Visit the largest rural Christmas lights display in Iowa!
NOTE: As of 2024, Christmas Acres is no longer running. It was a beautiful run and we thank the Scheiltler family for their many years of work that brought us many great smiles. I’m leaving the page up and running so that folks can see what they missed, as it was a true passion project for Rob.
———————————————————-
Rob Scheiltler jokes that his family is known as the Griswolds of Le Mars, Iowa – and he’s not kidding. But let’s put Le Mars aside for a second, as they might be in the running for the Griswolds of the entire state of Iowa or possibly the Midwest.
For the 28th year in a row, the Scheitler property is adorned with thousands of holiday lights and Christmas decorations. And they now have over two hundred thousand lights. It’s all on one property, run by one family, who legitimately knows more about extension cords and circuit breakers than Clark ever did.
Where is Christmas Acres located and when is it open?
As of Nov 2024, Christmas Acres is no longer running. Due to health concerns – the display is NO LONGER RUNNING.
How did Christmas Acres get started?
Rob recalls hanging Christmas lights on the fence of his childhood farm. His Dad would come out and help with the decorations. When Rob and Joyce moved into their home on Impala Ave twenty-six years ago, they started decorating the fence line and the grounds and named it Christmas Acres. Each year, the display got larger and larger. People started driving by their house just to see the lights, and eventually, the local newspaper ran an article on their display. And it has continued to grow ever since.
Where do they get all these decorations?
Most of the decorations are donated. However, Rob does spend money and time on replacing all of the lights – as they are all LED lights.
The setup of the decorations takes about 3 months. Yes, 3 months. Due to the size of the display, the setup starts as early as August. The takedown lasts about one month.
How much is the monthly electrical bill for Christmas Acres?
Rob estimates that their electric bill is about $350 extra per month. A few years ago, individuals kept offering donations to help cover their electrical bills. However, the Scheitlers turned down the money – they wanted the display to be about bringing joy to others. However, the donation offers continued, and they decided they would take donations, and 100% of the proceeds are donated to local charities in Le Mars.
Is there a cost? Do they take donations?
There is NO cost, the display is free. At the end of the driveway is a free-will donation box – and 100% of the proceeds go to local charities in Le Mars.
