Omaha Area Family Fun Guide - Winter 2023

Family Fun Guide OMAHA AREA

WINTER ’23–’24

HOLIDAY EVENTS

Featuring: Fontenelle Christmas Merry & Bright at Lauritzen Gardens Tangier Shrine Festival

WINTER ACTIVITIES FAMILY GAME NIGHTS ORNAMENT COOKIES RECIPE WINTER BUCKET LIST CHRISTMAS LIGHTS MAP ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS KEEP UPDATED ON FAMILY FUN! Visit u s at Family Fu nI nO maha .co m

KEEP UPDATED ON FAMILY FUN!

Sign up for our FREE email newsletter.

WELCOME We love our seasons and love that in this part of the country we get to experience all of them, even Winter!

Despite the chance of bitterly cold temperatures there’s always family fun to be had! It’s a time to reflect on family, snuggle up with loved ones, and enjoy traditions or even make new ones.

We hope we can be a part of your family’s winter joy and comfort by bringing forth ideas from our Winter Edition: Omaha Area Family Fun Guide, and through our website.

We’ve tried to present new winter attractions, but also honor traditional events the area has to offer. Omaha and the surrounding area is in no short supply of family fun for all ages during the Winter months.

Whether it’s snuggling up with games or activities, sledding or snowball fights, or exploring what the area has to offer we wish all families the best of fun.

– Family Fun In Omaha Team JOIN OUR COMMUNITY: FamilyFuninOmaha.com Facebook.com/FamilyFuninOmaha Instagram.com/FamilyFuninOmaha Join our Email Newsletter

DISCLAIMER: ©2023 Family Fun in Omaha, All rights reserved. We are not responsible for errors and omissions, or changes since publication.

Reproduction in whole or in part granted only by written permission of the publisher.

Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com 3

Winter Wonderland

DECEMBER 9 - JANUARY 2 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily

Bring the whole family to Fontenelle Forest’s annual Winter Wonderland event! All month long, enjoy festive decorations in the Nature Center Great Hall. Then bundle up and stroll the lighted Riverview Boardwalk, while taking in beautiful views of the Forest.

Free for members or with daily admission for non-members.

Opening Weekend Special Activities Saturday & Sunday, December 9 & 10 Only

Extended Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily

ALL DAY, BOTH DAYS:

Holiday Decorations Lighted Boardwalk

Ornament Decorating Complimentary Hot Cocoa

SATURDAY: DECEMBER 9 Santa: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Holiday with the Raptors: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Habitat Building: 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

SUNDAY: DECEMBER 10 Santa: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Holiday with the Raptors: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Holiday Boardwalk Caroling: 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.

All activities are free for Fontenelle Forest members or with daily admission for non-members. No registration required.

For full details about activities, visit our event webpage: FontenelleForest.org/WinterWonderland

IN THIS ISSUE 6 HOLIDAY EVENTS

Featured: Fontenelle Christmas (pg. 4) Merry & Bright at Lauritzen Gardens (pg. 10) Tangier Shrine Festival (pg.15)

9 WINTER ACTIVITIES 11 FAMILY FUN TIPS: Family Game Night With game buying guide

16 FUN RECIPES: Ornament Cookies 19 WINTER BUCKET LIST 20 CHRISTMAS LIGHTS MAP FOR KIDS 21 ACTIVITES Crossword, Word Search, Scavenger Hunt

Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com 5

Fall 2023 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com 5

HOLIDAY EVENTS A Christmas Carol at the Omaha Community Playhouse November 17th – December 23rd Ebenezer Scrooge takes us on a life-changing journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas. This event is for the entire family, filled with stunning Victorian costumes, festive music and magical scenery.

Featured Event

see page 15 for more details

Tangier Shrine Festival November 18th – November 25th Come see the trees — and win the trees! We have big trees, small trees, tall trees, red trees, white trees, unconventional trees, and more!

Tree sponsors have donated a tree and prizes/gifts valued at a minimum of $500. Most trees are valued between $2500-$3500.

Admission is $2 per person for ages 13 and above. (There is no charge for children under the age of 12 when accompanied by an adult.)

Featured Event

see page 10 for more details

Merry & Bright - at Lauritzen Gardens November 18th – December 31st 20-foot tall poinsettia tree, model graden trains, indoor light displays, s’mores, fun family chill zone! cont. on 7-8

6 Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

HOLIDAY EVENTS Christmas at Union Station November 24th, 2023 - January 7th 2024 Christmas at Union Station presented by FNBO is back! A massive 40-foot-tall tree to holidays around the globe to Santa himself!

Holiday Lights Festival November 25th, 2023 - January 1st, 2023 Omaha’s Holiday Lights Festival celebrates its 24th season in 2023!

Lighting Ceremony – Nov 25th 6:00pm Kick-off the holiday season and see Downtown Omaha light up with festive lights!

KETV Family Festival – Dec 3rd 11:00am-4:00pm Family-friendly activities Downtown and Ollie the Trolley will be providing FREE transportation!

