Day 1 Omaha, NE

Christmas is a special season that brings us many special treasures. This tour is full of all the treasures that Omaha has to offer during the holiday season. We will enjoy the travel day as we get acquainted with our fellow travelers, our tour director, and motorcoach driver. Upon arrival to Omaha, we will check into our accommodations located downtown for the next three evenings. Then we are off to “Christmas in Germany” at the German American Society. “Frohe Weihnachten,” Merry Christmas in German! Enjoy a holiday program of dancing, singing and a delicious German included dinner! Listen to traditional German holiday favorites and let festive German traditions create a wonderful celebration filled with music, dancing and food. Shop for crafts and items imported from Germany at the Christmas Market. Experience the German dancers as they perform various holiday dances from various regions of Germany. The evening ends with a sing-along of “Silent Night.” (D)

Day 2 Omaha, NE

We will have an “Irish Christmas” at Boys Town this morning which also includes a tour of Father Flanagan House Museum. The open house features the homemade tradition of a true Irish Christmas with historic Christmas quilts, old-fashioned ornaments from the 1920s to 40s and antique toys from the 1920s. This afternoon, “Christmas in Greece” will entertain us at the St. Johns Greek Orthodox Church. We’ll tour the byzantine style church while learning about the gold dome and decor, traditional icons and history of the Greek Orthodox Church. Afterwards, we’ll go downstairs where members of the congregation will join us for traditional Greek lunch and a holiday program telling us how Christmas is celebrated in Greece and hear Christmas carols in the Greek language. We’re then transported to Scotland with a visit to the historic 1903 Joslyn Castle. “Christmas in Scotland” begins as we enter through the huge front doors of this 30-room stone mansion. You’ll notice the amazing craftsmanship of the elaborate wood interior, which comes from all parts of the world. We’ll hear the fascinating story of George & Sarah Joslyn and how the couple shared their extraordinary wealth with the community. Tonight features a Madrigal Christmas Feaste. Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The Lord and Lady of Essex invite you to join them for feasting, music and merriment-madrigal style where we’ll return to the Renaissance years for a festive holiday evening at an old English Castle. From the rousing toast to the last bite of Yorkshire pudding, you will enchanted and filled with the spirit of Christmas. Madrigal singers perform on stage and around the tables as you meet the queen’s court and playful jester! (B, L, D)

Day 3 Omaha, NE

Our morning begins with “Christmas in Lithuania” at Omaha’s Lithuanian Bakery. We will meet the owner and hear how their family escaped Germany in WWII and moved to Omaha to start their bakery business. Taste some of the bakery’s famous breads and enjoy their signature dessert which takes three days to make. Next enjoy a city tour of Omaha with a local guide. Tour highlights include; the historic Old Market Entertainment District with it’s cobblestone streets and unique boutiques; Lewis & Clark Landing, the historic spot where the exploring duo landed; the historic Gold Coast District which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; The Blackstone Hotel, the birthplace of the Reuben sandwich; St. Cecilia’s Spanish Cathedral; TD Ameritrade Park Omaha-home of the annual NCAA Men’s College Baseball World Series; Fertile Ground mural, one of the largest murals in the country; Hollywood Candy, filled wall-to-wall with retro candy; Pioneer Courage Park, which features more than 100-larger-than-life sized bronze sculptures that tell the story of the pioneer’s westward journey plus more! An Included holiday lunch is served at “Christmas on the Frontier” at the General Crook House. Imagine that the year is 1879 and the place is Fort Omaha. General Crook , a fighter and friend of the Native Americans, has had his new Italianate home decked out in holiday finery! You can’t come to Omaha without a visit to the Lauritzen Gardens Holiday Poinsettia Show. Walk through a botanical wonderland, with more than 5,000 poinsettias including a tree of 700 poinsettias. Miniature trains travel across the display which includes replicas of famous Omaha landmarks. This evening we’ll celebrate “Christmas in the South” at Big Mamas Kitchen, which was featured on the Food network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Pull up a chair for a good old-fashioned included southern dinner of brown sugar maple glazed ham, macaroni and cheese, candied yams, collard greens, Big Mama’s crescent rolls, cranberry tea and red velvet cheesecake ice cream. Tonight, we’ll see everyone’s favorite, Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol” Musical at the Omaha Community Playhouse. (B, L, D)

Day 4 Home

We pack our bags this morning to drive home with all the memories of the special treasures that Omaha offered us. (B)