Our History

One manger scene in 1990. Two shows now.

One of our earliest displays at night, around 1992: an outlined roofline and a small yard scene

Since 1990

It started in 1990 with a simple blow mold manger scene out in the yard.

In 1998 we got the chance to use more of the yard, and the display grew fast. Our first synchronized show, with the lights timed to music, came in 2010.

In 2019 we added a second show down in Southwest Missouri, and in 2023 we built our first combined display, with a mix of classic and modern pieces.

In 2025 the show split again, and both halves landed somewhere new: Livingston, Wisconsin and Lathrop, Missouri. This year the Wisconsin show moves to Oconomowoc. (We're getting good at moving.)

That's the Kearney house around 1992 in the photo.

Kearney, MO: where it took off

For most of its life the show lived at one house in Kearney, just north of Kansas City. It's where the yard filled up with blow molds and where the lights first moved to music. A lot of these come from printed photos, and when somebody knew the year, it got written on the back.

1999

The house in daylight in 1999, with a Happy Holidays sign from the Muillers and a few blow molds by the porch
The house in daylight in 1999, with candy canes along the drive, Santa, and the nativity scene

2006

The Kearney house at night in 2006, the roofline and windows outlined in lights
Blow molds across the yard in 2006: a snowman, a penguin, and a toy train
A toy soldier blow mold beside a Santa's Workshop sign on the front steps in 2006

January 2007

A blow mold Santa holding a North Pole sign in front of the Happy Holidays from the Muillers sign
A bear in a Santa hat, snowmen, and candy canes along the drive

The camera stamped these January 26, 2007, so they're from the 2006 season.

2008

The Kearney yard full of blow molds and candy canes, seen past a park bench in 2008

2009

The Happy Holidays from the Muillers sign with candy canes and snowmen in 2009
Blow molds by the front door under a candy cane arch in 2009
A tall toy soldier tower and a rocking horse among the candy canes in 2009

2011: Santa's house

That December a family we'd never met mailed us a letter. Their boys had their own name for the place.

The handwritten letter from 2011. Its full text is transcribed beside it.

Dear Muiller family,

You don't know us, but we sure do know you/your house at Christmas time. We have a 3 yr old & a 5 yr old boy that insist on driving by "Santa's house" nearly each night in December. 2011 was our 3rd year doing this, & our boys just love it! The decorations, the music, the lights, the occasional Santa sighting... all very magical!

Thank you for providing such great entertainment for us. I'm certain it's a great deal of work, & we really do enjoy & appreciate it all!

From a family who drove by most nights that December. We've left their names off.

2023

The 2023 display in the snow, with a rainbow mega tree, candy canes, and Santa

Snow on the 2023 display.

More from Kearney

Looking down on the Kearney house at night, outlined in lights
The full Kearney property lit up, seen from above
Blow molds crowded across the Kearney yard: Santa, snowmen, penguins, and a JOY sign
A lighted Happy Holidays from the Muillers sign surrounded by blow molds
A glowing JOY sign among the blow molds
A blow mold Santa up close, with Goofy beside him
The Kearney house outlined in color, with a white mega tree and a yard full of lit figures
A green mega tree and rows of lit figures in front of the blue-outlined Kearney house
A white mega tree topped with a green star, lit up beside the Kearney house
A candy cane arch over the Kearney walkway, with a lighted ENTER sign
Looking down on the Kearney yard lit purple and white
Lit blow mold figures at night, with a star up top
The yard by day, packed with blow molds under an autumn tree
Blow molds lined up across the lawn by day, with reindeer on the roofline

Southwest Missouri to Wisconsin

The second show started in 2019 down in Southwest Missouri. In 2025 it moved north to Livingston, Wisconsin, and this season it's in Oconomowoc.

Southwest Missouri, from 2019

A ranch house at dusk with a rainbow mega tree out front and five small light trees across the yard

No yard figures here, just the mega tree and its little ones.

Livingston, Wisconsin, 2025

The Livingston house in 2025, with a rainbow mega tree out front

Its first Wisconsin season. The wind shut it down a little early that year.

Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, this season

New house, same show. We'll add photos once the lights are up.

Breaker the elf, with an orange extension cord on his belt and a tripped circuit breaker in his pouch

Meet Breaker

Breaker is the family's elf, and he signs off our posts. He's named after the circuit breaker at our Wisconsin show, which trips whenever the snow piles up. That's the tripped circuit breaker in his pouch.

See this year's shows

Both run from Thanksgiving through New Year's, with lights on at dusk.

Oconomowoc, WI Lathrop, MO