Let me tell you, it isn’t easy being the Christmas lights hero on Scrooge Lane.

That’s what Mrs. G and I call our street during the holidays. There are a lot of cheery light displays in the surrounding neighborhood — I’m sure the crew of the International Space Station can see them from orbit — but we live in the dark place between them.

Except for our house. We stand out. We’re the island of misfit lights.

Several dozen multicolored LEDs hang from cup holders I permanently screwed into the eaves. They’re the workhorse lights, and they don’t break when you drop them from atop a ladder. There’s a 2-foot snowflake — the last of a three-snowflake set that still works — attached to a crossbeam.

A row of temperamental lights lines the front wall, each of them fitted inside 12-inch plastic bulbs that I have to wire together every year to keep them from falling apart. The same wall is home to rope lights that turn on and off. By themselves.

We used to have candy canes, but they’re more trouble than a rogue lawn elf. I threw them away last year after Christmas. Now I wonder whether I could have fixed them.

And on the highest point of the roof, I’ve got a pathetic 18-inch lighted tree that’s so anemic, it would make Charlie Brown weep.

To my knowledge, no one driving down my street stops by to ogle our display, but that’s OK. I don’t hang lights for them. The lights have another purpose. One I almost forgot.

When I was a boy growing up in Kailua, my father would load our family into his car, and we would drive around looking for holiday displays. We could never get enough.

I’ve said it before and meant it every time: Those forays are among the strongest childhood memories I have, but the lights stopped shining for me when I became a teenager. For some reason, I just didn’t notice them. It took Mrs. G to make me see them again as our first Christmas together approached in 1986.

We wrapped a single strand of lights around the railing outside the front door. Our duplex entrance was hidden from the street, so no one else could see the lights and yet they made us smile every night.

Ever since, holiday lights have gone up wherever we’ve lived.

And ever since my daughters can remember, the lights have been part of their Christmas as well — just like their mother’s butterhorn cookies, the plate of latkes our Hanukkah-celebrating friends send over, and all of us driving around Hawaii Kai in search of holiday displays.

They expect our lights to be up right after Thanksgiving. It doesn’t matter that this year neither of them will see the lights until they come home from college for the holidays. They want to know they’re up.

As our display evolved through the years, it grew. Not huge or gaudy, just larger. I even made a set of wood forms that allows me to mount lights on my brick wall. (It also works well for my Halloween skulls. Just saying.)

The girls loved it. Mrs. G loved it. The pride of Scrooge Lane.

But I’ve had a bit of trouble this year finding the joy in all this.

My lights — some of which went up per our usual post-Thanksgiving plan — just seem too worn. The LEDs seem too small, I left the colored icicles tangled in the box, and I kept asking, ‘Why didn’t I buy new candy canes?’

And the giant bulbs, which didn’t go up with the first phase, have become so fragile they might not ever go up again. Despite my best intentions to hot-glue a string of LED lights into them as a replacement, I never got it done.

In fact, when Mrs. G called me out on the half-baked effort, I got into a huge argument with her. I told her I was tired of putting up lights. She knew I was lying.

The soul-searching lasted a day. And the rest of the lights went up after that. They don’t look all that bad.

In all the fuss, I had forgotten why I put up lights in the first place. They don’t shine for the neighbors. They shine for the little boy inside me. For the daughters who smile at the thought of lights they haven’t seen yet. For the memory of Christmas.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS

All over the island, homeowners light up the night with their holiday displays. Follow our guide to find the best and brightest.

EAST HONOLULU

» 1459 Ahuawa Loop (Kahala): Check out a "blue winter wonderland" where Frosty the Snowman is on guard at the front to ensure everyone is on their best behavior this holiday season.

» 924 Pueo St. (Kahala): Residents of this home invite all to view their unique gift to the community: a fully decorated 100-foot-tall Norfolk Island pine tree.

» 575 to 595 Hahaione St. (Hawaii Kai): Take a merry stroll down "Candy Cane Lane" in Mariners Village 2, where you’ll meet a snowman, penguin, Santa and reindeer.

» 1080 Kaumoku St. (Hawaii Kai): The Jersets’ home atop Mariners Ridge may be visible from ships at sea with its towering 12-foot-tall candy canes, 7-foot-tall nutcrackers, 6-foot-tall candles and enormous lighted ornaments.

» 7240 Nohili St. (Hawaii Kai): From a coconut tree to Santa on a train, you can find "anything Christmas" here, including reindeer beside a pool of lights, a polar bear, a snowman, twinkling trees and lights galore.

HONOLULU

» 723 Hauoli St. (McCully): For 21 years the Vares Ohana has been spreading holiday joy through dazzling displays that include a rocking horse with a paniolo, a Ferris wheel, a ballerina bear sitting on a big drum, singing and dancing snowmen, gingerbread houses, a Nativity scene, Mr. and Mrs. Claus and a Christmas countdown.

