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Wander Minnesota: Holiday Happenings (Nov. 28 - Dec. 4)

The month of December is an exceptionally busy one for this festival-fond state. To try and get as much coverage as possible without creating a blog post that's a mile long, I'm going to report weekly this month.

This first installment will include events through Sunday, Dec. 4. Events are listed chronologically.

Check back next Monday for the following week.

St. Paul
A Victorian Christmas at the Ramsey House
Nov. 30 - Dec. 4
The beautiful Alexander Ramsey House will be decorated to the hilt in period decorations. There just might be cookies coming out of the wood-fired stove as well. Reservations recommended.

Hill House Holidays
Dec. 3 - 4
Costumed actors portray servants at the lavish James J. Hill House, giving living history tours. Reservations strongly recommended.

Grand Meander
Dec. 3
Kick off the holiday shopping and noshing with a stroll down Grand Avenue's 30-some blocks of independent (mostly) retailers and restaurants.

 

Minneapolis
Holidazzle
Dec. 1 - 4
Holidazzle is a holiday village, this year at Loring Park, complete with food, live music and a holiday carousel. Metro Transit is offering free rides to the village on Saturday if you fill out this short survey.

No Coast Craft-o-Rama
Dec. 2 - 3
Independent crafters make the most of the wonderful Midtown Global Market to display and sell their wares. You'll find fun items here that are often unlike most of what you'd see at other craft shows.

 

Northfield
St. Olaf Christmas Festival
Dec. 1 - 4
Tickets may be scarce at this point, but this year St. Olaf offers the option to purchase a live stream of the Sunday afternoon performance.

Caledonia
Winter Wonderland
Dec. 2 - 3
A Winter Wonderland parade and hot air balloons. A novel and lovely way to kick off the holiday season.

Owatonna
Christmas in the Village
Dec. 2 - 3
Stop by the Steele County Historical Society and enjoy horse-drawn sleigh rides, a lavish cookie sale, true wassail and visit Santa. On Saturday, tour highly decorated historic homes.

Le Sueur
W.W. Mayo House Afternoon Christmas Tour
Dec. 3
Tour the tiny home once inhabited by one of the founders of the Mayo Clinic, and enjoy cookies, cider and a kids' craft table.

Wabasha
Old-Fashioned Christmas
Dec. 3
Christmas caroling, cookie walks, artists' studio tours, horse-drawn wagon rides, Santa and cookie decorating, all in one of the lovely river towns of southeast Minnesota.

Biwabik
Weihnachtsfest
Dec. 3
Horse-drawn trolley rides, ethnic foods and Christmas carols all reflect the town's ethnic heritage.

Duluth
Bentleyville Tour of Lights
Nov. 19 – Dec. 26
Bentleyville featured 20 acres of more than 4 million holiday lights.

A Glensheen Christmas
Dec. 2 - 4
The historic mansion will be fully decked out in Christmas regalia. Plus: hot cocoa and cookies, and the chance to get a photo on a Portland Cutter sleigh.

Annandale
Village Christmas
Dec. 3
Visit the Big Woods Building at Pioneer Park and tour the many historic buildings (log cabin, sod shanty, Finnish church). Enjoy live music, shopping, and corn bread and stew.

Grand Rapids
Christmas in the Logging Camp Family Day
Dec. 3
Dress warmly—you'll be walking outdoors at the Forest History Center. Observe lumberjacks in action and horses pulling carriages before visiting the cook's shack to see how lumberjacks celebrated decades ago. Also, photos with Santa.

Lanesboro
Lanesboro Christmas Inn Tour
Dec. 4
Visit the town described as the Bed and Breakfast Capital for a unique holiday tour. Eight of the town's historic B&Bs will be decorated for Christmas, with visitors getting special tours. Advance reservations strongly recommended.

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What else is happening in our state? Be sure to check out the 10 p.m. Sunday night WCCO newscasts, where you can learn more in the weekly segment, Finding Minnesota.

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