Plaza Lights

Giant screen we were watching! It's David Cook!

For 79 years Kansas City has had the wonderful tradition of the Plaza Lighting Ceremony every Thanksgiving. The Plaza Lights are the oldest continuous lighting ceremony in the U.S. They set up a big stage and have some entertainment until it's time for the big lighting. Typically the crowd numbers near 300,000 every year. We were a block away from the stage, but had a big screen to watch so we didn't miss a thing on stage!

Each year a celebrity is invited to flip the switch. This year it was David Cook -American Idol winner and native Kansas Citian. They always choose a child from the audience to help them, so David chose his niece. She was about 9 years old and very cute. They asked her to say something nice about her Uncle and she couldn't think of a thing. Then David whispered what to say in her ear and she just giggled. Afterwards, Jaimie and Becka (cousin) got his autograph - on Becka's coat!!!

And for those who remember Santa's Workshop - it is still there! We stopped by the house after we left the Plaza. He's added some new displays, but some of the original stuff is still there. This guy has been decorating his house forever. This was a regular stopping off point every year when we were kids.

Apparently it is still popular. There were lots of people and even a bus there. The homeowner was out front talking to everyone. The garage is original (Santa's Workshop) along with the roof display, but a lot of the stuff is newer, like the talking tree. Santa coming out of the window is an old one, too. I remember seeing that when I was a kid. The owner said that he just leaves Santa's Workshop up in the garage all year round, but the rest he takes down and puts it back up every year. He has to start in the summer. Even inside his house there are Christmas dolls and stuff everywhere!