An Eclectic Christmas

With upwards of 200 volunteers this season, An Eclectic Christmas wrapped up its 10th year of bringing locals closer to the real meaning of Christmas through a Nativity walk-through event at a local farm. Sporting a fantastic volunteer crew of stagehands, actors and actresses, it’s no surprise the effort continues to draw a crowd each year.

The Nativity scene site at the Falk family farm in Eclectic, which is maintained and upgraded year round, features a beautiful lake, paths woven throughout the woods, and of course, a re-created city of Bethlehem. The city setting is only one of the eight locations guests visit on tours that are scheduled over 10 days in early December.

Long before guests make reservations, volunteers clear paths, spread gravel, construct buildings and place props, among other tasks that pull the performances together. Though there are no big group rehearsals, actors and actresses prepare to wow the guests with skilled dialogue, building the anticipation from one scene to another.

“Each area, they’ll have a team captain. They make sure that we have everybody each night, and they’ll also make sure everyone knows their part. We have scripts written for each area, but we don’t really do a full-dress rehearsal like you would for a play,” said Michael Yundt, one of the tour guides for An Eclectic Christmas

Along with the actors and actresses that make the night come alive, including a real infant portraying the Baby Jesus, live animals are included. This year’s event incorporated donkeys, goats and lambs. Roman soldiers rode horseback along the paths as well.

“All total volunteers, we usually have between 200 or 300 to put it on every night. You’ve got the different scenes, and the volunteers will have various routines to go through. There are a lot of support people, especially in the city area. It really looks like a full vil- lage. You have a lot of people behind the scenes coordinating traffic, bringing food and drinks around to everybody, making sure the lights work and fixing whatever problems come up,” he explained.

Upon arrival before the first showing each night, volunteers not only have to make it to their sets, which could be anywhere surrounding the lake, but also they get into costume and character. Near the city set, two sheds house the vast number of costumes needed for the actors and actresses.

Local churches take turns providing volunteers with food and hot beverages.

A guide escorts each group of attendees to the Christmas story scenes on a lighted path around the beautiful lake. Actors and actresses’ range in age, all adding an authentic feel to the evening. At the beginning of each tour, attendees are given a gold coin and are instructed to hold onto it until they reach the Bethlehem station. Upon arrival, attendees pay the coin as a tax to Roman soldiers to gain entrance to the city. The Roman soldiers, some on foot and some on horseback, are one of the most spectacular sights of the evening. Most of the time, the soldiers on horseback are local equestrians who dedicate their time to the role.

“Most of our riders, the best riders we can find, are young women, and they’re really good. We have to get a few guys because we have to get that manly, intimidating voice. There are a few different equestrian trainers in the area, and they have lots of their own horses. They’ll volunteer the horses, bring them out, take care of them. A lot of times, they have their own students on horseback for different scenes,” Yundt said.

An Eclectic Christmas is put on every year by An Eclectic Ministry, a non-denominational, faith-based organization. Through the collaborative effort of local churches and individuals, the tradition of this live Nativity scene, including a choir of angels declaring the good news of Christ’s birth to shepherds in the field, has awed an audience of more than since 2012.

With glowing reviews of the audience experience, there’s no question whether it’s worth the drive to see these volunteers put on a show that consistently features outstanding scene creation, costuming, script and organization from year to year. Audiences return time and time again to catch the amazing volunteers in a spectacular performance each year in early December. Don’t miss this event later this year. It truly is a sight to behold.