New Years Eve Fireworks Spectacular — Dec 31st 7:00pm

‘Twas the Lights Before Christmas November 26-December 31 Central Park (near Santa’s Workshop). Santa and his entourage will travel through la Vista before stopping in Central Park to light the tree, lead a sing-a-long and take a group selfie with the community.

Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer at Rose Theater December 1st – December 23rd "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," on stage! Join the characters in this puppet-filled musical spectacular.

cont. on 8 Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

7

HOLIDAY EVENTS Featured Event

see page 4 for more details

Fontenelle Christmas Dec 9th - January 2nd Each year, during the month of December Fontenelle transforms their Great Hall into a Winter Wonderland for all to enjoy. The unique setting of Fontenelle Forest provides a truly one-of-a-kind holiday experience! Start a new tradition and make holiday memories your family will remember for years to come.

From December 9 to January 2, members and guests are invited to visit Fontenelle Forest and experience this festive holiday display of decorated trees and wreaths. Then, bundle up, head outside and take a stroll along the first loop of our lighted Riverview Boardwalk.

Physicians Mutual Omaha Symphony Christmas Celebration Dec 14 - Dec 17th Maestro Ernest Richardson, the Omaha Symphony, and a stellar cast of singers and dancers send your spirits soaring with festive favorites and Christmas classics. Enjoy performances by dazzling community partners on and off stage.

8 Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

WINTER ACTIVITIES OTHER FUN ACTIVITY IDEAS: Looking to search for more ideas for fun Winter activities and events around Omaha? Here are other Family-Friendly Things to Do in Omaha this Winter!

Ice Skating

Enjoy several indoor and outdoor options for Ice Skating in the Omaha Area!

Snowshoeing & Skiing

There are many trails to hike or snowshoe. Honey Creek, IA has Mt. Crescent Ski Area! It’s just across the river.

Sledding

There are wonderful hills everywhere to sled on. And, Mahoney State Park has a big one for tubing! The park also has an ice skating rink, indoor activity play area, and Venture Climb.

Museums

Choose from a variety of museums in the area where kids can play, discover, create, learn, and more!

Indoor Mini Golf

Experience one or all of the unique indoor mini golf courses in Omaha that have a variety of themes.

Indoor Playgrounds and Activities

Discover many Indoor Play Centers in the Omaha Area with Trampolines, Bounce Houses, Warrior Obstacle Courses, Open Gym Time, Indoor Pools, and more!

DISCOVER MORE FUN HERE: FAMILYFUNINOMAHA.COM/THINGS-TO-DO-IN-OMAHA-IN-WINTER/ Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

9

JOIN US IN

3 You’re invited to experience a multitude of festive delights!

MAJESTIC 20-FOOT TALL POINSETTIA TREE MODEL GARDEN TRAINS • INDOOR LIGHT DISPLAYS S’MORES AT THE FIRE PITS • FUN FAMILY CHILL ZONE

Dec 31st

18 CLOSED

THANKSGIVING | CHRISTMAS DAY

FESTIVE FUN FOR EVERYONE!

For more details, visit: 100 BANCROFT STREET, OMAHA

Join us for

Open in the Evenings, 5 to 8 p.m .

NOVEMBER 18-19, 22, 24-26 DECEMBER 1-3, 8-23, 26-30

AN ILLUMINATED SPECTACLE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! TIMED TICKETS REQUIRED

FAMILY FUN TIPS

FAMILY GAME NIGHTS Winter is the best time for family game nights. We find that family game nights offer a wonderful and fun bonding activity for our family, and are a great way to spend time at home. Game nights help us turn off our devices and disconnect from the outside world to enjoy each other's company. We love to put on our comfy clothes, grab hot chocolate, snacks, and play some games.

At times it can be a challenge to find games that work for the whole family. Here are tips that work well for us. We hope these help you have a fun and successful game night with your family.

cont. on 12

Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

11

FAMILY FUN TIPS OUR GAME NIGHT TIPS Here are some of our tips we hope will help your family game night be a success: ahead, find the best day and time for your family to have a 1 Plan game night. Decide on a night without sports and homework and all the other alternate activities. Set these expectations with the kids ahead of time so friends coming to the door don’t distract them from the evening plans.

the kids help pick the games! But, sometimes our kids pick 2 Let the same games over and over again and we like to change it up.

In those situations we will pull out a stack and let the kids each pick 1 or 2 games to play from the ones we pulled out.

some snacks that are easy to eat and not messy so you 3 Grab can munch while you play. Our personal favorite is popcorn with our favorite garnishing.

where to play. We have added a table to our playroom 4 Decide that is perfect to sit around as a family, but until we had that the Kitchen table was our perfect place.

always review the family rules, game rules, and sometimes 5 We make adjustments to the game for our younger kids. It’s a good idea for adults to refresh themselves with game rules prior to sitting down to play. This saves time and helps patience levels.

Here are some things we always remind the kids:

Be Kind. It is just a game so try to have fun and be respectful so that people will want to play again.

