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If touring historical houses dressed for the holidays makes your spirit bright, there are two nice options in the area, one on each side of the Missouri River.
The Historic General Dodge House in Council Bluffs, decked out in Victorian Christmas charm, will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Regular admission is $7 for adults, $5 for senior citizens 62 and older, $3 for students ages 6 to 16 and free for those younger than 6.
For information on other viewing times, go to www.dodgehouse.org.
The Dodge House is at 605 Third St. in Council Bluffs.
Ten Christmas trees and decorations from 1879 will be on display at the General Crook House, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Hours are 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. today and Sunday. The Crook House is located at the Fort Omaha Metropolitan Community College Campus, 30th and Fort Streets.
Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for students and $3 for children ages 6 through 11. Children younger than 6 are admitted free.
For other viewing times, go to: www.omahahistory.org.
The Mormon Trail Center, 3215 State St. in Omaha, and the Kanesville Tabernacle, 222 E. Broadway in Council Bluffs, will have their gingerbread displays up through Friday.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily in Omaha; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily in Council Bluffs.
Admission is free.
Festivities continue through the the end of the year at the Holiday Lights Festival.
The culmination of the festival, which began Thanksgiving night, will be the First National Bank fireworks show at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The official viewing site is the Gene Leahy Mall. Tune radios to 104.5 FM during the show because the fireworks will be choreographed to the station's music.
Until then, don't forget ice skating at the ConAgra Foods Ice Rink at 10th and Harney Streets.
Skating will be available from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. today through Wednesday. New Year's Eve hours will be 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Skating is $5, which includes skate rental.
The annual poinsettia show continues through Jan. 10 at Lauritzen Gardens. The exhibit includes a 20-foot-tall poinsettia tree, decorated trees, antique sleighs and several passenger and freight model trains.
Model trains are the stars of this year's show. They travel around on more than 300 feet of track through the floral display and around dozens of miniature Omaha landmark structures.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at the gardens, First and Bancroft Streets.
Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for children ages 6 through 12, free for members. The gardens will be closed New Year's Day. Information: www.omahabotanicalgardens.org/.
Model trains are on display at the Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and Tuesday through Jan. 2 (with the exception of New Year's Day, when the museum is closed)in the former city library building at 200 Pearl St.
The Omaha N Track Club has its miniature “N” gauge modular layout operating, as does Omaha Modular Trains with its large “O” gauge electric trains. Admission is free.
First Night of Play, a family friendly New Year's Eve celebration, will be from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Omaha Children's Museum, 500 S. 20th St.
This year's glow-themed event will feature a dance party, games, balloon artists, face painters, special glowing science shows, glowing firefly craft, pizza dinner and more. At 8 p.m. there will be a countdown ending in a Bubble Wrap Stomp, in which each guest gets to pop his or her own section of bubble wrap.
Tickets are $8 for members, $12 for nonmembers, and can be purchased at www.OCM.org or at the museum.
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