ORANGEVALE, CA (MPG) - Dovewood Court residents recently met with County representatives to discuss the upcoming Christmas season and lighting of the street.  Like everyone we are trying to grapple with what it means to exist and operate in a Corona virus world.  We understand how important what we do is for the community, from the thousands of dollars of food and donations collected for Food For Families and our local food banks, to the joy the lights and displays on our street has brought to generations of residents in our area. 

Today these feelings of joy and civic pride are juxtaposed with the heavy responsibility we feel to be responsible neighbors and not contribute the deadliest plague of our generation. To borrow a phrase from a long time Dovewood Court resident, “This is our gift to the community”. None of us want it to be the gift of Covid.  As such, the Dovewood Court Christmas lights will be significantly scaled back for the 2020 Christmas Season and we are asking for your help in implementing some procedures this year to help keep our amazing community safe.

First, some houses will not be decorated, and the decorations of most others significantly scaled back. Our homeowners feel very strongly about their responsibilities to the community to both decorate and not decorate given the circumstances.  There are valid reasons on both sides of this argument. Ultimately it is up to each of the homeowners on our street to do what they feel is in the best interest of their family and community.  I assure you that all of us love Christmas and wouldn’t live here if we didn’t.  None of us took the decision we made lightly, so please be respectful of those who have decided to limit decorations.

Second, the canned food drive for Food for Families will continue, however, there will be no volunteers to help place food in the cans or collect cash for donations.  If you would like to contribute you can bring canned food with you, donate to Food for Families when you check out at Raley’s, or take donations directly to the Orangevale and Twin Lakes food banks.

Third, if you would still like to have your holiday tradition of visiting Dovewood Court, please drive through instead of walk.  Most of the other streets that are doing Christmas light shows this year will be drive-thru and we want to follow suit. The parking lots at the Grange Hall and Christ the King Church will be closed this season and parking on side streets around Dovewood is limited.

Lastly, no one likes to sit in in traffic and as normal we expect fairly heavy traffic this year with all the people driving through. Traditionally the highest volume times for visitors are Friday-Sunday 7:30 pm -9:30 pm and pretty much every day of the week before Christmas from 7:30 pm -9:30 pm. Christmas Eve is typically the most crowded day and is normally very busy from open to close.  To avoid sitting in traffic for hours, come early in the season, Monday-Thursday, pretty much anytime, and before 7:30 pm on the weekends.

Thank you for your understanding, and we hope to be back in 2021 bigger and better than ever.

Dovewood Court will follow the traditional start and end dates and times for the lighting season.  We will start Sunday 12/6/20 and end 12/27/20, hours are from 5:30-10:00.