No Cheating. Play with integrity. It isn’t fun to play when people aren’t playing fair.

Be a good sport. This means being grateful and aware we’re playing with others. Respect is a big part of this.

Enjoy the night. Talk, laugh, and have fun together.

12 Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

FAMILY FUN TIPS FAMILY GAME NIGHT GIFT IDEAS SHOPPING GUIDE

Great Games For Littles

Monkey Around is an award winning game that gets young kids engaged and moving.

Seek-a-Boo is great for kids as young as 18 months. It helps with memory vocabulary.

Cooperative Games for the Whole Family

These games allow everyone to work together toward a common goal. They are great games to get the younger kids involved in family game night.

Competitive Games for the Whole Family

These games get everyone competing in fun ways but are easy enough for a wide rage of age groups.

cont. on 14 Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com 13

FAMILY FUN TIPS FAMILY GAME NIGHT GIFT IDEAS SHOPPING GUIDE

Early Readers Strategy Games

Board Games with More Reading and Strategy

14 Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

FUN RECIPES

Ornament Cookies Prep time: 25 minutes plus 1 hour to decorate Cook time: 20 minutes Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Get Creative with Delicious, Decorative Cookies

A decadent holiday meal isn’t complete without a sweet dessert to cap off the evening. When in doubt, go with a traditional treat that’s perfect for sharing: Cookies!

These Ornament Cookies can be shaped any way you like to celebrate the holidays. The royal icing adorning these festive favorites is made with powdered sugar and meringue powder; just use food coloring to add a personal touch.

For more than 120 years, Domino Sugar has helped millions bake special recipes like these cookies made with non-GMO, vegan, kosher and gluten-free Golden Sugar that’s free flowing and easy to scoop, spoon and pour. The sugar retains a hint of molasses flavor, giving it a golden color and providing a perfect way to add less processed sweetness to your loved ones’ favorite desserts.

Find holiday recipes, baking tips and more at dominosugar.com.

Cookies: 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup Domino Golden Sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 large egg 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt cont. on 17

16

Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

FUN RECIPES Royal Icing: 4 cups Domino Powdered Sugar 3 tablespoons meringue powder 1/3 cup, plus 2-3 tablespoons, warm water, divided desired food coloring

To prepare cookies: In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; beat until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl as needed. Add flour and salt; beat until just combined.

Dump mixture onto lightly floured surface and divide in half. Shape each half into disks and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Working on lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/2-inch thick. Cut cookies using ornament-shaped cookie cutter. Place cookies on prepared pans and bake 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature.

To make royal icing: In large mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder and 1/3 cup water. Beat on low speed until combined.

Increase speed to medium-high and beat 8-10 minutes, adding 2-3 tablespoons warm water, as necessary. Icing should be stiff enough to hold peak when tested.

Color royal icing with food coloring and decorate cookies.

Recipe provided by Family Features Photo courtesy of Getty Images (ham)

Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

17

VISIT

https://familyfuninomaha.com/kids-classes-and-programs-in-omaha/

WINTER BUCKET LIST

Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

19

AMAZING CHRISTMAS LIGHT DISPLAYS GUIDE

Looking for Amazing Christmas Light Displays in the Omaha Area?

Find the best Christmas Lights in Omaha full of beautifully decorated houses with bright lights, inflatables, decorations, and some with thousands of lights choreographed to music!

Fill up on some hot cocoa, grab a warm blanket, and drive around looking at the Christmas lights with our Interactive Map!

Want to submit your house for consideration? Click on the link below and send us your info with some photos!

FIND THE AMAZING CHRISTMAS LIGHTS + MAP HERE! FAMILYFUNINOMAHA.COM/CHRISTMAS-LIGHT-DISPLAYS-OMAHA/

20 Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SCAVENGER HUNT FamilyFuninOmaha.com

Large inflatable Snowman Giant wreath on house A yard with 5+ inflatables Light projection on garage or windows 3 Gifts Together Ornaments hanging from a tree 2 Reindeer Christmas Lights set to Radio Station Santa's sleigh or workshop Decorations on roof 3 Houses in a row with lights Large Icicles Huge decorated tree Add your own: ____________________________ ____________________________ Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

21

ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

ANSWERS FOUND ON PAGE 25

22 Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

ANSWERS FOUND ON PAGE 25

Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

23

50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000 ADVERTIS E WI T H US !

Want to get word about your business or community event out to over 50,000 readers in the Omaha area? Reach out to us at familyfuninomaha.com for information about advertising through our magazine, website, email newsletter and social media and images of the past magazines or social media pages.

familyfuninomaha.com 24 Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com

0 0 0 0 0

ANSWER KEYS

M I C A R O L S G R I N C H K U O D O S S C R O O G E K L A S H I R E I N D E E R P L H T J E S U S I S A I S S T O C K I N G S H M A P R E S E N T S T A R

Winter 2023-2024 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com 25

FIND MANY MORE IDEAS OF THINGS TO DO THIS WINTER HERE: FAMILYFUNINOMAHA.COM

Fall 2023 | FamilyFuninOmaha.com 33