It gets cold out there, but it sure is fun and the crisp air sparks the holiday spirit in even the most curmudgeon among the walkers.

A family tradition in the South Sound is walking through the Fantasy Lights displays at Spanaway Park. The 2.5 mile route is open to walkers on the first night of the season. I walked it tonight, but you wimps can still drive the loop to see some 300 light displays that range from a skiing snowman to a tank firing snowballs to a pirate ship and jumping rain deer. Fantasy Lights, now in its 13th year, is the Northwest's  largest drive-through holiday lights display.

Driving through the loop as the colored lights zoom passed the window can be fun. Tune your car radio to 93.7 FM to hear holiday carols performed by local high school choirs and don't forget to bring hot cocoa with mini marsh mellows. A wool blanket for the snugglers in the back seat doesn't hurt either. It's not a bad idea to have the children dress in their jammies so they are ready to go to bed by the time the drive home starts.

Fantasy Lights runs nightly Nov. 22 to Dec. 3, including Christmas and New Year's Eve, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Admission is $13 per car or $45 for a bus. $10 tickets are also available at Lakewood Community Center, Sprinker Recreation Center and Garfield Bookstore. More information is available here. â€" Steve Dunkelberger