1. Visit An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City.
During the holiday, the park shines, with 6.5 million lights and 1,000 Christmas trees. That’s on top of the full slate of comfort food, shopping, and thrill rides that are typically on offer. “An Old Time Christmas” takes over the theme park, and special additions include an 80-foot tree with over one million LED lights, Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade (twice nightly), and Broadway-style musical shows. This year’s special shows are A Dickens Christmas Carol and Home For Christmas. If the glitz gets a little much, duck away from the main drag, and take in the traditional story of Jesus’ birth in a living nativity show that happens a few times each day at the Dockside Theater. 399 Silver Dollar City Parkway.
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2. Tour the trees in the self-declared “America’s Christmas Tree City.”
More than 700 trees dot seemingly every corner of town (and are easily located on the interactive map). They include everything from live spruce and other evergreens to “trees” crafted from hundreds of go-kart tires, multiple tiers of wine bottles, upcycled scrap metal, potted poinsettias, and more. LED light displays that put on programmed shows in sync with holiday music will warm up even the chilliest winter night.
3. Take the plunge down a 400-foot snow tubing slope at Wolfe Mountain.
OK, technically you can do this in summertime, too, thanks to the Snowflex composite material that covers the tubing run. Still, something just seems a bit more right about taking to the tubes when long pants and a hat are warranted. Branson Zipline Canopy Tours, 2339 U.S. Hwy. 65.
4. See a holiday-inspired show.
There’s no shortage of options: Legends in Concert debuts A Merry Country Christmas. The Haygoods celebrate 32 years in Branson with The Haygoods Christmas Extravaganza. The Hughes Brothers’ production has been named Branson’s best Christmas show for 16 consecutive years. The Shepherd of the Hills brings Ralphie Parker to its Playhouse Dinner Theatre stage in a dinner-theater production of A Christmas Story. Sight & Sound Theatre stages the nativity-inspired Miracle of Christmas. And many other theaters offer their own special Christmas shows, including Christmas at Dolly Parton’s Stampede.
5. Get a jump on holiday shopping at Kringle’s.
The state’s largest Christmas store boasts more than 100 designer-decked-out trees, plus 9,000 square feet of shopping: ornaments, nativity sets, garland, lights, and other specialty items to deck the halls. Grand Village Shops, 2800 W. 76 Country Blvd., Suite 103.
