There are a handful of blocks in Philadelphia that have their own thing that makes them just a bit different from the rest. For many of those blocks, this is the case because of their location- things are just a little different if you live on a street that’s across from a school or a park, and we’re not just talking about the extra natural light. Along those lines, the folks lucky enough to live on Madison Square or the garden blocks of Saint Albans have a very unique urban experience, compared to the rest of us.

The 1600 block of S. 13th Street is also quite special, but its nature isn’t inherent to anything on the block. Sure, the fantastic Francoluigi’s is at the northern end of the block and Passyunk Avenue is just a block away. But what truly makes this block so special is a collective decision by the people living on the street to make the 1600 block of S. 13th St. into a winter wonderland every December. You might not notice it if you’re walking down the street during the day.

At night though, this block transforms into the Miracle on South 13th Street, as every home on the block fully and wholeheartedly embraces the Christmas spirit. Each home doesn’t have a ton of space to decorate, but many take full advantage of everything they’ve got.

It seems that homes don’t turn over too often on this block. From what we can tell, only three homes have traded in the last five years, with two homes selling in the high $400K range and another selling for $575K. Needless to say, each listing prominently pointed out the annual holiday display on the block and used that as a strong selling point. We don’t imagine that participating in the fun is a requirement to buy a home on the block, but it probably should be.

Whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year, this light display is something to be seen in person. Fortunately, the lights typically hang around until New Years, so you’ve still got a few nights to catch them in person. And if you run out of time in the next few days, you can rest assured they’ll be back again next year.