'Cousin Eddie' display in McFarland takes inspiration from famous Christmas movie
MCFARLAND (KSNT) - A small town in northeast Kansas is getting into the holiday spirit by channeling the 1998 holiday comedy classic "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation."
The town of McFarland might initially appear as just another small town in Wabaunsee County, but it has something special to offer this holiday season. Passerby's might notice the an all-too-familiar looking Christmas display that looks just like a scene out of a movie.
Local couple Jo and Ron Nehring are the masterminds behind the setup, which is styled after the fictional character "Cousin Eddie" from Christmas Vacation who hails from Coolidge, Kansas. It is complete with a beat-up RV, a burnt-up Christmas tree, various lights and even mannequins dressed up as characters from the movie.
Ron, who was selected as the town's mayor following an election in November, and his wife have lived in McFarland for the past two years. KSNT 27 News spoke with Jo about their reasons for setting up the display this year.
Jo said she came across a Cousin Eddie display for a family trip to Indiana in the past. Seeing how much attention it received there, she took inspiration from it to go about setting up a similar display in McFarland. She explained that she hopes the display will bring more visitors and attention to the town.
"I'm hoping to keep adding to it," Jo said.
To help encourage more people to visit the site, Jo and her husband are offering visitors a $100 donation to a charity of their choosing if they show up dressed like characters from the movie. Photos have to sent to the Wabaunsee County Sheriff's Office's Facebook or posted in the comments of this Facebook post. The sheriff's office has promised a matching $100, for a total of $200, alongside the offer from the Nehring family.
Wabaunsee County Undersheriff Eric Kirsch said no one has taken up the challenge yet, but he's seen a lot of interest in it on social media. Jo said you can find the display on the corner of Main Street and Market Street in McFarland.
Jo said she hopes the display can become an annual event for the town. This is part of other efforts that have taken place recently to bring attention to the town like a hot chocolate drive and parade.
"Just little tiny things that we're doing, but we hope they have an impact," Jo said.
If you plan to visit McFarland for a photo shoot at the display, don't forget to channel your inner Clark Griswold before showing up. The town of McFarland isn't the only place you can find a Christmas Vacation-themed setup: a man from Rose Hill has been decorating his house in Griswold fashion for the last 15 years.
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