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Driving through Kyle, people might spot a very merry sight.
The yard of Scott Rein, a local resident, has been decorated, lit up, and set to carrolling for the holidays. Characters from Peanuts, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Sesame Street can be seen, along with a classic nativity display, various reindeer, and even a mailbox for letters to Santa that is counting down the days till Christmas.
All throughout, music plays softly to help set the Christmas mood.
Rein finished setting up the display for the year last weekend, trying to stay ahead of the snow. Today, it appears there may be a fourth wise man as he has indeed beat the seasonal weather. In total, it took between five and a half to six days to completely set up the display, in between his work for Pioneer Co-op.
"I've been going at it, adding on to it for about 15 years," said Rein. "I just put a little at a time, and do some shopping in the States and pick up what I see that's unique. I do some local shopping, of course, and some people give me their decorations, sometimes immemorial for their loved ones who had passed."
The main reason Rein puts so much effort into his display is to help spread the joy of the season to children and their families.
"We have a lot of people that stop by, but it's really appealed to not only the children but to the seniors and the community," said Rein. "It brings back nostalgia for when they were kids. I do it for the parents those that have kids so that they can celebrate and share a memory with their family."
This display normally is up until January 7, with the possibility of it coming down sooner if the weather allows it.
While Rein appreciates the support of people stopping by, any donations people try to make are redirected to the Kyle Health Centre.
"They do such a wonderful job caring for the folks in their final days, " said Rein. "Also, the early childhood daycare. They could use the donations."
Rein thanked his wife for supporting him in this venture every year. He also credited his neighbours for allowing him to make use of their trees and yard space in his display.
This year, he is in part dedicating the display to the family of a man who passed away from cancer at the age of 40. Like Rein, this individual worked at Pioneer Co-op.
"Now those kids don't have a father," said Rein. "The reality is, they are going to have a tough Christmas. If this brings even a smile in a dark time, it's worth every bit of the effort putting it up."