Christmas story family Salaj

This year’s, 17th Christmas story of Salaj Family will open its doors on 

November 30, 2018 and will run until 

January 13, 2019.

Working hours are daily from 3:00pm to 10:00pm, including weekends and holidays.

The Christmas story in Čazma began in 2002, when the Salaj family acquired their estate for thousands of bulbs for the first time. Every year the number has increased so that an incredible number of even a million light bulbs would have passed two years ago and this year it will be around one and a half million!

The owner of the estate Zlatko Salaj spent his childhood in disrepair. After graduating, he got a job in telecommunications and worked for "Siemens" mostly in Arab countries. Having acquired the property, he decided to renovate his house and property in the hometown of Grabovnica. Since he did not experience the joy of Christmas in his childhood, he decided to change and give his children a happier Christmas. First he began to plant many different kinds of ornamental trees and shrubs on his estate, and since 2002 he has possessed thousands of light bulbs. The river Grabovnica runs along the river, and owner Zlatko Salaj has additionally built three lakes where he has entered fish and built a multitude of ridges. 

Lights are placed on plants, wooden houses, bridges and other objects on the property, creating a beautiful oasis of light and a unique atmosphere. Many lamps are arranged to create certain shapes, such as light saunas, snowmobiles, stalls, etc. 

Initially, there was no idea to develop a tourist event, but the passers-by were enchanted by the ambience and thousands of lights, which led to the organization of an even larger scale and in cooperation with the local tourist community of Čazma.

Over time, the "Christmas story" evolved into a well-attended event, which lasts in December and early January with thousands of visitors from Croatia and foreign countries. Many domestic and foreign media have written about it.