With our turkey- induced naps completed, our pants a little tighter and the sound of our great-aunt’s voice still ringing in our ears, it’s time to embrace the most wonderful time of the year: the Christmas season!
Omaha jumps into this holiday season in its own way: brightening up the city with hundreds of Christmas lights. Beginning on Thanksgiving Night, Omaha lit up the Gene Leahy Mall and surrounding neighborhoods, stretching all the way to North and South Omaha. Other downtown businesses, shops and residences were lit as well in celebration of the coming holiday.
The Omaha Holiday Lights Festival began the very night of Thanksgiving with a lighting ceremony on Gene Leahy Mall. This opening ceremony commenced at 5:30 p.m. with musical performances of classic Christmas carols that anticipated the official countdown at 6 p.m. by Mayor Jim Suttle. When the countdown ended, the oohs and ahhs began as trees all down the mall and surrounding streets were completely filled with twinkling white lights.
Continuing the Holiday Festival, each Saturday through Christmas there will be musical performances downtown by local choral groups ranging from children to professionals. Sponsored by Pacific Life Insurance, the Sounds of the Season series will feature groups like MasterSingers Omaha, Mercy High Singers, Jingle Brass Bells “Fan Fare” and many more. For the full schedule, visit the Omaha Holiday Lights Festival website at http://www.holidaylightsfestival.org/pacific-life-insurance- company-sounds-of-the-season/.
On Sunday, Wells Fargo will be hosting this year’s Holiday Lights Family Festival. From noon to 5 p.m., Ollie the Trolley will be providing rides to and from all the participating venues. As different Omaha musicians sing carols throughout the day, families can create Christmas crafts at the Wells Fargo building, watch a Super Snowy Science Show at the Omaha Children’s Museum, ride in a stagecoach at the Omaha Police Mounted Patrol Barn, see Omaha’s largest indoor Christmas tree at the Durham Museum, decorate cookies at the W. Dale Clark Library and watch a magic show at the Joslyn Art Museum. The best part? Everything is free!
For those with a better sense of balance than I, ConAgra Foods will be opening an ice skating rink from Dec. 14 to Jan. 6. Although itcosts $5 to enter, 100 percent of the proceeds go to the Food Bank for the Heartland. Have some extra packages of mac ‘n’ cheese that you won’t be eating before break? ConAgra encourages all skaters to bring donations of non-perishable food and household goods that will be given to families in need this Christmas.
The final major event of the Holiday Lights Festival is its close on New Years Eve. Expected to draw more than 30,000 people, this fireworks show on the Gene Leahy Mall is one of the largest in the region and definitely not one to miss. Beginning at 7 p.m. on Dec. 31, the show will be accompanied by classic 1950s music on Star 104.5 and will be a perfect way to end 2012.
For more information, visit the Omaha Holiday Lights Festival website. Have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!