Oh, the places we’ll go…Koziar’s Christmas Village

When many of us think about the holidays, we think about traditions. The Christmas season-from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, more than any other time of the year, seems to bring back fond memories of wonderful moments with family gathered around. Maybe for you it was sharing a meal, exchanging presents, singing Christmas carols, going to a candle-lit service or midnight mass, or some other tradition that was a meaningful part of your holiday celebrations.

As a child, one of my fondest memories was gathering with aunts and uncles and cousins on Thanksgiving day for a wonderful meal, and then as it got dark, packing the whole crew into a station wagon or two, and heading to Koziar’s Christmas Village. The highlight was always driving along the dark rural roads, then cresting that last hill and looking down on what seemed like a million lights shining in the Village below. It was magical-simply breathtaking. We couldn’t wait to get out of the car and through the gate! What a joyful time that was, gazing in wonder at the Christmas displays, wandering through the paths of thousands of lights, staring in the windows of the make-believe shops filled with presents and cookies and wonderful toys. We would beg pennies from our parents, and make a wish as we tossed pennies into the wishing well. When it would start to get too cold, we would then head inside one of the many buildings to warm up with some hot chocolate and a snack, and watch as the trains made their way through a giant display. And visit Santa Claus-of course! If we were good, we might even come away with a fun souvenir. Every year we would go, and the displays would change and grow, and there would always be something new and amazing to see. I would look forward to that trip every year. Even as I got older, I would still go. Sometimes with family, sometimes with friends. For 23 years I lived out of state, and time home for the holidays was brief, yet at the very least, I would pack my parents into the car, and maybe my nieces and nephew, and we would take that same drive and look forward to that first amazing view as you crest that last big hill, and I would pause just long enough to remember those magical moments experienced so long ago as a child.

There are now more than one million lights that set the countryside aglow. People come from near and far-even out of country to visit. At the time of this writing, Koziar’s Christmas Village is in its 74th year. 74 years! Unbelievable! They first opened in 1948. It’s been a Christmas tradition for three generations. They have been on national TV shows and received many awards, including Best Outdoor Christmas Display In the World, by Display World Magazine. There is now a small museum where you can see the many awards, news articles and pictures taken through the years. Tens of thousands more people visit now than back in my childhood days. Traffic can be backed up for miles. The neighbors may disagree, but I think it’s a bonus-this just gives more time to take in the view, and anticipate the fun that lies moments ahead.

I had the pleasure of meeting and briefly chatting with Sonia, the daughter(I believe) of William Koziar, the creator of Koziar’s. She is now a co-owner along with her sister. Each night she wanders the grounds in a lovely Santa suit, greeting and chatting with guests. Sonia is one of the most delightful people I have ever met. Had it not been for the the light drizzle I had been out photographing in was now turning into a steady rain, I would have loved to stay with her longer, and hear more wonderful stories of what it was like growing up here, and now being the ones in charge of bringing such joy to so many people. Their kindness was also extended to me when I approached them about writing this blog post. I had always wanted to be able to capture images of the beautiful reflection of the lights sparkling in the lake. The majority of the images included here were taken from areas not accessible to the general public. This would be for obvious reasons-like tripping over wires and falling into the lake, which I may have had a concern or two about as I wandered around in the dark😜 I appreciate their kindness in allowing me to capture a Bucket List image.

A few notes for photographers regarding visiting the Christmas Village: No matter where you live, you should put a visit here on your list! Koziar’s is a photographer’s playground. So many fun and creative things you can do photographically with the lights and reflections. Bring a star filter to put a nice starburst on the lights. Try other creative filters, such as the 5-section used in the second to last image below. Play with Bokeh in the lights-which is the soft, out of focus background with blurry lights. This technique makes for wonderful portraits. (isn’t that a lovely photograph of me? My apologies to whichever of my workshop participant/photo buddies took this shot for me while I was teaching how to create great portraits with holiday lights). Several of the light displays are in motion, so there are a ton of creative images you can come away with as you use slower shutter speeds to convey that motion. You might also try zooming in and out, as well. One of my all time favorite holiday lights images is from a spinning display here. A note about slower shutter speeds, though. The majority of holiday lights are on strings-which move in the wind. You should keep an eye on your images to see if your lights are blurry. If so, you would need a faster shutter speed. It’s all a balancing act. This would also go for some of the displays that are floating on the water; they, too will be out of focus if there is a noticeable wind. Yes, I used a tripod for all of these images. They have no issue with tripod use, as long as you are not blocking the paths. You would be best served to go on a weekday evening-not a Friday or Saturday when it is most crowded. In crowds it would be nearly impossible to use a tripod there because of the narrow walkways. You could also consider going after 8 in the evening when they say it is less crowded.

Koziar’s Christmas Village is open from the first weekend in November through New Year’s Day. Hours vary throughout the season. Make sure to check the website for hours and visiting info. https://koziarschristmasvillage.com You can also follow Koziar’s on Facebook and Instagram.