This was previously published in our December 2025 issue.
Christmas lights shine brightly throughout the night, acting as a beacon of joy to help lead people to the decorated house. Others already know their way and are excited to see some of their favorite Christmas decorations on display again. Kids are running up and down the path, searching to find all the scavenger hunt items on the list before their friends. At the center of it all stand the Trexlers.
Since 2012, Greg and Laura Trexler have decorated their house for Christmas. What originally started out as a landing strip for Santa Claus soon turned into a decked-out Christmas haven for people in and out of their neighborhood. Lights are strewn all throughout the display, while the blowups and plastic decorations wave one to come and walk through.
“That’s one of my favorite things about doing it,” Laura Trexler said, “going out and talking to people.”
This Christmas haven isn’t just intended to help folks get into the holiday spirit, it serves an even greater purpose. When the Trexlers first started decorating their house, they knew they didn’t just want to create a winter wonderland of decorations; they wanted to help raise money for cancer treatment and aid.
The Trexlers started with a local charity, Angel 34, which was created by 14-year-old Nicole Sheriff and was carried out by her parents Doug and Linda Sheriff when Nicole unfortunately passed to cancer. The charity raised money for children battling cancer. When it was time for the Sheriffs to emotionally heal from the loss of their daughter, Angel 34 disbanded in 2023.
The Trexlers then chose to help fundraise for Mandee’s Lunchbox, a charity that sends lunchboxes with gift cards to provide aid with food expenses to adults and their families fighting cancer. All proceeds they collect from fundraising go to the charity.
“I always feel like, if you’re messing with this [Christmas display and charity
donations], you’re messing with people getting money for cancer,” Greg Trexler said.
Many families within the Emmaus community have traditions of going down to see the display, including junior Joelle Killino. Since she was just five years old, Killino and her family have gone down to see the display on Christmas Eve. Killino and her family cherish the memories they make each year from walking through the display.
“My favorite memory is getting candy canes from the little house they have at the end,” Killino said.
Each decoration has its own story on how it ended up in their display, some being brought home from the side of the road and others being gifts from friends and family. Some people who visit come back to search for the decoration they inadvertently added.
“There’s a lot of memories in it,” Laura Trexler said. “Every piece has a story.”
