GERING – Christmas is coming! What better way to start preparations than the way our ancestors did in the 19th century?

“Christmas on the Prairie” is a FREE holiday event happening in the Scotts Bluff National Monument Visitor Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 7, 2024. Throughout the event, participants will have an opportunity to make a variety of holiday ornaments including popcorn strings, paper lanterns and stars, dough ornaments to paint, as well as covered wagons and bird ornaments. Refreshments will be provided by Black Hills Parks and Forests Association, the official non-profit partner of Scotts Bluff National Monument. 

In addition to the ornament-making activities, join the Nebraska Environmental Educators with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, at 10 a.m. for Family Nature Club: Frosty Friends. This hour-long program will highlight some of our local wild critters’ adaptations for surviving winter through hands-on explorations of biofacts (skulls & furs), and a fun activity.

Our partners at Legacy of the Plains Museum will also be offering “High Plains Christmas” to give participants an opportunity to enjoy some outdoor and indoor fun from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ride on a hay rack, write a letter to Santa to send via Pony Express, enjoy live music, and purchase their delicious soups and hot chocolate.  High Plains Christmas also kicks off the “Trees Along the Trail Contest”.  

Further information about Scotts Bluff National Monument programs and schedules is available at the visitor center, by calling 308-436-9700 or by visiting our website at http://www.nps.gov/scbl/index.htm or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/scottsbluffnps.