Christmas Creek Traditions making family memories

LIME SPRINGS - In this crazy 2020 world, many family observances have been thrown out the window due to masking and social distancing.

Why not start a new chapter for holiday get-togethers?

Christmas Creek Traditions Farm, LLC in Lime Springs is just the place to begin a family custom that will create lasting memories.

The greeting card companies and Hallmark Channel bring vivid images of Christmas to the forefront of a person’s mind. Those visions include snow, hot chocolate with marshmallows, cider, cookies, bonfires, wagon rides, reindeer, twinkling trees, jingle bells, the Grinch (after his heart grew three sizes), Santa and Mrs. Claus and children and grandchildren laughing with delight.

Christmas Creek can deliver on all of those sights, sounds and smells . . . except maybe the snow. That is up to Mother Nature.

The Christmas playground is located at 3998 Lower Mill Road, at Midway in Lime Springs (midway between the town and Lidtke Mill), and just east of Johnson Farms.

Unless Gov. Kim Reynolds allows more outdoor activities, it will be open by appointment only on Saturdays  from noon-8 p.m. and Sundays from noon-7 in December. This year, Santa and Mrs. Claus will only be on site on the 19th, with social distancing being practiced.

“This has been a pipe dream of mine for 30 years,” said owner Holly Kluender. She has always enjoyed decorating . . . especially for the holidays. Her dream-come-true was meant to be as she signed on the place on Dec. 22, 2019. Together she and her boyfriend, Mike Junge have 18-plus acres that will be used for added activities as they grow.

Since purchasing the property, Kluender and her daughter, Allisha McKimmy and son, Tanar Kluender have been making plans to bring old-time traditions back to 21st century families.

The former Leonard “Jack’ Kessler acreage had to be cleared of brush, and the old farmhouse was demolished to make room for Christmas!

McKimmy said, “We want to bring back the old traditions of Christmas and add in some new ones.” 

The Lime Springs Community Club helped them out by donating some old decorations.

There are several different areas where activities will be taking place. 

• One of the fun displays will be Santa’s helper, Blitzen the reindeer. He’s very young, just six months old, so he is still a little shy around people. He will likely become more friendly as time goes by.

• There will be many photo ops available. McKimmy will be taking pictures of kids/families with Santa or the Grinch or Blitzen or in front of a decorated tree. They will be printed quickly and can be placed in a special ornament. Kluender hopes families will come back year after year and add to their ornament/photo collection.

• Crafts, story time and coloring will take place in the Grinch Garage. Mr. Grinch will also be seen walking around the property.

• “We’ll have some outdoor fun as well,” McKimmy said. “We’ll have Hide the Pickle and a bonfire area.” Of course Christmas carols will be playing in the background.

• A small gift shop will allow visitors to purchase little momentos to remember their time at Christmas Creek Traditions Farm.

This is a work in progress. Kluender and McKimmy have loads of ideas they want to implement in the future, but they are starting slow. They want to follow all the COVID-19 guidelines, so this year will be by appointment only.

Moving forward, the group plans to have ice skating on a pond in the back and sell Christmas trees next year.

Some fun events may take place in the summer and around Halloween. There is space to host wine and crafting parties. They are open to any event.

For those interested in checking them out on Facebook, be sure to share some of your favorite holiday traditions. Who knows, they may incorporate it into a display!