Kansas City Holiday Guide 2021: How to spend the holidays in KC
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And in Kansas City, that time is made even more wonderful with the beautiful weather, scenic views and ample amount of things to do in our area.
We asked our team of amazing, thoughtful and all around awesome women to share their favorite things to do, places to shop and ways to give back during the holidays in Kansas City and this is what we came up with!
What to do
Winter Magic Christmas lights at Swope Park
This drive-thru light experience is a great way to stay safe and warm this holiday season! Grab your favorites and hop in the vehicle for a fun and magical experience at Swope Park. Best part? Winter Magic is an official fundraiser for Children’s Mercy Hospital.
Luminary Walk at the Overland Park Arboretum
If you prefer to get out and walk around to see the beautiful views, head to the Overland Park Arboretum! Take a stroll along the lit pathways to experience the magical Gnome and Fairy Villages, serene winter woods by candlelight, and the colorful Children's Garden. There will also be music, Santa and more.
Christmas Fondue Party
“One thing our family does every year is a Christmas eve Fondue Party (sometimes we just pretend it’s Christmas eve). We have Cheese fondue, then chocolate fondue and then open Poppers and read the jokes and wear silly hats :)” - Pam, Hayley’s mom and our PR lead.
Christmas Karaoke party at OffKey
If your friends and family are a bit more adventurous, a Christmas Karaoke party is the way to go. OffKey has private karaoke rooms where you can all enjoy time together, making fun or (or appreciating the secret talents of!) your friends and family. We highly recommend Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” It’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Actually, we had our team holiday party last year here!
“Picking out a Christmas tree and sipping hot chocolate at Osage Farm” - Lauren, our email marketing maven.
Running or walking in the Santa Dash 5k
While this one might not be for all families, some might get enjoyment out of the festive 5k in historic Westport! During this event, the streets are filled with holiday cheer as hundreds of Santas run through the streets of Kansas City. Even if you don’t want to participate, it’s still fun to see in action.
Where to eat/drink
Rieger & Co. was the largest mail-order whiskey house in the United States prior to the onset of federal prohibition in 1920. Today, it’s a delicious and unique eating and drinking experience in Kansas City. Make sure to check out the new Electric Park Bar!
At Home!
“Cooking our Christmas Eve lasagna together” - Michaela, our social media queen.
For comfort food at its finest, head to our neighbor Fox and Pearl. They have a killer pot pie right now that is sure to fill you up with holiday spirit.
Featuring over-the-top décor, holiday-inspired cocktails and the nostalgic energy of the best office party you’ve ever been to, Miracle is the place to drink this holiday season. It has three locations this season: Plaza, Power and Light and Town Center, so every neighborhood can get a taste! The Conductor Club in Kansas City's Union Station is another themed pop-up bar that switches theme every season, and this season is holiday of course!
While it’s a chain, it is one of the best places to see the Plaza Lights. Whether you go for a drink or dinner, head up to the rooftop to see all the beauty that the famous Plaza district has to offer during this season.
Where to shop (local!)
Looking to spend an afternoon finding the perfect gift for a loved one? Head to Brookside! Some of our favorite local shops there include: Jorgy (lifestyle and home accents), Brookside Toy (kids toy store), and SKiN KC (beauty products).
“I love to shop at Made in KC or local pop-up shops to buy gifts for everyone in one place” - Shannon
Gift the gift of an experience
“I love to buy family and friends experiences like a Reiki session with Lauren Gonzales, classes at Barre3 KC, cooking class at Billie's Grocery, or a cryotherapy session at Restore!” — Jen, our wellness warrior.
How to give back
Adopt a family through Operation Breakthrough
“Our work adopted a family through Operation Breakthrough and it was such a great way to bring all of us together in a way that made a real difference to someone. It was a much more fun way to spend our money than on ourselves or each other!” —Taylor, our blogging babe.
Christmas at the Crossroads event
The men’s and women’s Shelter KC Communities both host Christmas Eve and Christmas Day brunches/lunches and need volunteers to help serve. If your family is looking for something to do on one of those days, this is a great way to give back to your community.
We all have too much stuff. Consider collecting gifts to donate to Children’s Mercy this holiday season instead of giving more to one another. They have an Amazon Wish List that makes it extra simple!
Volunteer at Johnson County Holiday Shop
The Johnson County Holiday Shop provides neighbors an opportunity to help neighbors. The Holiday Shop helps fulfill its mission of providing warmth and support to low-income neighbors, allowing pre-qualified clients to shop by appointment. Volunteer shifts include greeter, bagger, loader and more.
Spread the holiday cheer in one of these ways this year! Make sure to tag us on social media with your own favorite ways to celebrate the holidays in Kansas City.