There’s so much work that goes into the run up to Christmas Day.

The decorating, the shopping, the anticipation.

And sometimes when the actual holiday itself comes and goes, there’s a little bit of a sense that it could have lasted a bit longer – that all of the work that you’ve put in should just end because the calendar rolls over to Dec. 26.

Fortunately for all of us, Dell’Osso Farms feels the same way.

While many holidays are over as soon as the calendar rolls over to the next day, “Holidays on the Farm” will continue through the next week and culminate on Jan. 4.

That means that if you didn’t get a chance to get down to the farm and go ice skating, or take in the Christmas lights on the hay ride, or take a trip around the ground on a train, or roast marshmallows, or bomb the sledding hill, then you’re still in luck – the spirit of the holidays is alive and well and only a short drive away.

Considering that my 3-year-old son has been pointing out everything in the day-to-day world that even resembles a Christmas light, I decided on Thursday to take him down and see the actual light display that is now accessible by hayride – a wonderful little jaunt through the farm and past a ton of custom-made Christmas light displays that range from the traditional, like a Jack-in-the-Box that springs up, to animals that look like they’re leaping out of the night sky.

“Look daddy – look at all of the lights!”

The fact that you’re actually driving beneath the arches of lights and right past the large, ornate displays gives the entire experience a completely different feel than the typical Christmas light experience – just driving around town and looking out your window.

And the tunnel at the end – with the multicolored strands making a tunnel of lights – was a huge with Dylan, who couldn’t help but stare up as we went through on the tractor-pulled trailer.

But as much fun as the hayride was, it was the train that stole the show for the little man.

With the elevated wooden train platform and the crossing arms scattered at strategic points along the route, you would have thought that he was on a transcontinental route staring out at the rolling hills of America.

While the lights were nearly as extensive on the train ride, they were more than enough to keep the little man in awe as we worked our way around the farm and back towards the welcoming lights that had captured his attention from the moment we pulled into the parking lot.

Christmas is a time for family – it’s a time for cuddling up, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, and relaxing exactly how much in the world we have to be grateful for. And I was able to do all of those things on the train ride with my wonderful son, and while he’s still too young to wrap his head around such things, him laying his head on my shoulder as we rounded the corner was a sign that this was a trip that was not wasted.

Just because Christmas might now formally be over doesn’t mean that the spirit has to go the way of the tree.

For another week the Dell’Osso family is keeping that spirit alive and well right in our own backyard, and if anybody finds that they have a little bit of Christmas spirit left in the tank just know that there’s still a place out there for you to spend it all before we too far into the new decade.

Enjoy the lights!

Dell’Osso Family Farms is located at 501 S. Manthey Road in Lathrop and is accessible by taking the Manthey Road Exit off of I-5. For additional information visit www.holidaysonthefarm.com or call 209.982.0833.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.