Camp Christmas Closes After Seven Years as 600-Lot Auction Begins

Denver’s Camp Christmas has closed after seven years of operation, and the entire collection is now up for sale in a series of online auctions.

Artist Lonnie Hanzon, who created the holiday installation, announced the end of the event. Hanzon will auction more than 600 lots through Enchantment Bazaar, a specialized online marketplace.

The first auction took place in October. Three additional auctions are scheduled for November and December. The next event runs from November 4 to November 11 and features commercial decorations such as trees, Santas, and ornaments. A second auction will occur from November 18 to November 25, focusing on collectibles and antiques. The final auction is set for December 9 to December 16 and includes gifts and surprise items.

Early sales in October included several high-profile items. A bedazzled carousel horse named Blucifer sold for $1,100. A six-foot gilded baroque sleigh went for $500. Hanzon stated that these specific pieces are no longer available to bidders.

Remaining inventory includes a Santa mandala, dozens of disco balls, numerous trees, and large reindeer figures. Hanzon noted that the upcoming auctions will contain 400 lots each. “I haven’t even started yet,” Hanzon said. “This first auction, I did a variety of stuff to test the waters. The other auctions will have 400 lots. We’ve only just begun.”

Prices in the initial sale varied widely. Packs of vintage ornaments sold for one dollar. Life-sized dollhouses sold for under ten dollars. Hanzon retained only a few favorite ornaments and a feather tree for personal use. All other items must be sold.

Camp Christmas first opened in 2019 at Stanley Marketplace. The event occupied 10,000 square feet and attracted 70,000 visitors in its debut year. The installation featured two themed bars where visitors could drink spiked hot cocoa. In 2020, the event shifted to a remote format. It then moved to open-air locations in Lakewood for two years before returning to Stanley. Hanzon cited declining ticket sales and increased competition as factors in the decision to close.

“There were two Christmas bars [in Denver] when we opened; there were 60 last year,” Hanzon said. “I’m thrilled that Denver has gotten its Christmas on again, that’s wonderful to see, and I think we were a part of that. But the market got saturated.”

Hanzon has worked in the holiday industry for more than 40 years. His previous projects include dressing Neiman Marcus windows, revamping Denver’s Parade of Lights, and creating light displays for zoos, gardens, 16th Street Mall, Union Station, and Larimer Square. In 2001, he auctioned off his 1990s-era Parade of Lights merchandise, which included window installations and personal items.

Hanzon chose an auction format to avoid the haggling associated with fire sales. “In an auction, I let it go and the audience decides who wants it the worst,” he said. He expects the final prices to be a fraction of the original cost. The closure allows Hanzon to take a break from holiday work. “I haven’t celebrated Christmas myself in many, many years because we’re usually working so hard,” he said. “By the time it comes, it’s a day off, but that’s all.”