English Breakfast

In addition to Thanksgiving meals, there are special activities to kick off the holiday season at two of the area's full-service resorts. The Lodge of Four Seasons offers carriage rides through the resort to enjoy the festive holiday decorations. The carriage rides are available Nov. 27th–29th, December 5th & 6th and December 12th & 13th. Breakfast with Santa on December 6th and 13th is another holiday treat at The Lodge. Learn more at www.4seasonsresort.com. Thanksgiving Day at Tan-Tar-A Resort will feature a Tailgate Party and a bonfire and sing-along before the lighting of the resort's Christmas decorations. And if you're feeling over-stuffed from your Thanksgiving feast, get out to burn some calories in Tan-Tar-A's Turkey Trot 5K on November 28th. For more on Tan-Tar-A's festivities, visit www.Tan-Tar-A.com.

Visitors can enjoy holiday lights throughout the Lake of the Ozarks area at several drive-through parks featuring lighting displays that encompass thousands of brightly burning bulbs.

From November 17th to January 1st, the City of Laurie presents the Enchanted Village of Lights at the Laurie Fairgrounds. The Fairgrounds' 27 acres will be filled with displays, from small ones to towering displays over 30 feet high. Six new displays will be added this year and LED lights make them shine even brighter than ever. The smiles on the faces of the visitors shine the brightest, however, as they enjoy this holiday tradition. "Even a Scrooge smiles when he comes here, " says Laurie's Events and Parks Coordinator Susann Huff. The Enchanted Village of Lights opens each day at 5:00 pm. The park will stay open until at least 9:00 pm on weekdays and 10:00 pm on weekends. There is no charge to drive through the village, but any donations will be put to use in refurbishing and preserving the displays for the future. More information about the event, including exact hours of operation, can be found at in Laurie, and opening Thanksgiving Day, The Festival of Lights at the Shrine of St. Patrick on Hwy. 5 is the oldest light park in the area. Started in 1981, the festival has continued to grow each year, with thousands of lights decorating the buildings and grounds. The site is also the home of the National Shrine of Mary, Mother of the Church, so this display focuses on Jesus and His mother, Mary. The St. Patrick Festival of Lights will be open daily from 6:00–10:00 pm from Thanksgiving through January 1st. There is no charge for the beautiful light display; it's simply a gift to the community. Learn more at .Lights shine brightly in the City of Versailles, as well, with the city park aglow for the Unity Circle of Lights. Beginning November 26th and continuing through January 1st, the holiday light park will feature approximately 40 glowing and animated holiday scenes. The light park is named for the "Unity Circle, " a monument at the park entrance that shows cooperation among community members. For more information, visit the website at