The Niederman Family Farm in Liberty Township, 4872 LeSourdsville-West Chester Road, opened its 11th annual Christmas walk to the public Friday. The display, which features nearly one million lights, will run through Dec. 30.
The Niederman Family Farm display features angels and life-size Nativity figurines. Visitors can also find 16 large oil paintings depicting scenes from the Old and New testaments.
What visitors won’t find – will be Santa’s sleigh, elves or red-nosed reindeers.
Like the first Christmas, there will be animals in two barns – donkeys, llamas, a pony, sheep and goats. Lights atop the larger barn alternate between displaying a red cross and a white star.
“I think people like to see a display where Christ is honored,” Janet Niederman told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We wanted to keep the Christmas meaning alive by having a Christian display.”
The idea for the project came from Janet’s husband, Bob. He talked with their four married children and grandchildren before deciding to move ahead.
“It was my husband’s vision 12 or 13 years ago to do this. He brainstormed with the family and tweaked the idea,” Niederman said. “We talked about what we wanted and how we wanted it to look.”
The couple got their first figurines at an auction from the late Carl Rudd, an Adams County farmer whose display drew thousands. Since the Niedermans’ first display opened in 2001, it has grown as each year the family added lights and other features.
It has grown so big and become so popular that the space along the paved, handicap-accessible, half-mile path is maxed out, Niederman says.
It took 10 days earlier this month for Niederman’s grandson from Pennsylvania, his friends and several volunteers to put up the display.
“It has become a community effort, which is very nice,” Niederman says. “My husband and I could never do it ourselves – it’s outgrown anything our family could do by themselves. It takes our community, the willing members of the churches and our neighbors.”
When visitors finish their walk through the display, they are invited inside a heated barn for hot chocolate, cookies and entertainment provided by church choirs and others.
A barn-shaped bank is available for visitors to leave a donation.
Admission to the holiday display is free.
For more information about the Christmas walk and entertainment, visit the Niederman Family Farm website.
