year before].”
The end result is a winter wonderland that thousands of people from around the world come to escape to.
“No matter what kind of problems you have — you come on this street, you forget them for about an hour or so,” said Sosalski.
Miles Wilcox, from Boston, has come to Philadelphia to visit his sister for the last 15 years. Part of that annual tradition is a visit to the 1600 block of S. 13th Street to see how the homeowners on the block have outdone themselves from the year before.
“Thanksgiving first. Then, buy the Christmas tree. Then, Miracle on 13th Street. It’s like a progression of traditions,” Wilcox said,
He says, going to the display every year has given him the opportunity to watch his nephew grow up. At first, he was a newborn in a papoose.
“And now, he’s 2 ½, and now he’s using complete sentences and asking: ‘Can I go see Santa? Let’s go see the lights.’”
Anne is a lifetime Philadelphian and another longtime visitor to S. 13th Street. No matter how much the festivities grow, she says the displays are all about the kids.
“The kids today, they have to have something to believe in, and I’m so glad they still believe in Santa Claus, and Buddy the Elf, and stuff like that.”