New Christmas lights display in Waco as previous owners pass on decorations to Karem Shriners
WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A family in McGregor who dedicated more than 20 years to bringing the Christmas spirit to Central Texas has passed on the tradition.
Before these displays were in Waco, they were with Roger and Lana Schmidt in McGregor.
Every year after Thanksgiving, they would light up their home with decorations that the whole community would come to see.
Roger Schmidt noted that each year the set up would take at least two months of daily work.
Last year they decided to retire from the tradition, but luckily nothing would go to waste.
“We just wished that someone would come along and do what we did, for the reasons we did, the way we did, and literally the next the Shriner’s knocked on the door and said, ‘Can we talk?’”
The Schmidts say they are happy that all their decorations found a new home without being separated and sold.
While all the Schmidt family’s decorations are set up at the Karem Shriner’s Feztival of Lights, the Shriners have also added their own touches to the display.
“There are some displays that talk about the pediatric care we that provide at our hospital in Galveston... So, we wanted to obviously honor the Schmidt’s legacy of this display and also incorporate what we are about,” President Justin Duty said.
Duty says they are hoping to expand in the next years.
“A family from the Houston area reached out and they have a display that took up 5 or 6 acres, so we’re looking forward to getting that and having it down here next year as well,” Duty said.
The Karem Shriner’s Feztival of lights will run every day until December 31st, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
You can drive, walk or ride on the Shriner’s mini trains through the lights tour.
Ticket are $2 per person.
They also have their Feztival of Trees which continues Friday through Sunday.
Friday and Saturday they are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday they will be open from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The display is located at the Karem Shriner’s facility in Waco at 400 Karem Circle.
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