By Betsy Baertlein
News Editor
There is no longer reason to gripe that there is “nothing to do in Winona.” This list of five holiday-themed date ideas is sure to get you and your significant other through the winter months. Even if you are not seeing anyone right now, these dates can be enjoyed just as much with a group of friends. With a little creativity, the possibilities are endless. If you try one of these dates or have other ideas, share your experiences on the Cardinal blog at cardinal-smumn.blogspot.com.
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Group Date: Compile a list of about 50 holiday-themed items you might see around Winona. Examples: a giant inflatable Santa Claus, a snowball fight, kids sledding, an elderly lady eating a candy cane or a bearded man ringing a Salvation Army bell. Give couples two hours to go around town and photograph as many of the things as they can. After the two hours are up, get together and see which couple found the most from the list. You could even go all out and have everyone contribute a prize (example: Christmas cookies) for the winning couple.
On-Campus Date: If we have snow, get two pairs of cross country skis from Brother John Grover, information technology manager, at the Environmental Awareness Center. Try out some of the trails in the bluffs, which range from beginner to expert in difficulty. If skiing is decidedly not your thing, a walk in the bluffs after a newly fallen snow will suffice. After you are both white from head-to-toe, go to the Pub and get hot chocolate with your flex dollars. Then, to top off a perfect date, find a friend who lives in Gilmore to build you a fire in the lounge’s fireplace and snuggle up.
Formal Date: Make it a black-tie dress-up night, perhaps adding a splash of red and green for festivity’s sake. If you cannot find a restaurant in Winona that has tablecloths on the tables within your budget range, bring your own tablecloth to one of the old standbys (Jefferson’s, Bub’s, Betty Jo’s, for example). After dinner, go to The Nutcracker at the Page Theater, which stages Dec. 3-7.
A Date for the Kid in You: Go to LARK Toys in Kellogg, Minn., twenty minutes north of Winona on Hwy. 61. Here you can ride a carousel with hand-carved animals, including an otter, a goldfish, a deer and an ostrich, for just one dollar. While you are there, take a look at their nostalgic toy collections and remember Christmases gone by. Also take time to play with the unique toys in their expansive toy stores. Do not forget to get a few free samples of their homemade fudge.
Brilliant Date: Go to the Rotary Holiday Lights display in Lacrosse, Wisc., where you will be enlightened by over two million lights that illuminate animated displays. Here you will be able to take a carriage ride (or a hayride for the country-folk) and see a Santa village with live reindeer and a live Nativity scene on weekends. This display runs from Nov. 28-Dec. 31.
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