Koziar’s Christmas Village
Driving down the long, dark country road, you come to the crest of a hill and suddenly there it is in all its twinkling glory…a transformed old farm, now holiday light extraordinaire…there was a collective gasp of amazement from all four of my kids! If you have never been to Koziar’s Christmas Village, this is perhaps the favorite part, seeing it all at once. People regularly pull over to get out and take pictures.
Started in 1948, Mr. Koziar began decorating his home for his family to enjoy and each year added to his collection, expanding his lighted displays to the trees, walkways, lake, and out buildings. Others in the community looked forward to seeing it and the property became known as the “Christmas House.” By popular demand, it became an attraction, and decades later, it has grown into a top destination for the holiday season. Named “Best Outdoor Christmas Display in the World” by Display World Magazine, and a top ten Pennsylvania Attraction, if you live in Southeastern PA, Koziar’s is a “must see” this time of year.
After entering through the gate, and paying admission, you are free to explore the self-guided walkways and peer into the little, glass building displays. Nestled throughout the tour, there are opportunities for stepping inside from the cold and taking a break with refreshments (for purchase). Besides the copious amount of lights everywhere, there are sets of beautifully painted wooden signs depicting fairy tales, familiar cartoons, and traditional Christmas stories that progressively take you through each tale. Some of my children’s favorites were the Grinch, Twas the Night before Christmas poem, Sesame Street characters, and Winnie the Pooh characters. The little buildings were a lot of fun, as you could peer into the windows and see some type of scene related to Christmas depicted with mannequins and an abundant use of props. Some of our favorites were the old-fashioned school house, the “night before Christmas,” animals in Christmas, and Christmas under the sea that made use of a black light with neon colors galore! Another crowd-pleaser is the indoor and outdoor train displays, always popular at Christmastime.
We stopped in one refreshment barn for some hot chocolate and soft pretzels, a nice break since it was pretty cold. Numerous gift shops provide ample opportunity for unique gifts and souvenirs (and your kids wanting everything they see). If you are interested, there is an opportunity for your children to sit on Santa’s lap for a photo or pose with a strolling, costumed character. There were lines for this, so we passed on it. I have read reviews complaining about really long lines to get into the parking lot, use the restrooms, or the walkways being too crowded to navigate easily. We visited in late November on a Sunday and had none of these problems. I suppose going early in the season (or after Christmas) and avoiding peak days such as Friday and Saturday evenings would help. The parking lot is huge and the parking is free, which is nice. Plan on taking at least 1 ½ hours to do the whole tour, but longer if it’s more crowded. The walkways are wheelchair accessible (read: stroller accessible), which was good for our three-year old.
Eye candy for the Christmas-loving soul, Koziar’s captures all we love about the season but like anything that tries to do it all, it can be a little too much stimuli resulting in melt-downs…and maybe not just for the kids. If you love Disney World and amusement parks, you will feel right at home. I tend to enjoy quiet and simple activities, but nevertheless I was grateful for the opportunity to check it out at least once.
Admission: $10.00/adults and children 11+, $8.00/children 4-10, FREE/children 3 and under
Hours: (Season started Nov. 5 and ends January 1) Current Hours are M-F 6-9PM, Saturdays 5-9:30PM, and Sunday 5-9PM
Koziar’s Christmas Village
782 Christmas Village Road
Bernville, PA 19506
(610)-488-1110
Check out www.koziarschristmasvillage.com for all the info.