Christmas Trees and Veterans Unite!

Five spots to celebrate Veterans and Christmas all in one.

Early November marks the celebration of two of Branson’s most cherished traditions. The town that honors veterans in stellar fashion, also begins its Christmas festivities the first week of November. It’s an unusual combination, but Veteran’s week and the Christmas season collaborate beautifully at five different locations throughout the area this year.

New for 2019, the City of Branson has located 16 new Christmas trees on the northwest side of the Branson Landing roundabout. From November 1 through Veterans Day, November 11, seven red, white and blue trees will be lit in honor of veterans. Then through the end of December, all 16 trees will glow in five different colors to celebrate the holiday season. From 4 to 8 feet tall, these trees will present a 3D, synchronized show with more than 7,000 lights.

At Westgate Branson Woods Resort, a single, 29 foot live evergreen was provided by a military family and planted by the resort entrance to honor veterans. Westgate adds 3,000 feet of dazzling lights to the tree at Christmas for all those serving our country who can’t be home for the holidays.

Photos, pins, patches and other memorabilia are featured on the Brett Family Christmas "I Am A Veteran Honor Tree" at Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theatre. The famliy calls it their small token of appreciation for the immeasurable service and sacrifice of the US military and their families since the founding of our country.

From the Branson Hills interchange at Highway 65, folks get a glimpse of three, 38' naturally growing evergreens near Oak Bluff Drive that are lit in red, white and blue in tribute to Christmas as well as our area's patriotic spirit and profound respect for our country's veterans.

At the entrance to Branson’s Entertainment District at 1107 West Main Street, Veterans Memorial Garden honors our war heroes every day of the year. In November and December, a 26 foot tall, giant artificial evergreen covered in blue, gold and silver stars calls the Garden home for the holidays. Of course the stars are a tribute to military families who currently have loved ones in active-duty (blue) or have had a soldier killed in action (gold) or wounded in action (silver).

All of these Christmas tree displays and hundreds more throughout the community are being inspired, encouraged, supported and promoted by the Branson Christmas Coalition. The Coalition is a nonprofit organization made up of local businesses who are dedicated to growing and enhancing the holiday season in our market. The effort to become “America’s Christmas Tree City” provides a clear focus and the opportunity for widespread participation in a central theme designed to bring more visitors to the area in November and December. More than 700 documented Christmas trees and an estimated $20+ million economic impact last year indicates that this effort is working.

Holiday celebrations do overlap a bit in Branson sometimes, but when we’re celebrating Veterans and the Christmas season, the more we celebrate the more wonderful the celebration.