Country Christmas 2024 | Cowboy Christmas 

For many Americans today, Christmas is all about how many presents you can stuff under the tree or who has the cutest family photo on their holiday greeting cards. In the hustle and bustle of modern life, the simple values that distinguished the old-fashioned holiday season have largely been left in the dust. This attitude is something that Greg and Jan Schiferl of WJ Ranch have been working to change with their annual Cowboy Christmas event. Every year just after Thanksgiving, the WJ Ranch crew works to put on a good, old-fashioned, country Christmas. With everything from hayrack rides to hot apple cider, the Schiferls offer visitors a chance to step back in time to a holiday celebration straight from Grandma’s childhood memories.  

For 21 years now, the Schiferls have been using their ranch to give families a taste of the holidays of yesterday. It all began with a horse, a sleigh, and a desire to spread some old-fashioned holiday cheer. A friend of the Schiferls owned a horse and sleigh, which set the gears to turning in the Schiferls minds. “We wanted to give kids rides and let them hear the sleigh bells – just make a Christmas weekend out of it,” Jan said. That, plus a card table of Christmas ornaments, made the first Cowboy Christmas on the WJ Ranch. Over the years, the event has expanded to become a three-day weekend boasting a myriad of activities and a “wall-to-wall” crowd. From pony, hayrack, and even Model T rides to a trick roping demonstration put on by Schiferls oldest son, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Little ones can experience a visit with Santa (who is escorted in each Saturday of the event via the hayrack or Model T) or a hands-on arts and crafts booth. Adults can peruse a Christmas store featuring over 50 vendors from all over the country. This store is one of Jan’s crowning accomplishments. She connects with craftspeople and vendors from every part of the U.S. to feature a varied collection at their store from year to year. “I try to change the store products every year so it’s always something new and different. I’m always changing up vendors from year to year.” 

Putting on this event is a monumental task that Jan and Greg are happy to shoulder with help from the rest of the family. “It’s kind of a family affair,” said Jan. “It’s getting harder now as all of our kids are gone, but we do get a little bit of a crew – friends and family that help out.” The Cowboy Christmas weekend will be held from Nov. 29 through Dec. 1, rain or shine. The Schiferls own an indoor arena, so the festivities can go on no matter the weather. In the 21 years since its first showing, the WJ Ranch Cowboy Christmas has never once been canceled or postponed. They’ve never charged for the event, either. Remembering how costly it could be to take their own family of 6 to enjoy holiday activities, Jan and Greg wanted their Cowboy Christmas to be accessible for everyone. “A lot of times it was hard to afford taking a family of 6 to go somewhere, so we didn’t do it,” she said. “We use this as a ministry. We do not charge for any of the activities. We want families to come and enjoy an old-fashioned Christmas.” The couple gets their share of enjoyment from the event as well. When asked what her favorite part of the event was, Jan talked about the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community, particularly from the children. “I put out a little suggestions box where we offer our refreshments. We ask what we could do to make the event better. It’s always so fun to read those. A lot of them are in little scribbly kids writing. One I’ve kept and it’s on my refrigerator. It says, ‘Nothing you can do different. It’s perfect,’ in a little kid’s writing. I know it’s not perfect, but in a little kid’s eyes, it was a perfect day.” 

Jan and Greg are devout Christians and dedicate their property to sharing the Good Word with others. “We want them to know who owns this place. It’s not us,” said Jan. “We want to give God the glory.”  

They do this in a myriad of ways, from their Cowboy Christmas to their fall concert series where they host between 400 and 500 concert attendees over the weekend. They’ve been putting on this event for 20 years and have refined their schedule. Friday night is their “big name” show, this year featuring Jimmy Fortune, one of the Statler Brothers. Saturday night is their “cowboy concert” boasting a variety of local artists. “I’m a singer at cowboy festivals so I have a lot of music friends,” said Jan, who does most of the coordinating. On Sunday, the festivities conclude with a session of Cowboy Church. While the Cowboy Christmas and concert events are the two biggest draws to the ranch, Jan and Greg stay busy the rest of the year with their ranch tours, workshops, and horse training. “We don’t let the grass grow under our feet. We use our place for ministry.” 

Jan and Greg are true to their word. They value their community and relish the opportunity to share their Christian values and old-fashioned experiences. Whether through their Cowboy Christmas event, concert series, or the ranch’s day-to-day activities, the true owner of the WJ Ranch can be glimpsed in all Schiferls activities.   

For more information on the events at the WJ Ranch, visit http://www.schiferlswjranch.com.