The Christmas Village In Nebraska That Becomes Even More Magical Year After Year
By Delana Lefevers|Published November 30, 2017
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Delana Lefevers
Author
As a lifelong Nebraskan, Delana loves discovering the many hidden treasures of her state. She has worked as a writer and editor since 2007. Delana's work has been featured on more than a dozen websites and in Nebraska Life Magazine.
The little town of Creighton in northeastern Nebraska – not terribly far from Norfolk – is an unlikely setting for a must-see holiday attraction. But this tight-knit community has been hosting one of the area’s most anticipated Christmas displays for 23 years now – and you’ll want to see it.
SantaLand began as a fun community project all the way back in 1994. In those days, only a couple of local organizations were involved in setting up the lights and booths in Bruce Park.
As people passed away or became unable to set up their personal lights and decorations every Christmas, those decorations were handed over to SantaLand.
These generous donations are only a part of the magic of SantaLand, though. It is truly a community project, and the entire community is dedicated to keeping it up and running every year.
An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 vehicles drive by the lighted outdoor displays every year. It's a tradition for many families in the area. Even former Creighton residents who come home for the holidays look forward to seeing SantaLand.
Hundreds of thousands of lights along with lighted figures and characters make the enchanting winter wonderland drive memorable. If you have some time to linger, be sure to find Santa's Workshop.
Inside is a whole other level of wonderful. A working train chugs through the workshop, carrying a little mailbox that will take children's letters right to Santa.
Sweet little elves toil away, getting all of the toys ready just in time for Christmas. You can stop and watch them work while you have a little treat.
Don't forget to stop by to see Mr. and Mrs. Claus before you leave the workshop. There may be a line to sit on Santa's lap, but it's totally worth the wait when you see your little one's eyes light up.
The town of Creighton has really banded together to keep this delightful tradition alive over the years. Dedicated volunteers spend an estimated 2000 hours every Christmas season making all of this magic happen.
The drive-through display opened for the 2017 season on November 22nd and will be open every day from 6 pm to 10 pm through December 31st. Starting on December 1st, Santa’s Workshop will also be open for business from 6 pm to 9 pm every night through December 23rd. Read more about this special project and the people behind it here.
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