It was indeed Christmas around the world as we learned from our visit to Omaha, Nebraska, this past week.

Touching on many ethnic venues and destinations jump started our holiday to the fullest.

Although our first stop at the Outlook Nebraska Inc. took exception to that as we began our three-day visit. ONI is the premier provider of choice for the blind and visually impaired, helping  them to lead productive and independent lives. Seventy percent of their workers bring their guide dogs as they take to the task of producing over 7 billion feet of toilet tissue yearly  which is supplied in part to our soldiers.

Our first evening set the tone for our Christmas Holiday Tour with the performance of “A Christmas Carol.”  This is the 40th year in hosting this production in the professional Omaha Community Theater. With a cast of more than 70, it is a fantastic show, which included great music and settings. A complimentary loaf of bread was our gift following the show.

We made a visit to Omaha’s Union Station, which closed to passenger traffic in 1971 and reopened in the late 1990s and is now returned to original grandeur, housing and hosting many events. One of the exhibits included Christmas trees decorated with themes of many nationalities. Trains that passed through are now housed there along with many artifacts.

A live, decorated Christmas tree reaching 41 feet is an annual tradition.

Jagerschnitzel was on the noon lunch menu as we experienced the German-American Society, Inc.

An all-male group entertained us with many German and Christmas songs. The spirit of Christmas was ours as we passed through their large lodge decorated for their upcoming events.

At a little corner of France in West Omaha, in the Le Voltaire restaurant, the young chef made us special French desserts and shared his life in France before coming to Omaha. He has added a fine bakery featuring many of his French and American rolls, and breads.

We also enjoyed special rolls, bars, kolaches, torts, and  candies that was made by a Lithuanian couple, that we would enjoy more often if possible.

We then made our way to a Scandinavian shop for some browse time. Dressed in Scandinavian attire the store was filled with many things our group could relate to. The store was delighted with the Minnesota Scandinavians who came to visit.

At a social hour at our lodging we enjoyed a gifted young man who could play many instruments. Self-taught, he played and explained the different strings, sounds, and music he could make and giving us histories that were new to us.

This was to be the prelude of our second evening in Omaha, when we would attend “The Madrigal Christmasse Feast.”

A madrigal is music that is sung by two or more voices unaccompanied with close harmonies. Usually with themes of romance and lost loves this was a 14th century example which people associate with the Renaissance period complete with elaborate costuming and festivities. It began with the procession of syngers, wassail toasts and procession of the Boar’s Head, customary with  English tradition.

The meal consisted of a traditional  English Feaste ending with Yorkshire pudding and rum sauce.

Gingerbread displays of many kinds was part of our final stop in Omaha at the Mormon Trails Center.  Each year families join together to create new displays, all with eatable candy, cookies, cereal, and frosting to hold it all together.

The Blue Bunny Ice Cream store in LeMars, Iowa, was a must stop as we made our way back to Austin. The home office and plant located there has a museum of original photos and lots of memorabilia. There are many varieties to choose from. And bustling with costumers. It’s great industry for a town of 9,700 to play host to.

Travel gift certificates are available and are good for future travel. Call the travel number at 507-438-3946.

We will have a table from 2 to 4 p.m. on Dec. at the Mower County Senior Center’s Christmas Open House. We will have some photos of trips that were taken recently.  Stop by and see us there.

•Dec. 16: The production of “Wedding Singer” at the Old Log Theater, near Excelsior, Minnesota, will be our last trip for 2015. We will be departing at 9 a.m. from the Walmart parking lot. Our return time will be about 6 p.m.