Midwest Christmas celebrations
The turkey has been stuffed. OK, I’ve been stuffed…with turkey and stuffing, and all the fixin’s our daughter Steph made for us. So, now, our attention to turns to the Christmas season.
We love decorations and lights. This will be year 3 of no Christmas tree or indoor decorations. Our cat-son Gus loves shiny objects, climbing, jumping and chewing wires…so, it became obvious to us in 2013 when he was a kitten that no tree was going up in the house. Instead, we found an excellent wooden hanging tree at Kansas City’s City Market that can hold up to eight ornaments. So, that hangs from the ceiling.
As a side note, not to be outdone, Tucker (our dog-son) in 2012 (his first Christmas with us) didn’t care for my setting up the tree in our usual spot in front of the bay window. That was his spot to lay at. So, after we finished decorating the tree, he tried to move the tree himself to lay down. I ended up having to move the tree to the other side of the living room. Who knew that would be the last year for an actual tree for the foreseeable future?
So, what do we do about our need (yes, I said need) for decorations and lights? Well, we hit the road. We’ve checked out several spots in Omaha for business and neighborhood decorations. We’ve ventured out of town, too. We’ve spent weekends in Kansas City, Wichita and Grand Forks, taking in their holiday traditions. And, these Midwest cities do a great job of celebrating the holiday season.
Here’s a look at some of our recent holiday experiences.
OMAHA
The Omaha area offers a look at a popular poinsettia show at Lauritzen Gardens, including a 20-foot tall Christmas tree made from poinsettias. You can view dozens of gingerbread creations at the Mormon Trail Center. Or, you can check out a holiday lights tour, including a view of lights dancing off buildings to Christmas carols.
Not to be outdone, The Durham Museum houses a giant Christmas tree with large ornaments. Santa Claus meets with kids and gets their wish lists during the season. The museum also sponsors a series of local musical groups and choirs singing carols.
The Durham presents Christmas trees of different nationalities, including German, Swedish, Native American and Hispanic.
KANSAS
Wichita offered us a few opportunities to take in holiday treats. We watched the annual downtown Christmas parade. The city’s botanical garden has a wonderful holiday event called “Illuminations at Botanica.” The gardens are decorated with a variety of holiday lights, and carols play in the background. Old Cowtown Living History Museum takes a step back in time for an old-fashioned Victorian-style Christmas celebration.
No trip to Wichita is complete without a stop at the world-famous Nifty Nut House. Called a “national treasure” by Food Network’s Alton Brown, the store is home to all kinds of candy and nuts. It’s more than a store. It’s a candy playground; a trip down memory lane for people who love nostalgia with their sugar.
A Christmas store as an attraction? Oh yeah. Especially, Nell Hills in Atchison. The store has a huge selection of Christmas decorations. It was a maze. A maze of Christmasy goodness – ornaments, stuffed figures, shiny stuff. Oh, so much Christmas in one place.
KANSAS CITY
The “City of Fountains” becomes the “City of Christmas Lights” during the holiday season. The Kansas City Metro area has so much to take in – the Mayor’s Christmas tree at Crown Center, a skating rink and Hallmark memories.
A long-time tradition of hanging giant crowns over intersections in downtown Kansas City was reborn in the early 2000s when the Zona Rosa shopping district revived the holiday event. Giant decorated crowns hang high above several intersections in the northwest Kansas City area.
Country Club Plaza is home to a great lights display. The buildings at the popular retail and entertainment area are adorned with holiday lights. The Nelson-Atkins Museum has an impressive Christmas tree display.
A short drive north of KC lies the small community of Weston. Father Christmas lives here. He’s walked the streets of Weston for almost three decades, starting in early November. The town has a few holiday-themed stores, as well as stores featuring unique gifts, such as homemade salsa, vintage clothes and arts and crafts.
GRAND FORKS
Grand Forks celebrates the Christmas season through charity and decorations. The Festival of Trees features decorated trees available for public viewing at Columbia Mall. Trees are on display for about 10 days and then distributed to area families.
The North Dakota community features “Christmas in Lincoln Park.” The Lions Club decorates the park with a variety of holiday themes. It’s a fund raiser for the organization.
We have lots of holiday plans this season. As we travel the region taking in the sounds and sights, we’d like to wish you a Happy Holiday.
