With winter break nearing close and the holiday season in full swing, what will you do in your free time? Check out a list of fun but affordable activities to do this holiday season here in the Quad Cities.
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Ice Skating → Always a fun winter activity, ice skating in the Quad Cities can also be very cheap. Admission to the Frozen Landing, the outdoor rink next to Splash Landing, is only $1.00, with skate rentals available for $2.00.
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Botanical Center Christmas Lights → The Quad City Botanical Center in Rock Island decorates their outdoor gardens with 100,000 Christmas lights during their event, “Winter Nights Winter Lights.” Admission is $8.00, and the event is open December 18-22, 24, 26-29, and 31.
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Christmas Movies → Forever a staple of the Christmas season, Christmas movies are much more accessible now as a result of the rise of streaming services. Hulu, Netflix, Disney+, and all other current streaming services carry multitudes of Christmas movies, along with the constant stream of them on the Hallmark Channel.
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Holiday Baking → There are many cheaper and quicker alternatives to made-from-scratch holiday cookies. Pillsbury’s christmas tree, elf, and snowmen cookies are all less than 5 dollars and can be ready in less than 10 minutes.
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Vander Veer Christmas Lights → Vander Veer Park in Davenport puts up a light display in its botanical conservatory as well as around the entire park. The conservatory is open 10 to 4 through January 10th, and is open through 7 pm on December 21. The outdoor lights around the park are accessible at any time.
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Holiday Volunteering → While all these other activities can be fun, the holiday season is also a great time to give back and volunteer. Soup kitchens across the Quad Cities are looking for volunteers, and Toys for Tots is accepting toy donations through December 20th, among many other volunteer opportunities. (Toys for Tots has donation centers at many local grocery stores.)
