The Ultimate Christmas House in Menifee, CA

On Christmas Eve, three years ago, Andy and I were driving home from my parents. I was dressed in my Christmas jammies, as my sister and I had just taken our annual sister photo. As we are getting close to our neighborhood, my husband tells me, let’s stop by this house in Menifee Lakes. It has the coolest decorations. Obviously, I am paraphrasing as this did happen quite some time ago. He had gone with the church’s youth group to Menifee Lakes, a neighborhood that has a giant contest for Christmas decorations. On Christmas Eve, there are even horse drawn carriage rides!

This family, on Calle Pompeii, sets up a Christmas village in their garage… in their living room… their kitchen… their living room… their hallways…. their study… their bathroom… and even the windowed dormers upstairs. Over $10,000 has been spent on their collections of villages and Christmas decorations, all they ask of their guests, is to donate some canned food for a local charity. And not only do they have a wide assortment of villages—it changes every year! The first year I went, their entire garage was Disneyland themed, down to a train traveling through a cave of dinosaurs! Last year, the Disney village moved inside and a new more traditional village filled their garage.

There’s definitely a ton to look at as you wander through their house and you can easily spend quite some time enthralled in their collection. The people who allow all these people in their home every single night in December, are some of the nicest and most welcoming people I’ve ever met in Menifee, and I sure look forward to visiting them! Here are just a few photos from our first trip there this year, I hope to update this post as I am sure I will make it over there another two times at least!

The garage is the most expansive, continuous village with a train that circulates throughout and a local drive in theater which was playing A Nightmare Before Christmas.

Their front patio is decorated like a winter wonderland, complete with another train!

Once inside the house, there are more villages of varying themes. Last year there were two Simpsons sets, but those and the Disney village were no where to be seen. Just goes to show how vast their collection is!

Their wall of nativities was moved into their office, our favorite nativity is an Israel themed one. Also in their office is a village of California Missions which I had never seen before!

And last but not least, even their bathroom has Christmas decorations, including Santa himself, singing in the shower!

To find this treasure trove, take the Newport exit off the 215 heading east and make a right at the light, Calle Pompeii. You won’t miss their house, but just in case you do their address is 30035 Calle Pompeii, Menifee.

Be sure to check back for more photos, and let me know if you make it over there!