Many people stick to the same holiday traditions year after year, but in St. Louis, there is always something new to do. The St. Louis area is home to many undiscovered treasures.

The Nutcracker: Gen Horiuchi’s version of the play differs from traditional renditions. The play takes place at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. The play incorporates special effects such as glitter, smoke and pyrotechnics to add variety to the classic play. New choreography is also put together each year. The dates of the show this year are not yet determined but usually fall toward the end of December.

Mistletoe Show: The Mistletoe Show is an annual holiday concert hosted by local radio station, 98.1, in St. Charles at the Family Arena. Performing artists include Oar, Colbie Caillat, The Fray and Wrabel. Tickets start at $30, and the festival will be held Dec. 17 at 7:00 p.m.  

Chanukah: Festival of Lights: The Missouri Botanical Garden hosts an annual Hanukkah celebration. Festivities include live Israeli music, dancing and a menorah lighting. Admission to the festival is included with entry to the garden. There is also Chanukah merchandise for sale provided by local vendors. (Note: There are multiple ways of spelling the holiday, so I went with the spelling used by the Botanical Gardens).

Winter Wonder Walk: Tilles Park in Ladue on 9551 Litzsinger Rd. holds an annual Winter Wonder Walk through their display of over a million lights before it opens to the public for free. Guests can bring pets on leashes, strollers or wagons. There is also the option to drive through the light display or take a carriage ride. There are a variety of food trucks at the park during this event.

Kirkwood Ice Rink open skate: The Kirkwood Ice Rink is open for public skating year-round but is a perfect winter activity. Conveniently located in the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S Geyer Rd., Kirkwood Ice Rink charges $4 admission for Kirkwood residents with an ID and $5 admission for non-residents. Public skate sessions take place every Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.