HOLIDAYS ADVENTURE GROUP

WHETHER IT'S BLANKETED WITH SNOW or sparkling with frost and lights, there's no place like Casper for the holidays! And Casper's winter wonderland is the perfect setting for celebrating the season. Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Tina Wulf offers up holiday adventure ideas from shopping to the performing arts to some good old-fashioned festivities!

Bring your family and friends downtown for the annual Christmas Parade, November 24. It's the perfect time to chase away the shivers with hot chocolate and cookies. According to Wulf, "It just kicks off the season."

The unofficial start of the holiday season in Casper begins as early as Nov. 8 at the Nicolaysen Art Museum when more than 50 artists offer up one-of-a-kind arts, crafts and jewelry at their 14th Annual Art Show and Sale. Dec. 1 at the Nic is Breakfast With Santa, an event open to the community where children can eat with the jolly man himself, then make arts and crafts projects as presents for friends and family.

Ever wonder how the pioneers celebrated the holidays? Find out when the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center hosts their 5th annual Holiday on the Homestead, Dec. 8th. Folks decked out in elaborate period costumes show you how to celebrate "back in the day," and the resulting music and special presentations mean a heck of a lot of present-day fun! Best of all, admission is free, so you can save your bucks for Christmas shopping at Wyoming's largest indoor shopping center, The Eastridge Mall.

If you decide you just can't plow through one more store, plan to see a show at the Casper Events Center "Ring of Fire - the Johnny Cash Story" is presented Nov. 20th, featuring 38 songs from this legendary performer. Adding to the holiday theme is Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker Dec. 18th. With hand-painted sets, adults and children alike will be enchanted by this traditional favorite. "Those are great events!" Wulf agrees. "What is Christmas without the Nutcracker Suite?"

Another annual happening is the Teddy Bear Tea Nov. 25 at the Boys and Girls Club. Mrs. Claus will be joining Santa, so bring the kiddies and a new teddy bear (the price of admission) for the "Teddy Bear Tree." There are decorated trees to be auctioned off as well, so sip a cup of cider and vote for your favorite! Continuing the fun is the Festival of Trees, a decorated tree auction, held on Nov. 27.

Finally, one of the simplest ways to enjoy the holidays is to drive around Casper at night, oohing and aahing over twinkling Christmas lights. Pick a street at random and see where the night takes you. "The paper will report on the Christmas Decorations," Wulf assures. "They always do it as a contest." A must-see on your tour will be downtown Casper itself, ablaze with the adornments of the season.

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For shop-aholics and bargain hunters alike, Christmas is indeed "the most wonderful time of the year!" And there's no better place than Casper to find treasures for everyone on your holiday shopping list.

Downtown Casper beckons this time of year with a variety of boutiques and all the atmosphere of a classic Christmas card. Be sure to visit Lou Taubert Ranch Outfitters for 9 floors' worth of western fashion, including over 10,000 pairs of boots in stock! Warm up across the street at/in the Atrium Plaza and grab a cup o' something hot and some fantastic reading material at Blue Heron Books and Espresso. If your sweet tooth is begging for more, Donell's Candies has the perfect holiday treat for you or that impossible-to-buy-for person on your list.

Follow the holiday cheer up Second Street, all the way to the Hilltop Shopping Center. Pick up some fabulously-scented candles or other home decor at Country Charm, or find the perfect Christmas card for anyone on your naughty or nice list at Ralph's Books and Cards.

Need a break from the chilly winter temps? The Eastridge Mall has over 60 stores, making it the largest shopping mall in Wyoming. Favorites like Zumiez, Hot Topic, Bed, Bath and Beyond, JCPenny's, Macy's and Target make going to the mall fun for all ages. And don't forget to bring the kids and their wish lists to visit Santa!

Another great indoor option is the Sunrise Shopping Center. If someone on your list requires something a little more exotic, study the birds and fish at Aquatics and Critters. Hoping for something a little easier to feed and water? Check out the blooms at The Flower Gallery, which also features unique home touches. And there's plenty of funky Western-inspired garb for the Missus at Cadillac Cowgirl.