One of the South Bay’s most whimsical holiday events — the Fantasy of Lights at Vasona Lake County Park — returns for its 18th year beginning this weekend. The Los Gatos park will again be filled with all the delightful holiday scenes and imagery, plus the always-popular dinosaurs and pirate ship, many animated, and all created using colorful lights.

Like last year, the drive-through tour is by reservation only and runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Dec. 6 through Dec. 30, with the exception of Dec. 25. You’ve got to purchase a ticket for a 30-minute entrance window in advance online, so it’s possible some days or time periods will sell out. Admission is $20 for cars with a capacity of up to 12 people and $50 for anything bigger.

The reservation system was introduced to cut down on the massive lines that formed on many nights during the month-long festival run, leading to traffic jams and unhappy visitors and residents alike. I don’t know if it worked for everyone, but my family’s visit last year went more smoothly than it ever has.

But the other way to see the illuminated park is to take the walk-through tour, which has grown so popular over the past four years that it has been expanded this year to two days — Dec. 3 and 4. It’s a 1.5-mile walk, so you’ll want to wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothes, but it’s Fantasy of Lights from an entirely different perspective (along with carolers, hot cocoa and photo booths).

Tickets for the walk-through are $10 for adults, $5 for kids up to age 12 and free for kids 3 and under. For all tickets and more details, start at www.parkhere.org. If you can’t purchase tickets online or have other issues, contact the parks administration office at 298 Garden Hill Drive in Los Gatos or call 408-355-2201.

CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY MUSEUM CELEBRATES HANUKKAH: Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, doesn’t begin this year until Dec. 24. But the Children’s Discovery Museum and the Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center of Silicon Valley have gotten together to present an early celebration this Sunday at the downtown San Jose museum.

It will include a variety of Hanukkah activities including crafts, games and food tastings from noon to 4 p.m. If you plan to go, prepare for a crowd as several thousand people attended last year’s event. Get more information online at www.apjcc.org/hanukkah.

STEPPING BACK INTO HISTORY: The Santa Clara Historic Home Tour this Friday and Saturday looks at four private residences and one public building that are steeped in history. Two of the houses on the tour date back to the 1860s, including a Gothic Revival that’s privately owned. The other is the Italianate Harris-Lass House, which has been a city museum of the past 25 years. Docents have been busy decorating the house to match the theme of “A Nutcracker Holiday.”

And at a bonus site, the Mission Branch Library, a library staffer (and experienced DJ) will be playing 1950s era music to match the building’s 1955 construction. Plans are in the works to renovate the site, but a photo exhibit of its history will be on display.

Tickets are $30 for general admission and $25 for ages 60 and up or 6-21. (No kids under the age of 6 are allowed.) They can be purchased online through Nov. 30 at sc-hometour.com/tickets.html. You can also purchase on the date of the tour at the Harris Lass Museum for $35 each. For details, go to sc-hometour.com.