Remembering Christmas Acres: A Holiday Lights Tradition Near Le Mars
Visitor update: Christmas Acres announced it would not open for the 2024 holiday season. This article remains online as a look back at the display, rather than a current invitation to visit.
For years, the Scheitler family transformed their rural property near Le Mars into Christmas Acres, a holiday display filled with lights, snowmen, glowing sculptures, and decorations stretching across the grounds.
Rob Scheitler joked that his family was known as the Griswolds of Le Mars. After seeing the display, I understood why. This was a family Christmas decorating project on an extraordinary scale.
I’m keeping these photos and videos here to remember the work, generosity, and Christmas joy the family shared with so many visitors.
What happened to Christmas Acres?
In October 2024, the Scheitler family announced that Christmas Acres would not return that holiday season. Rob had been dealing with back problems, and preparing and maintaining the extensive display had become too demanding.
It was a difficult decision after years of welcoming visitors and becoming part of so many families’ Christmas traditions.
The photos and descriptions below document previous seasons.
How did Christmas Acres get started?
Rob’s love of Christmas decorating started when he was a child, hanging lights at his family’s farm. His dad would join him to help.
When Rob and Joyce moved to their property on Impala Avenue, they began decorating the fence line and grounds. They named it Christmas Acres, and the display grew as they added more lights and decorations.
People started driving past just to see it. Newspaper coverage helped spread the word, and a family decorating tradition became a holiday destination.
Where did all the decorations come from?
During my original visit, Rob explained that many of the decorations had been donated. Keeping everything illuminated still required plenty of time and money, including replacing lights.
Setup took about three months and could begin as early as August. Taking everything down required about another month.
The finished display was impressive, but the work behind it was just as remarkable.
What did it take to keep Christmas Acres glowing?
When I originally spoke with Rob, he estimated that the display added about $350 per month to the family’s electric bill during the season.
Visitors offered to help cover the expense, but the family wanted Christmas Acres to be about bringing joy to others. Eventually, they accepted donations with a different purpose: supporting local charities.
Beyond the electricity, there were months of preparation, ongoing repairs, and winter weather to contend with.
A free display that gave back
During its operating seasons, Christmas Acres was free to visit. A freewill donation box offered guests a way to support local charities, with the family reporting that all proceeds went to those organizations.
That generosity was part of what made Christmas Acres special. The family shared their property, time, and creativity while helping others in the community.
