ANKENY, Iowa- A neighborhood in Ankeny helps Iowans in need every year through its popular Christmas display.

Richland Circle in southeast Ankeny is known as Gingerbread Lane to many during the holiday season. Every December, all 31 houses in Richland Circle participate in their annual holiday display.

One neighbor wrote an original gingerbread story and each yard has a piece of the story written on boards that people can read as they drive through the neighborhood to see their festive decorations.

“We love to look outside our windows and see the line of cars every night,” said Brooke McHose, the organizer for Gingerbread Lane.

Every weekend, all of the neighbors dress up in holiday costumes and pass out candy canes to guests visiting their display. At the end of the display is a house where the neighborhood collects monetary and food donations for the Food Bank of Iowa.

“We have visitors from all over our state and so we chose Food Bank of Iowa many years ago because it’s an organization that gives back to many communities.”

Last year, Gingerbread Lane collected over $15,000 for Food Bank of Iowa.

This is the neighborhood’s 31st year participating in this tradition, according to McHose. It started over three decades ago when southeast Ankeny communities held a competition to see which neighborhood had the best Christmas display. Since then, many neighborhoods stopped participating in the tradition.

Across the street from the entrance of Gingerbread Lane is the entrance to Frosty Circle, another neighborhood Christmas display in southeast Ankeny that is continuing the decades-long tradition.

Gingerbread Lane organizers say the best time to come visit their display is between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., and their lights will be up until December 31st.