Lumin8 Outdoor hosts annual Outdoor Lights tour and celebration for the community

For many families, candy cane cut-outs, reindeer statues, and tchotchkes of decades past are safely packed away until the start of December. On Lancelot Lane in Dyer, Jim Rodda and his significant other started transforming their quaint corner lot into an immersive winter wonderland as early as October.

Rodda, his little helpers, and friends at Lumin8 help spread Christmas cheer by welcoming neighbors and holiday enthusiasts alike to walk through their interactive display, carrying on a holiday tradition they hold close to their hearts. 

Rodda is one of Lumin8’s clients. He has spent more than 50 years sourcing and collecting Christmas decor. Rodda believes that it takes a village to bring this display to life. He credits those who have helped him inspire and grow his collection over the years. 

“I started collecting in 1970 with my parents, and I continued the tradition,” Rodda said. “I’m originally from Hammond, but I moved to this house in 1993.”

The Christmas spirit was instilled in Rodda from a young age. One of his favorite pieces of the display is this Santa Claus that sits in the front window, just below a “Grinch Free Zone” sign.

Today, in addition to his home storage, Rodda’s collection now amasses three separate storage units during the offseason. With the help of Lumin8, Rodda has found a team that he can count on for permanent lighting. He’s grateful not to have to store his permanent lights and glad that he came into contact with Lumin8 at a perfect time.

“I was looking for someone to do permanent lights, because I fell off the back of the house and shattered my lower back about 20 years ago,” Rodda said. “I researched it, found Lumin8, and they were very helpful. I wanted lights that faced outward, and they were able to do that.” 

The founders of Lumin8, Todd and Joy Zandstra, brought their children to the holiday display on Saturday, December 13. While everyone was bundled up in the freezing temperatures, attendees had an opportunity to relish the joy of a job well done. 

Lumin8 has been providing holiday lighting services in Northwest Indiana and Illinois for the past six seasons. The business has nine different lighting services available to residents in Crown Point, Schererville, Munster, St. John, Valparaiso, Tinley Park, Highland, and Dyer. 

During the holiday season, Lumin8 encounters its busiest time of the year. Todd Zandstra notes how many residents in the area are giving their phones a buzz about trying to set up an appointment.

“The phones are always going crazy. We’re trying to keep everyone moving along and make sure everything is taken care of,” he said. “We have a lot of talented guys on our team, so we can create another lighting crew if we have to push for getting something done in time.”

With more than 25 years of experience working in this area, Todd Zandstra has seen firsthand how Lumin8 continues to build a strong relationship with customers such as Rodda.

“We’re just continuing to grow, and the clients stick with us,” he said. “We have very good customer service. We’re able to make time for them, because it’s all about the family and the culture.”

It’s one thing to celebrate the holidays with your family, but it’s another to go out into the community and unleash that Christmas spirit. Todd Zandstra defines what Christmas means to him and his family.

“The biggest thing is family and the birth of Christ,” he said. “We like to celebrate that, and being able to bring joy to people is great. The kids enjoy it too; that always adds to it.”

Kids were greeted upon arrival by appearances from Santa Claus, the Grinch, and Mickey Mouse. Throughout the walk-through holiday display, smiling faces could be seen posing behind Cindy Lou Who and Grinch cut-outs or admiring the many automated Santa Claus memorabilia scattered throughout the property.

The walk-through display is open nightly,  but the characters are only present at the house on Saturday nights from now until the end of the year. Come and witness Rodda’s theme of “Believe” come to life, bringing together decades’ worth of holiday history and family tradition for all to see. 

You can visit 2833 Lancelot Lane in Dyer to have a front row experience on the holiday magic. For more information on Lumin8 and permanent lighting, visit www.lumin8outdoor.com.