» 2020 Hillcrest St. (Alewa Heights): Be sure to stop by the Bisho home, illuminated with various figures, an animated mailbox, train, snowman, Santa and his sleigh and more, including the addition of two Christmas trees.

» 2306 Kuahea St. (Palolo): The Chivers family’s festive display features more than 25 classic figures including Frosty the Snowman, Santa and Mrs. Claus, toy soldiers, a penguin, teddy bear, candy canes and a Nativity scene. Also scheduled to make appearances this year are a drummer boy and an elf — if they arrive in time for Christmas!

» 2672 Lowrey Ave. (Manoa): The Allen family’s tradition of spreading Christmas joy continues in its 32nd year with more than 50 characters, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy and several Santas, two Nativity scenes and a new Christmas-countdown clock. The display also spreads the message of donating blood during this special time of the year. Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. daily.

» 1553 Miller St. (Punchbowl): View a festive spread comprising more than 60 lighted figures including Santa and Mrs. Claus, snowmen, drummer boys, a Nativity scene, elves, penguins, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Snoopy, Garfield and Winnie the Pooh (and Tigger, too), courtesy of Lindy Franca and ohana.

» 1248 Wilhelmina Rise (Kaimuki): The Akau, Kauffman and Andrade families join to brighten up the neighborhood with Christmas lights, a Nativity scene, angels, reindeer and lots of new inflatables. Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. daily.

» 3140 Waialae Ave. (Kaimuki): Drive through the Chaminade University oval to view the colorful lights outlining Clarence T.C. Ching Hall and other campus buildings.

KAILUA/KANEOHE

» 1170 Akumu St.: More than 10,000 colorful lights are synchronized to holiday music, plus there will be inflatables, ornaments and new surprises this year.

» 45-229 Nakuluai St.: Stop by this festive home where handcrafted wooden characters from "Happy Feet," "Harry Potter," "Kung Fu Panda," Disney, Precious Moments, "Dora the Explorer" and others await you.

» Namoku Street: Residents on this enchanting street enjoy spreading Christmas cheer to a high volume of visitors yearly.

» 46-201 Ohala St.: The Rodrigues home serves up an assortment of 30 "window-type" lighted decorations and 32 vintage blow-mold figures around the yard, including Santa, Goofy, Tigger, Snoopy, Tazmanian Devil, candy canes, a gingerbread man, toy soldiers and a Nativity scene with angels.

PEARL CITY

» 98-1297 Hoohuali Place: Welcome to "Keiki Wonderland 2012!" — where Francis and Estrella Aki continue their tradition of 36 years with a yard display bustling with more than 20 local and Disney characters. And say hello to this year’s new addition: Hello Kitty! Hours are 6 to 10 p.m. daily.

MILILANI/WAIKELE/WAIPAHU

» 95-1148 Auina St. (Mililani Mauka): The Lai family residence is a joy to behold with a 12-foot inflatable Santa truck, a 10-foot Christmas tree festooned with more than 600 lights that put on a dazzling show, and lighting effects throughout the yard.

» 94-226 Anapau Place: Find delight in a computerized light show, fully powered by a solar photovoltaic system, comprising 20,000 lights that "dance" to holiday tunes. Get a preview of the Yoshida family’s electrifying show at vimeo.com/54435745. Also accepting donations for homeless keiki in the Next Step Shelter in Kakaako.

» Hopoe Place: Thirty homes on the street display holiday lights to celebrate the season in unity. Surely, no Grinches reside here.

» 94-313 Kiokio Place: A cast of characters including the Smurfs, Shrek, Hello Kitty, Power Rangers, Dr. Seuss and others from Disney and Looney Tunes stands tall, courtesy of the Domingo family.

EWA BEACH

» 91-214 Kamaehu Way (Ewa by Gentry): This home was awarded first place last year in the neighborhood Christmas display contest, thanks to computer-controlled music sequences featuring a 20-foot tree, three 10-foot spiral trees, snowflake cascades and five minitrees.

» 91-6523 Kapolei Parkway: The Watanabes’ annual light show continues with even more lights — a total of 49,000 this year! — added to the mix, music transmitted on 106.5 FM, a 20-foot Christmas tree, leaping arches, snowfall lights and an inflatable snow globe. Don’t forget to wave to a projection of St. Nick peering through the window. Hours are 5:30 to 10 p.m. nightly through Jan. 4. Also accepting donations for Make-a-Wish Foundation. Visit www.daohanachristmaslightshow.com.

» 91-1075 Kaunolu St: Stop by the Bautistas’ home to view SpongeBob, Wall-E, Mickey and Minnie Mouse and other characters set in an amusement park complete with a swing, a Ferris wheel and more, all made from recyclable materials and trash-turned-treasure.

MAILI

» 87-1029-A Hakimo Road (Nanakuli): Bob and Julie Herodias present their annual gift to the neighborhood with more than 10,000 lights and 300 lighted figures including Winnie the Pooh, Snoopy and friends, Disney characters and scenes from Santa’s Workshop, the Nativity and North Pole.

Information provided by readers. Displays and times may vary.