The holidays are now upon us! I’ll admit that I equally get both excited and stressed this time of year. I absolutely love the holidays. It isn’t really a surprise since I grew up with a mom who loved to go all out during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. While I loved waking up on Christmas morning to a lot of presents under the tree, the best part of the holidays was the quality time we spent together. From all weekend baking sessions to fun holiday parties, we spent this special season enjoying each other.
Now that I’m the parent, I realize how much work it was for my parents to create these special memories for us. Even though many of them didn’t cost a lot of money, they put in a lot of effort to make sure the holidays were magical for us. With crazy schedules with work and school, I want to create a similar experience for my own kids.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that everyone enjoy the small things as much as the big. So I try to take a step back and ask myself is it really necessary before I commit. This way I can concentrate on a few wonderful experiences instead of filling our schedule so full that we can’t even be spontaneous, like playing in the snow on Christmas.
Me and my honey in the snow on Christmas! #christmas A photo posted by Emilie (@babylovingmama) on
One of our favorite holiday experiences is visiting our local festival of lights. I’m blessed to live in a city which has one in our own backyard. If you haven’t ever experienced one, they really are fun way to get into the Christmas spirit.
Grandma and Grandpa with our boys at our local festival of lights.
If you live in Minnesota or within driving distance, I highly recommend visiting a light festival. Did you know that Mankato, Minnesota features a holiday lights event? I didn’t! It is open nightly from November 27 to December 31, with over 1 million LED lights to walk or drive through. Our local event does not have a drive through option which would be very nice when the weather doesn’t cooperate. If you are familiar with Minnesota weather, you know it can be brutal during this time of year. If the weather is nice however, I highly recommend walking so you can enjoy the experience of other visitors around you.
Walk or drive through a Winter Wonderland for free during the Kiwanis Holiday Lights in Mankato’s Sibley Park. The Kiwanis Holiday Lights will use more than one million LED lights in an animated and choreographed display. Enjoy the Mary Dotson synthetic Skating Rink, live reindeer and visits with Santa on the weekends. Warming houses and concessions are available. The event kicks off at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 27 with a holiday parade featuring illuminated parade floats. Visitors of the Holiday Lights can donate money or canned goods to be distributed to several local food shelves.
This could be a fun mini getaway for you and your family to add some joy into your holiday season!
Interested in learning more? Be sure to check out Visit Mankato for more information.
What you are your favorite ways to make the holidays more magical for your family?
This post is brought to you by Visit Mankato. All thoughts are my own.
Heather Eavers says
December 14, 2015 at 3:07 pmI love looking at Christmas lights. So pretty!
Brandy says
December 14, 2015 at 8:38 pmThat looks stunning! We have a similar show at our local arboretum that is hugely popular here in Chicago.
Casey B says
December 15, 2015 at 11:18 amSo pretty!!
Birdiebee says
December 23, 2015 at 9:13 pmI have never seen lights look so beautiful. I would love to see lights like this where I live.
Elisabeth says
December 29, 2015 at 5:38 pmLooks like a great time! We enjoy looking at the holiday lights at Calloway Gardens in Georgia!
Laura J says
December 30, 2015 at 10:35 pmOh that looks so amazing! We love going and looking at Christmas lights at night…wish we were a bit closer to see this one! Next year we might have to make the trip to see it!
Robin says
December 31, 2015 at 3:22 pmThis was a hard Christmas. I was just too sick (still am) to take in any of the usual festivities like going to see some lights. We don’t have a light festival like that here, I sure wish we did. It looks absolutely beautiful!
Cynthia C says
January 1, 2016 at 5:52 amWhat a beautiful display! We took a trip to Oglebay in West Virginia to see the light display when my kids were small. It’s another good one.
Sara Zielinski says
January 2, 2016 at 3:04 pmThis looks like an amazing Christmas celebration.
Sharon Rooney says
January 2, 2016 at 5:50 pmSo pretty especially with the snow. We have a similar event here it is at a place called Shadybrook farms in Pennsylvania. The family really enjoying going and it has become a annual event.
patricia delgado says
January 2, 2016 at 7:36 pmI have always wanted to visit Minnesota, this is beautiful
Brenda Haines says
January 4, 2016 at 9:51 amI wish it snowed here! When it does it’s to wet to stick, except about every 7 years we get an inch or 2 they stays for a day or 2. Your pictures look so pretty!
Stacey Roberson says
January 4, 2016 at 9:21 pmThe holiday lights festival looks beautiful. We have something similar at the botanical gardens near our home in Virginia.
Rebecca says
January 6, 2016 at 3:22 pmThat light display looks beautiful. We love light shows, and I love driving around to look at the lights people put out. We used to have a wonderful light show where I grew up, but I got married and moved away this year, so I didn’t get to go. Hopefully, next year, I’ll be able to make it to one.
Dana Rodriguez says
January 6, 2016 at 4:41 pmThat looks like so much fun and the lights are beautiful.I bet you guys had a blast!
Debra Holloway says
January 7, 2016 at 12:23 pmOh I love the pictures and this review. The Christmas lights are amazing. It looks like you and your family had a lot of fun.
lana simanovicki says
January 8, 2016 at 10:36 pmwow I have never seen anything like that before
Christina Moore says
January 11, 2016 at 12:43 pmThe Christmas lights are so pretty,
Allyson Bossie says
January 12, 2016 at 10:04 amThe lights were absulutuely gorgeous! This is the first year we were unable to go look at lights. I grew up where I had to drive through Christmastown every day, so all the lights are awesome!
K-Squared says
January 12, 2016 at 4:29 pmBeauty is in that of the heart but thats some amazing creations. I cant afford the extra electric funds adding to the bill! But the time it took to set-up is absolutely priceless!
aubrey says
January 12, 2016 at 5:42 pmwe have tried to keep traditions going in our family. we make Danish cookies every year.
Sarah L says
January 13, 2016 at 12:18 amWe visit the Blossoms of Light at the Denver Botanic Gardens.
Jerry Marquardt says
January 13, 2016 at 1:26 amI enjoyed the nice photos of the holidays. I hope your holiday season was the best that it could be.