With Thanksgiving and Black Friday taking place last week, people everywhere are jumping right into their Christmas celebrations. One celebration that everyone will want to make a part of their holiday festivities is Christmas on the Lake with the Ozark Rivers Heritage Foundation at the Dewey Short Visitors Center. This event is the first annual Christmas on the Lake. The celebration has already begun and will continue through December 11th, so guests will have two more weeks that they can be a part of the special event.

Christmas on the Lake features many special activities that are great for the whole family or friends who want to celebrate the season in a special way together. S’mores and traditional storytelling around a welcome campfire start out the night, and the fun continues with Christmas caroling, Christmas crafts, and the chance to choose some fun gifts from the Discovery Shop at the center. It’s a heartwarming way to make your holiday celebrations unique and entertaining.

If you plan to be at this evening event, you will want to find a hotel to stay in overnight instead of driving back home. You will also want to check out some of the other fun activities and attractions waiting for visitors in the area. BransonShows.com gives you a variety of hotels and activities to look through to help make your decision easy!

Everyone who has been to Silver Dollar City the past few weeks can agree that Silver Dollar City’s annual National Harvest Festival has been a blast. This upcoming weekend, the National Harvest Festival is coming to an end as Silver Dollar City prepares for An Old Time Christmas celebration. Lights will decorate every imaginable surface the park, and the park’s 5-story special effects Christmas tree will be assembled just in time for the park to re-open on November 6th. The Christmas event will last through the holidays to December 30th when the park will close for the season.

Silver Dollar City has numerous special features for guests to enjoy during their holiday visit. Wonderful productions of shows like The Living Nativity, Frosty!, and A Dickens’ Christmas Carol will be on multiple times each day. The park also has the Gifts of Christmas Holiday Light Parade each year. This parade is a living, moving display of festive lights with over 100,000 lights on the floats and costumes. There are even special treats like hot wassail, chili, hot chocolate, Gingerbread cookies, and apple dumplings. This event has been a favorite Christmas destination for visitors from all over the country for years, and it’s no wonder with all of the Christmas cheer the park has to offer!

Silver Dollar City isn’t the only place that has a special holiday celebration planned. There are also many Branson Christmas Shows that will begin around the same time An Old Time Christmas begins. Make sure to check them out, so you can have a full holiday celebration this year.

Although the lights of Branson are always bright, the holiday season is an extra-special time to experience Branson at night. With the Trail of Lights, Festival of Lights, and guided lights tours, visitors have many ways to experience the Christmas lights of Branson.

The Trail of Lights at the Shepherd of the Hills Homestead is a two mile drive-thru attraction. The light displays are larger than life, and some of them are even animated! In addition, you will hear a special holiday soundtrack to accompany the displays. After you are done driving through the display trail, you can experience a bird’s eye view of Branson at night from the Inspiration Tower. If you want to add a fun dinner to the mix, enjoy a cowboy-style Christmas by adding on the Christmas on the Trail Chuckwagon Show. The Trail of Lights is open until January 2.

The Branson Visitors Bureau is also hosting its own Festival of Lights holiday tour. This lights display is a one mile drive-thru attraction that has more than 175 different displays. The Festival of Lights is located off Shepherd of the Hills Expressway and Roark Valley Road and is open until January 2. To find more information about this attraction, visit the Branson CVB Web site.

Guided sightseeing tours are also available in Branson. The Ride the Ducks Holiday Lights tour is a fun and interactive guided tour of Branson. This tour will take you down the 76 Strip and through the Trail of Lights for a one hour lights tour of Branson. In addition, you’ll even receive a complimentary Santa hat to make sure you are in the Christmas spirit! This tour is only available til December 13, so book your tour today!

BransonShows.com is your online destination for all of your Branson vacation needs. With tickets to the Trail of Lights, Christmas on the Trail Chuckwagon Show, Ride the Ducks, and so much more, your ticket to a great Branson vacation is just a click away! Check out BransonShows.com or call 1-800-987-6298 to plan your vacation today.

On tomorrow, October 31, most people will be putting the finishing touches on costumes and getting ready to canvass the neighborhood for goodies, but in Branson, many entertainers will be opening the beginning of the Branson Christmas season for 2009.

Many Christmas shows begin this weekend, including the Miracle of Christmas at Sight and Sound Theatre, Andy Williams Christmas, and the Hamner Barber Variety Show Wings of Christmas. The shows that are not beginning this weekend begin holiday performances next week or next weekend. With everything from Christmas concerts to unbelievable lights display, the Branson holiday entertainment scene has something for everyone. For a complete list of holiday shows and starting dates, consult the 2009 Branson Christmas Shows article, which contains links and descriptions of every holiday show we offer in Branson.

Because the Branson Christmas season is so popular, many shows have already begun to sell out of tickets, especially for the week of Thanksgiving. To make sure that you do not miss out on seeing your favorite holiday show, like Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede or the Shoji Tabuchi Christmas Show, start planning your holiday trip today!

