Lawrence man starts website to map Christmas lights

For people on the hunt for Christmas light displays in Lawrence, there’s a new website to aid in the search.

Lawrence resident Eric Gruber launched the website CandyCaneLanes.com on Dec. 8, which maps Christmas light displays around town. Gruber, a father of three young children, said he had the idea when he was driving around with his family in search of displays.

“I thought, man, I wish that there was an easier way to see where people had put their lights so you’re not just aimlessly driving around,” Gruber said.

The website is interactive and allows people to create a username and input the address of their own displays or other locations to the map. Gruber said people can add Christmas light displays no matter how big or small.

“One of the website’s key features is that anyone can add to it, rather than just me,” Gruber said.

Gruber is a web developer for the city of Olathe and created the website as a personal project. There are currently 11 locations mapped and Gruber is adding a few more in the next couple of days.

Gruber said he takes his family light gazing every Christmas Eve, a tradition from his own childhood growing up in southeast Kansas. He said the name of the website came from the nickname of a street that his parents would take him and his sister to visit.

“One of the places near Coffeyville was this place that was called Candy Cane Lane, but it was really just a cul-de-sac where everybody decorated their houses over the top,” Gruber said.