Time to celebrate

There are so many ways to get into the Christmas spirit in the Cape Girardeau area, including holiday concerts, parades, tours of historic homes and a downtown open house. If you're looking for something to do to celebrate, you won't have to look far.

More than a dozen Christmas concerts are scheduled in Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Ill., and Paducah, Ky., with at least three to choose from tonight. The Heartland Pops Orchestra and Chorus will be performing at Cape First Church in Cape Girardeau. The Celebrate Christmas with Mike and Robyn featuring Mike Dumey and Robyn Hosp is tonight at Deerfield Lodge in Cape Girardeau. And the Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra Sing-Along "Messiah" is tonight at Shyrock Auditorium in Carbondale. Wynona Judd, the Moscow Ballet and Irish singer Eileen Ivers are just a few of the other performers coming to local venues in coming weeks.

Tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. is the Christmas in Old Town Cape open house. Businesses will be welcoming customers, carolers will be singing and carriage rides will be available during this popular event.

Tours of historic homes decorated for the holidays are planned at the Glenn House in Cape Girardeau, the Oliver House in Jackson and both the Riverlore and Magnolia Manor mansions in Cairo, Ill. All of these events will give visitors a glimpse at the way Christmas was celebrated a century or more ago.

Cape Girardeau's Parade of Lights, postponed by rain last week, is scheduled to begin at dusk Sunday. Scott City's Christmas parade, originally slated for Sunday, has been moved to Dec. 9 to avoid a conflict with the Cape Girardeau parade. Other parades are planned in towns throughout the area.

The spirit of Christmas is all around us, and there are all these ways to participate. Pick the ones you like and enjoy this special season to the fullest.