What began as one woman’s love for Christmas lights has grown into one of the most anticipated holiday traditions in New Glarus, drawing friends, neighbors, and even visitors from across the country (and beyond) to celebrate the season and support local families in need.

Each year on the second Saturday of December, Roseann and her husband Pete Ott open their home for a sprawling Holiday Open House, a gathering that now attracts guests from as far away as New York, California, Maine, Missouri, Connecticut, and even Switzerland. “Everyone is invited,” Roseann said. “We’ve had many come that we don’t really know, all because of word of mouth.”