Peter Mangelsdorf’s famous Christmas Wonderland in Loxton opens to the public for another year

PETER Mangelsdorf has been spreading the Christmas cheer for decades in Loxton — and he’s not stopping now.

Peter Mangelsdorf has been running Christmas Wonderland from his Loxton property for 33 years. Picture: Dylan Coker

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• Visit the Christmas Wonderland Facebook page

PETER Mangelsdorf is a Christmas legend in the town of Loxton.

His festive story started 33 years ago, when Mr Mangelsdorf, now 64, first installed a mini Christmas display featuring a wooden reindeer and sleigh in the front yard of his Fairweather Ave home.

Decades later, the illuminated display has grown — with the help of the local community — into a popular tourist attraction that can be seen from kilometres away at night.

This year Christmas Wonderland, at 14 Fairweather Avenue, Loxton, features about 30 displays, including a Bethlehem scene, Santa’s boot and lolly shop as well as popular characters such as Shopkins and Pokemon.

It is now open to the public as part of the Loxton Lights Festival, on until December 31.

Mr Mangelsdorf said his display also featured 10 Where’s Wally characters hidden throughout the 250m-long installation.

Christmas Wonderland Loxton from above. Picture: TM Aerial Applications

“I didn’t ever expect to get it as big as it is now,” Mr Mangelsdorf said.

“I guess ‘wow’ is the biggest word I hear people say the most. They don’t expect it to be this big.

“They have heard about Christmas Wonderland and think it is just a house lit up with lights, and when they start heading out my way they can see it in the distance and it looks like another township.”

Mr Mangelsdorf, a former fruit farmer, said his display costs about $400 to power each year, but it’s not about the money.

“I keep doing it because I’m a creative person,” he said.

“I love to do things like this, but I could not do it without community help.”

Details: loxtonlights.com / https://www.facebook.com/ChristmasWonderlandLoxton

• You can find more Christmas Light displays around South Australia (or add your own) at this map.