Americans have been decorating their homes with outdoor lights during the holidays since suburbia exploded in growth after World War II. To that end, we buy an estimated 150 million light sets each year and light 80 million homes in December.

Over time, outdoor light displays have become more elaborate, taking weeks to create, taxing the patience of those endeavoring to untangle the light strands, and boosting the monthly electric bill during the winter months.

Checking out some of these glowing neighborhoods has become a holiday ritual in itself, like visiting Santa Claus, viewing the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, or partaking in holiday parades or special events.

As the holidays draw near, 24/7 Wall St. has compiled a list of the best neighborhoods to see holiday lights in every state.

Some neighborhoods with a reputation for festive lighting such as Dyker Heights in Brooklyn have drawn so many visitors over the years that holiday-light mania has overwhelmed the daily lives of local residents. Many complain about traffic, noise, and garbage that they claim has been generated from visitors. Some residents say they can’t even get out of their driveway in December because of the traffic.

In some areas, holiday lighting has stirred fierce competition, with town councils offering awards for the best decorated house. The intense interest in holiday lighting has led to the creation of a limited-run reality television show titled “The Great Christmas Light Fight’’ that premiered four years ago. The show awards $300,000 in prizes.

The lights may be festive and can put people in a holiday mood, but towns do have their limits. For example, residents of Aurora, Illinois, face a fine of $50 if they do not take their lights down by February 25. Some homeowners associations across the country ban outdoor light displays altogether.

Exuberance in putting up the lights can lead to injury. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said that in November and December of 2014, an estimated 13,000 people were treated in emergency rooms across the U.S. for injuries connected with holiday lights, Christmas trees, ornaments, and other decorations.

1. Alabama
> Location: Harrison Street, Decatur 35601
> Residential housing units, ZIP: 11,297
> Median home value, ZIP: $218,200
> Statewide avg. electric bill: $145.55 (2nd highest)

2. Alaska
> Location: Hillside & Rabbit Creek Road, Anchorage 99516
> Residential housing units, ZIP: 7,428
> Median home value, ZIP: $430,000
> Statewide avg. electric bill: $119.84 (16th highest)

3. Arizona
> Location: East Comstock Drive, Gilbert 85296
> Residential housing units, ZIP: 13,907
> Median home value, ZIP: $232,200
> Statewide avg. electric bill: $125.19 (13th highest)

4. Arkansas
> Location: Quinn Chapel Road, Crossett 71635
> Residential housing units, ZIP: 5,827
> Median home value, ZIP: $69,000
> Statewide avg. electric bill: $107.44 (21st lowest)

5. California
> Location: Oxnard Street and Lubao Avenue, Alameda 91364
> Residential housing units, ZIP: 11,079
> Median home value, ZIP: $670,000
> Statewide avg. electric bill: $95.20 (10th lowest)

Methodology

To identify the neighborhoods with the most outrageous Christmas lights in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a range of sources, including local news reports, private image galleries, and holiday light display award archives. The number of residential housing units and median home value in each area are for the associated ZIP code as of the third quarter of 2017 provided by housing market data company Attom Data Solutions. Average statewide monthly residential electric bills are for 2016 and came from the U.S. Energy Information Administration's annual electric power industry report.

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