Christmas in St. Louis

THROUGHOUT THE YEARS I've spent Christmas and the surrounding holidays in various locations - but never in St. Louis. However, this year my wife and I have plans to be in the Gateway City where our son will be hosting our family's gathering and Christmas celebration. To say that we are excited would be an understatement!

During the many times our family has enjoyed the Christmas holidays in places other than our home town, we found experiences which were delightful, unique, and very special. It was true when we were in the small Texas town of Bandera, New Orleans, Paris, and all the other wonderful places. For that reason, I can highly recommend a "destination Christmas" to anyone who would consider the idea! And this year, may I suggest Missouri's largest city on it's eastern border.

St. Louis, it seems, has a lot to offer at Christmastime. There's plenty to do, many places to go, and a lot to see.

Regarding Christmas shopping, in the city or nearby areas, the St. Louis region offers numerous options. Among them there are several that stand out: The Galleria, Chesterfield Mall, the Premium Outlets, the Taubman Prestige Outlets, the Mid Rivers Mall, and hundreds of mom and pop boutiques scattered throughout various neighborhoods.

The Gateway Arch and museum is open throughout the holiday season. From the top of the Arch, visitors can see miles and miles of the Missouri and Illinois landscape.

Sports fans can enjoy NHL hockey in December in St. Louis. The Blues play home games at the Scottrade Center downtown. Also, the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League play a couple of home games in December at the Edward Jones Dome.

For the enjoyment of seeing Christmas lights, the Missouri Botanical Garden offers its "Garden Glow" throughout December. The event lasts until January 3. In addition, the Garden provides a view of a Victorian Christmas at its Tower Grove House.

Live performances abound in the area during the Christmas season in both large and small venues. Included on the list is the fabulous historic Fox Theatre, and Powell Hall, home of the St. Louis Symphony. Both are located on North Grand Boulevard. An example of a more intimate performance venue is the recently renovated Jazz St. Louis. It's located on Washington Avenue, but still in the Grand Center area of the city.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis is a beautiful and interesting place to visit. It has one of the largest collections of mosaics in the western hemisphere. Regular times for mass and special musical performances are planned during the Christmas season. Tours are also available. It is located in the heart of the city at 4431 Lindell Boulevard.

When it comes to eating out, St. Louis and its suburbs have numerous cafes, restaurants, and fine dining establishments from which to choose. Among them are the following (in random order): Sydney's, The Crossing, Eleven-Eleven, the London Tearoom, Bixby's, Panorama, Nathalie's, Cielo's at the Four Seasons, Herbie's, Bevo Mill, Smoking Barrel's BBQ, the Atlas, Pi Pizzeria, Mary Ann's Tea Room, Gringo's, Crown Candy Kitchen, the Chocolate Bar, Winslow's Home, and the world famous Tony's.  

All of these fun-filled opportunities mentioned above will be available to anyone and everyone who happens to be in the St. Louis area this Christmas season.

For our family, this Christmas will provide time to be together and with friends. No doubt we will relish being around the fireplace, the piano, and the Christmas tree! But also, it will be a reflective time of remembering past family Christmases. We will think about parents, grandparents, other relatives, and friends. And, it will be a joyous time as everyone opens colorfully wrapped packages on Christmas eve and again - one additional gift - on Christmas morning.

Most importantly, it will be a special time for Christians everywhere to ponder the very first Christmas. It occurred over 2000 years ago in Bethlehem with a baby in a manger - and, they called him Jesus! 

May the joys of this Christmas season be yours, and may the year ahead be filled with health, happiness, prosperity, and peace.