MR. HOLIDAY'S HOUSE OF LIGHTS

Animatronic snowmen. Dancing chipmunks. An airborne Santa Claus cracking an 18-strand whip of lights. These are just some of the amusements you can find at Gil Fessler's holiday light display.

Fessler, an ordinary citizen of Highland Heights, made a promise to his wife in 1952. If he made it out of the Korean War, he would make Christmas spectacular. The display started off with a few lights, then grew year after year. Soon, the neighborhood referred to him as Mr. Holiday.





All of the decorations are handmade by Fessler. Broom handles, drapery hangers, and an old jukebox motor were combined with pulleys and belts to animate the characters. The music is also engineered in-house, recorded on tape by Fessler which is then projected into the yard. With setup beginning on Halloween, the display is lit up from Thanksgiving through the end of January. Visit The House of Lights from 6:00pm - 10:00pm daily, located at 202 Knollwood Drive, Highland Heights.

Nowadays, with holiday displays consisting of inflatable yard creatures, it's a treat to stop by The House of Lights for some yuletide nostalgia. Regardless if you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Festivus, or simply enjoy twinkling things, you'll be humbled and amazed with this local kitsch.

ST. FRANCIS SERAPH CHRISTMAS VILLAGE

Every Christmas, the friars of  St. Francis Seraph transform their living space into an extravagant Christmas village in Over The Rhine. Starting in the courtyard, visitors are welcomed by a live nativity scene and petting zoo filled with goats, donkeys, and sheep. Beyond the sanctuary, each room is filled with a different holiday display including Dickens's Christmas Village and a room filled with Santa Clauses.

Dickens's Christmas Village

Room full of Santa Clauses.

Most remarkable is Brother Tim's collection of nativity scenes from around the world. His collection started as a young boy by purchasing a $13.00 set for his mother while she was in the hospital. Since then, he has acquired over 40 unique sets from Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America.

Native American

Uganda

Peru

Kenya

India

Africa

Philippines

Bangladesh

Italy

Africa

Thailand

Russia

Ireland

Indonesia

Columbia

Surprised Mary is one of my favorites.

At the end of the exhibit is this massive nativity scene which takes up an entire room.

 Free and open to the public, guests can take a self-guided tour from 12:30PM - 4:30PM on Fridays through December 28. 

Not available on Friday afternoons?

Then check out the Spirit of Christmas Tour which includes a guided walk-through with Brother Tim on Saturdays at 10:30AM and 1:00PM. 

Tickets for the Spirit of Christmas Tour are available through American Legacy Tours.

OTR HOLIDAY PETTING ZOO

One of my favorite surprises this holiday season was the discovery of a petting zoo nestled in the heart of Over The Rhine.

As part of the St. Francis Seraph nativity scene, stables are set up in the parish's courtyard and is open to the public daily from 1:00PM - 7:00PM. With miniature donkeys plus sheep and goats in every size, color, and fur softness, there is an animal that will satisfy everyone's petting pleasure. Each animal also wears a name tag. My favorite is Ruby the Goat, who tries to climb the fence and poses for pictures.

Ruby The Goat gives us a smile.

SHILLITO'S ELVES

Built in 1979, a Christmas window display was created by the employees at Shillito's, Cincinnati's first department store, located at 7th and Race Street. Each window featured handmade elves that were created by the department store's staff. Visitors could see scene-by-scene the process of the animatronic elves making toys and helping Santa Claus deliver them on Christmas.

My favorite scene: the candy shop.

When Shillito's was acquired by Macy's in the 1980s, the display was dismantled and Cincinnati's holiday tradition became a distant memory. The elves were eventually auctioned off in 2005 to collector Bill Spinnenweber, who saved the elves from being split up as a set.

In partnership with Spinnenweber, American Legacy Tours was able to raise over $25,000 to restore the elves and display them in their new home at Newport On The Levee. Located on the Mezzanine level near Bar Louie, Cincinnatians can once again see all of Shillito's Elves toiling away in Santa's Workshop in their new 5,000 square foot space.

 

Shillito's Elves are on display through December 30, 2012.
Sunday - Thursday 11:00AM-8:00PM
Friday & Saturday 9:30 AM-8:30PM

Tickets: $7.00 each, Children 3 & under are free.