LAFAYETTE PARISH (YOUNGSVILLE) — Across Lafayette, Youngsville and Broussard, families are seeking out homes that go all out for the season—and one local mom is helping make those displays easier to find.
Leah Landers is the creator of the Landers Family Christmas Light List—a Facebook page that crowdsources standout holiday decorations across the area.
“We go all over Lafayette, Youngsville and Broussard to find the best of the best Christmas light displays for Acadiana families,” Landers said.
For Landers, “best of the best” means anything memorable.
“Over the top like a Clark Griswold house, light shows, anything unique or unusual, or just plain weird,” she said.
While Landers admits she didn’t have time to fully decorate her own yard this year, aside from a few inflatables for her children, she made time to scout neighborhoods and spotlight others’ hard work.
“Majority of the houses are ones that we find just randomly,” she said. “This house right here—we found randomly.”
One of those discoveries sits on Forest Grove Drive in Youngsville, where Carlos and Alicia Mendoza have transformed their lawn into a holiday spectacle—featuring more than 300 plastic figurines known as blow molds.
From a nativity scene to the Grinch and nearly everything in between, the display fills the yard and draws in the community with color and nostalgia.
“Blow molds just create memories,” Carlos Mendoza said. “Something about them just brings joy to me, and I feel like if it brings joy to me, it’ll bring joy to others.”
The Mendozas say spreading joy is the entire point.
“We do this because my husband loves to bring joy to people,” Alicia Mendoza said. “Feel free to pass by, get out on the sidewalk, take pictures — that’s the whole reason for this display. We just want to bring joy to everyone this holiday season.”
Carlos Mendoza said seeing others enjoy the display has made the effort worthwhile.
“I go outside and walk around, take my time and just enjoy it,” he said. “And now the fact that other people are enjoying it — it’s really special.”
Families looking to plan their own holiday light tour can find the list of light displays on Facebook, along with posts highlighting The Mendozas Holiday Display and many others across Acadiana.
