Koziar’s Christmas Village in Bernville PA Lights Up The Night!

When I found out (courtesy of @lehighvalleypa on Twitter) that I lived a little over an hour from one of the world's foremost Christmas light displays, I made sure Retro Roadhusband and I could visit it in time to share it with everyone on Retro Roadmap for this Chrismas season. So this past Monday (when I should've been prepping for our upcoming Holiday Open House at the Hacienda) we drove up past Reading to Bernville, PA to check out Koziar's Christmas Village!

The Koziar family has been putting on this light display for 60 years and it is rated in the top 10 attractions of Pennsylvania. Now, you could take my word for it, but you could also listen to our pardner the train conductor tell the tale (or just read my transcription below):

To quote our Railroad Train Engineer Pal (who sounds a bit like The Coz, ya see):

This is the 60th year that the Koziar family has created, and continues as a family to to operate, this spectacular Christmas attraction.

It started way back in 1948 -1948! - by William Koziar and his wife Grace who created this for the joy it brought to his four children, his friends and his neighbors.

By adding more and more lights each and every year, this farm, set in the valley, became known as the Christmas House.

Buildings were added, unique displays were created, pathways were made - so that visitors could walk through this extraordinary site - and the Christmas House soon became known as Koziar's Christmas Village.

According to Wikipedia the "Christmas Village utilizes approximately one half million Christmas lights and other decorative effects in a presentation that has repeatedly been listed among the top tourist attractions in Pennsylvania and the top Christmas displays in the United States." Having seen my own electricity bill go up from our modest use of Christmas lights, I fully understand why there is an entrance fee at this lit up location!

The Christmas Village is definitely aimed at kids, but at Christmas time who isn't a kid at heart? I oohed and aahed over the gazillion lights, cracked up at the cutouts of cartoon characters both popular and iffy (Jon from Garfield?) and while I'm not usually a fan of crowds, I loved hearing the random comments of over excited children ("Dad! Look! It's Santa! He's stuck in the Chimney!")

There's a set pathway through the lights and houses with displays inside so you get to see everything and a few gifty/hot chocolate stands along the way to warm up in.

Towards the end the buildings get larger and more filled with things to buy, but at that point that's OK, you will probably want to warm up your toesies and watch the giant train displays or look at the kistchy tacky Christmas items for sale.

Do yourself a favor and drive to Koziar's via the Route 183 way, as the view from the top of the hill is nothing short of spectacular. We came from the other direction and when we left, our view from the rearview mirror was so awe inspiring I turned the car around and drove back, just so we could experience it the way it was supposed to be seen.

Not many days left = bundle up and head out to The Christmas Village!