Gleefully Giving in West Des Moines

Michael Kromminga of West Des Moines loves Christmas. He was first featured for his Christmas projects in the Cedar Rapids Gazette back when he was only 12. Today, his projects have taken on a much larger scale and are now providing support for important community needs.

Address: 3608 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines, Iowa

Website: https://www.gleefullygiving.com/

What do the donations support?

He encourages visitors to donate either a nonperishable food item or a personal care item in a container at the end of his driveway. Michael serves on the board for the West Des Moines Human Services Friends Foundation and 100% of all donations are given to them for distribution to people in need within his community. Over the past few years, the display has raised over $2,600 and 941 pounds of food for human services.

How many lights are in the Gleefully Giving display?

In total, there are over 70,000 lights. According to Michael, the display work starts around late October and takes approximately 175 hours to complete. In the front yard, along Ashworth Drive, you’ll see a number of artificial trees. In the center of the front yard is a young oak tree that is decorated differently each year, a dedication to his father who passed away in 2021. On the 37th Street side, there are several characters related to Christmas movies, some new pine tree cutouts, and the mailbox for leaving your letter to Santa.

Where can I get those awesome pine tree cutouts?

The template is available from BarberellaHome on Etsy: https://tidd.ly/47LpDeG (affiliate link). There are templates of trees, reindeer, and more. You’ll need to purchase plywood and then use the template to create the outline and then staple lights behind it.