I love this place

 

We went to Branson for the Thanksgiving holiday and one of our very favorite places to visit there is Silver Dollar City.  For those of you who haven't heard of SDC, it is an old time theme park featuring attractions and rides, shows, restaurants and craft shops with demonstrating craftsmen.   At Christmas, the park is decked out in over 4 million lights and is considered one of the country's most popular and best decorated tourist destinations at Christmas.  Here is a bit of a blurry photo of the walkway from the parking lots to the entrance, I wanted you to see how pretty the entrance is. 

After you enter the park, you're on Main Street and greeted by this huge tree that turns colors and different patterns in time to the music.  We love hearing "Carol of the Bells."

 Another shot of the tree and area. 

 

Before walking too far, we stopped at the old cabin, McHaffies Homestead, where the Homestead Pickers were playing and telling stories.  I love their music and humor. 

Leaving the McHaffie Homestead, we headed on down Hugo's Hill.  All the shops are covered in lights and it is just beautiful.  The park covers several acres and this is just one small section of it.   

 

We stopped at the train station and took a train ride which stops at Grandpa's place to hear him tell the Christmas story.  To see a better photo of the train at the station, go here.

Here's Grandpa...I think he's looking right at my camera!  On the hillside behind him are the Three Wise Men, the Manger Scene, the Star of Bethlehem, etc, that are lit up during Grandpa's telling of the Christmas story.  

This is a small sampling of what you will see around the park.  The blue tree was gorgeous with lights that simulated snow falling.  The building in the lower right corner houses the Fudge/Candy Shop and is filled with the most delicious looking treats.  They have candy making demonstrations there, too.  I couldn't walk away without a small box of divinity and some fudge!  

I love this place at Christmas, spring and fall are great times to go, too.  Summer time is wonderful, if you're young and don't mind the heat!  Missouri summers are very hot and humid and these ole legs wear out from walking up and down the hills here.  I'd rather have chillier temps in the winter time!  Speaking of being chilly, the second night we went to SDC, we had chili in a bread bowl and ate it by a fireplace.  We then had their famous apple dumplings with cinnamon ice cream a little later on for dessert.  There is so much delicious food for sale all around the park at various concession stands as well as the restaurants and the smells are very tantalizing. 

So there you have it, my 2011 SDC Old Time Christmas experience.  We've been going there the last several years and as long as my knees hold out, I hope to keep going.  I hope you get to go someday if you haven't already.  It's really a beautiful experience!

Until next time...