Christmas Cheer Tour: Enjoy a lineup of holiday lights and decorations

Dazzling lights, festive decorations, and a community spirit that warms the heart. These are the key ingredients behind the Daniel Island Christmas Cheer Tour, an annual event organized by the Engler family. 

 

Building on the success of their third annual Halloween Spooky Tour, Scott and Heather Engler, along with their daughter Austen, have organized their second Christmas Cheer Tour. 

 

Scott Engler says the inspiration behind the community-driven decoration tour is his daughter.

 

“It’s about doing something for the kids. We thought it would be great to be able to see the different houses lit up,” he said. “When I realized other people shared the same interest, which is getting the kids out, seeing the community, and connecting with neighbors, we started putting it together.”

 

Following the Cheer Tour is simple, Engler said. He created a mobile map of homes throughout various Daniel Island neighborhoods that showcase the best and brightest decorations. “It’s like a scavenger hunt with Christmas lights and you get to pull up or walk around for viewing on your own time.”

 

Marge Lawson shared her experience participating in the tour.

 

“We do this to bring joy to all. We receive the gift of joy by giving joy,” she said. “We love doing this for our community. It’s always special to see our adult children come through the front door and see the sparkle in their eyes.”

 

Spreading more joy is Tracey Mullaney, who’s made a tradition out of the decoration tour. “I enjoy decorating for Christmas, and it’s become a tradition for the neighbors to come over and celebrate the grand illumination. I’m happy it brings joy to residents and those who drive by.”

 

Todd and Jen Zangrillo echoed the sentiment, sharing, “We wanted to join the Cheer Tour because decorating our home brings us real happiness and joy that we can share. It takes us back to our childhood with simple and fun memories.”

 

This year, the Cheer Tour is taking it up a notch. With 26 houses on the list (and counting), Engler invites residents and visitors to follow along Dec. 23 at 6 p.m. on a “choose your own adventure” tour Engler is calling “The Night Before, The Night Before Christmas Cheer Tour.” Everyone can start at different places to view the houses by following the map. 

 

Residents can expect to see eye-catching displays of houses such as “Frosty’s Nutcracker,” “Pink Christmas,” and “My Kids Ransacked Home Depot,” to name a few. Whether you travel by foot, golf cart, car or bike, each house can be found on the Apple Maps app by visiting tinyurl.com/ms5drpcs.

 

The tour will also include a contest of five categories: most creative, most fun, most classic, best overall, and the most cheery street. Winners will receive prizes including gift cards to island restaurants.

 

The Christmas Cheer Tour is not just about lights, it’s about creating a personal and unique experience for each participant. Engler highlights the uniqueness of the event, saying, “It’s not a big put-on event. It’s personalized to each person. It’s your unique thing, with it being your own house. It’s what residents want to express to everybody else. That, I think, is pretty special.”