An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri

Silver Dollar City located in Branson, Missouri celebrates Christmas with a yearly Christmas festival called An Old Time Christmas. This year the Christmas Festival starts November 1^st 2008 and runs through December 30, 2008. I was amazed by the festival last year and plan on making it a yearly tradition.

Silver Dollar City is decked out to the hilt in Christmas lights and Christmas theming with the main focus being on a five story Christmas tree adorned with over one million lights. The Christmas tree twinkles, spins, and dances to Christmas music. Silver Dollar City holds a special tree lighting ceremony at 5:30 pm each evening. Shortly after the ceremony, a parade called Gifts of the Holiday Light Parade winds it way through the streets of Silver Dollar City with over 100,000 lights covering the parade floats. In addition to all the lights on the beautiful tree and the float, Silver Dollar City has also adorned their entire Main Street Square with over four million lights.

Silver Dollar City also has several musical productions and shows available for free to all guests to the park. One of their best shows is their adaptation of A Dickens' Christmas Carol. The musical has great special effects, beautiful backdrops, and wonderful period costuming. The musical is free but very popular so be prepared to wait in line if you don't want to miss this wonderful show.

A Dickens' Christmas Carol is an awesome show but my personal favorite is The Living Nativity.The Living Nativity is a musical transporting guests back to the little town of Bethlehem and relives the birth of Jesus Christ as told (and sung) by the angel Gabriel. It is nice to see in such a political correct nation a place that is not afraid to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.

Besides all the great live entertainment, stunning light displays, and amusement rides, Silver Dollar City also has tasty holiday meals and lots of interesting shops full of festive items to tempt your wallet. Some of the tasty meals include a traditional turkey dinner. Guests can also enjoy a prime rib buffet, gingerbread cookies, hot wassail, and hot cocoa. I had no idea what wassail was before my last trip but with encouragement from my friend, I tried it and thought it was pretty good.

I highly recommend Silver Dollar City's Old Time Christmas to anyone who enjoys Christmas or even to a few grinches because Silver Dollar City's Old Time Christmas Festival offers something for everyone.