Cookin' Up Creations

Do you have a favorite place to visit or special rituals that you enjoy during the holiday season?

When our four kids were all young and living at home, we went to the Festival of Lights in East Peoria, IL. Various groups, businesses and organizations built floats covered in Christmas lights. There was an evening parade on opening night, then the floats were put on display in a local park. It was only $5 or $10 for a carload of people to drive through the park and see them all. We always had dinner first at Chuck E Cheese and played a few games beforehand.

http://www.cityofeastpeoria.com/149/Festival-of-Lights

As a kid, yes. And when Kyle was a kid we would drive to Hartsville and check out the Christmas lights. There was this one house at the end of Swift Creek Road that would go all out with the Christmas decorations. Cars would line up on both sides of the road to take it all in. The owners finally put a circle drive way in so that cars could circle around instead of blocking the road.

For the past several years we go see the Downs Family Christmas light show - the do lights and put on a show like you see on FB, youtube, etc with music and tons of light. They do this as their family mission - it is free; they do take donations - can foods and/or money for the Oklahoma Regional Foodbank. They change and add to it each year; it is really good