Wow, awesome, breathtaking, amazing, impressive, wonderful, stunning, incredible, beautiful, majestic are just a few words that describe the Winter Wonderland display that is celebrating its thirteenth year at the home of Gail and Jimmy Lloyd, 103 Forrest Place, Moorhead.
This awe-inspiring display is a MUST to view between now and New Year’s Day. Other towns have commercial festive displays, but Lloyd’s wonderland is fabricated by tapping into his creative mind and designing the seven planes suspended from trees, crosses, and the Star of David which represent the true meaning of Christmas, designing the many trees ranging from six-to-40-feet tall, and wrapping each live tree with brilliant LED lights.
As you drive Forrest Place street, brilliant blue lights outline the street on both sides. Lloyd this year added forty fabricated trees. Some of these are east of the street in a staggered formation.
Close to the street are two huge lighted signs Noel and Merry Christmas. Noel comes from a Latin verb that means to be born, so this sign is most appropriate in announcing the birth of Christ. Merry Christmas is a combination of Christmas Mass that dates back to the 4th century when millions of people gathered together for a large mass honoring the birth of Christ.
On each side of the driveway approaching the historic large home of the former Chester Pond, founder of Moorhead, are matching lighted signs, Dirt Dobber Farms, Inc. which is Lloyd’s business. Behind these signs approaching the house, are fabricated trees and live trees wrapped with LED lights. The trees are stunning with brilliant solid colors which are white, purple, pink (in honor of breast cancer awareness), red, green, orange, and blue. Some trees are multicolored. The rooftops of the two houses are outlined with white lights.
As you look to the south of the two houses through the many lighted trees, you will see two metal fighter jets outlined with white and blue lights mounted on a wall. This display is in memory of the 15 Marines and the one Navy Corpsman aboard the Yanky72 plane which crashed near Moorhead on July, 2017. Leading to the planes is a runway outlined with green lights. This runway is available to Santa whether he comes to Moorhead by plane or sleigh. To the right of the jets attached to the house is the American Flag with the appropriately placed red, white and blue lights.
Lloyd’s deceased mother, Mary Elizabeth Lloyd, is his inspiration for continuing to work many long hours on this Winter Wonderland because she loved Christmas lights and glitter. This year’s display is in memory of Rev. Ray Bridges and in honor of his family. It is also in memory of Kyle Andrus and in honor of his family.
Lloyd physically works weeks to fabricate the trees and place the lights, and one of Santa’s Elves has worked many long hours also—Elf Donald Keeton. Lloyd does this annually to spread seasonal joy especially for children.
The display is easily found in Moorhead. Turn south on Hwy. 3 off Hwy. 82 and look for the Winter Wonderland lights as you cross the railroad tracks. Lloyd invites all to load the kids in the car and come and enjoy the lights. Take pictures or stop long enough to video the display.
To help defray expenses of the lights, huge electric bill, and cost of labor to set up and break down the display, there is a donation box next to the street.
So drop in a donation. Also bring pencil and paper and allow the kids to write a note to “Mr. Jimmy” thanking him for the wonderful experience and drop the note in the box. Y’all be good now. You know Santa is watching!!!! Gail and Jimmy say, “Merry Christmas to all.”