Also, don’t forget that an easy and convenient way to book a Christmas vacation with one click is by booking one of our pre-made vacation packages. Both A Branson Christmas Celebration and the Branson Holiday Music Magic vacation packages include lodging as well as tickets to many popular holiday shows in Branson.

When planning your Branson holiday vacation, don’t forget about our money-saving promotions! With family passes and discounted tickets available for many holiday shows, including Yakov Smirnoff, Spirit of Christmas, and the Warnocks Christmas Show, you can enjoy a Christmas vacation to remember without breaking the bank!

BransonShows.com is your one-stop destination for all things Branson any time of year. To being planning your vacation, go online to BransonShows.com or call 1-800-987-6298.

Branson is full of ways to get in the holiday spirit. However, if you still need a little nudge there are ways. One helpful idea is to take a short vacation to Branson. Whether it’s Christmas shows or a little last minute shopping, Branson has just the thing to fill you with holiday cheer.

The most obvious choice for a vacation package is the Branson Christmas Celebration and it has just what you need for a dose of holiday cheer. This package is only available during the holiday season and features admission to attractions such as the famous Trail of Lights. It also includes tickets to The Miracle of Christmas at Branson’s Sight & Sound Theatre. The lodging options are endless and you’re sure to find a hotel to suite your needs.

Another helpful option is the Branson Shows Vacation Package. While the admission to Dixie Stampede, Shoji Tabuchi and Sight & Sound Theatre may not seem like holiday fanfare, all three of these shows are quickly unveiling their Christmas productions. Your stay will be filled with Christmas carols and loads of decorations. This package also buys you three nights lodging in Branson, so you get to see a show each night!

If you’re one of those last minute shoppers then the Branson Landing Weekend Escape is your Christmas miracle. You can shop ’till you drop at Branson landing and when you need a rest you’ll have tickets for a Lake Queen Sightseeing Cruise. If you have to shop for Christmas, why not surround yourself with it? The Landing will be decorated in true Ozark Mountain Christmas fashion, which would have even Scrooge smiling before too long.

All in all, if you need a get-away without getting away from the holiday spirit that seems to be as contagious as the flu, you may want to check out Branson. You’re sure to find what you need in Branson.

Branson is full of folks who give back to their community. And those folks have plenty of opportunity this holiday season. Branson has several events benefiting local charities this time of year. Supporters of these events are encouraging Branson residents and visitors to come out and make a difference. Who knows, you might even enjoy it!

On November 1, the Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks will host it’s annual Christmas Tree Auction. The Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks welcomes the public to enjoy the auction. Storytellers will be accompanied by Santa, so bring the kids along! The auction begins at 6 PM and admission is $3 at the door. The event is being held at the Branson Mill Craft Village. Bring the family out to this fun-filled event to support the Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks.

If a benefit show is more your speed, check out the show benefiting the Branson Veterans Task Force (BVTF). On November 8, #1 Hits of the 60′s will be performing a benefit concert for the BVTF. The BVTF is dedicated to celebrating the sacrifices made by our veterans through awareness and celebrations, including Memorial Day ceremonies, Independence Day celebrations, and Veterans Week events. Admission is $20 and all proceeds of this benefit concert will go to the BVTF. The show will begin at 2 PM at the Caravelle Theater in Branson. Seating is limited, so arriving early is advised.

Not to be left out, Silver Dollar City takes the opportunity during it’s annual An Old Time Christmas festival to offer a helping hand to the Ozarks. The fourth annual “Run To The Lights” event is being held on November 13. This 5K Run/Walk will begin after park closing at 10 PM. The trail will weave it’s way through Silver Dollar City, so you can enjoy the lights while you help out “The Caring People,” an organization that reaches out to single moms. Only the first 1,500 people will be accepted to participate so register online at www.active.com.

Join in on one of these events, or find one of your own, and offer a helping hand to your favorite organization in the Ozarks this holiday season.

With October coming to a close, it’s time for another Ozark Mountain Christmas. Branson takes this time of year very seriously. Silver Dollar City shuts down for a week to get ready, every establishment in Branson puts up festive decorations and the shows in Branson begin their holiday celebrations. This holiday season is no exception.

In early November, most of the shows in Branson will stop performing their regular summer/fall shows and begin their holiday shows. The theaters will be decorated and the stars of the shows will be singing your favorite carols and chatting up Santa Clause. If you haven’t visited Branson yet this year, now is the time to load up the family and make the trip. The holiday season in Branson is truly magical.

If you are looking for something to do with the family this holiday season, take in one of the many holiday themed shows. If you are looking to make a weekend out of the trip, there are plenty of other things to do.

The Trail of Lights is a wonderful way to get in the holiday spirit. This 160-acre homestead has been transformed into a Christmas wonderland full of lights. Each display has theme music to help bring the scene to life. As you drive through the Trail of Lights, you will find your self mesmerized.

This holiday season, take the time to visit Branson and remind yourself and your family why Christmas is such a magical time of year. Especially an Ozark Mountain Christmas.