Minot Monday is brought to you by BeLocal Minot. All thoughts, opinions and awesome word-smithing are my own.
Christmas in Minot is truly a special season. Today, for Minot Monday I’m doing something a little different. Instead of using lots of words and a list to tell you something about our sweet, special town–I’ve put together an image essay for you.
I’ve told you before, I hear lots of complaints about being forced to move to Minot. I hear lots of groaning about the windchill. But there is something down right magical about a small town Christmas. Like a hybrid of a Hallmark Christmas movie and a quirky NBC mockumentary, Christmas in Minot is not to be missed.
Christmas in Minot: a photo essay
I’ve gathered photos from the season here. But this collection isn’t complete. It’s missing the annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, where basically anyone in the community can join in the singing on stage–as long as you know the music. I missed the Christmas symphony concert. This year they had a bell choir and I heard it was breathtaking. There are no images from the lutefisk and meatball dinner, the Dickens Festival or pet photos with Santa at the mall. I missed the carol sing (where a friend warned me that saying “ass” in “What Child is This” can be taboo), the ballet and the many, many vendor markets.
I did ride a bus around town looking at lights with some friends. When asked how they got the bus she replied, “It’s a friend of a friend. I’ve never really met him. But he lets us use it. Seriously nice for a stranger.”
Christmas in Minot is much, much more than what I present here. But I gave it my best shot. I’ll try again next year. I hope this brings a little comfort to someone out there who may be nervous about relocating to Practically Canada.
It really is a great place.
A happy and glittering snowman near the town tree downtown. 
Santa visits downtown shops throughout December. He looks especially cozy in Main Street Books–ready to hand candy canes to everyone on the nice list. 
It’s not Christmas without a movie marathon. Minot’s Video Magic stocks shelves of Christmas movies for easy picking. 
BeLocal has a complete guide to winter fun in Minot 
The Christmas season kicks off with the Festival of Trees. A live auction of trees and wreaths and silent auction of gift baskets benefits Dakota Hope Clinic. 
Two trees at the Festival of Trees included nativity sets. 
Minot’s small coffee shops are the best place to taste the season. Minot’s Daily Bread’s counter looks festive and warm even on the coldest days. 
Minot is full of local eateries. Sweets cases are always prettiest at Christmas. (This is at Minot’s Daily Bread.) 
Small town shops decked out for the holidays make shopping local easy. (There are lots of places to grab good gifts–this is The Foundry.) 
The downtown open house invites the community to shop local. During the open house, shops stay open late, chestnuts roast on the street, cocoa and cider are free for the taking–and the night wraps up with caroling and the town tree lighting. 
Small town shops decked out for the holidays make shopping local easy. (There are lots of places to grab good gifts–this is The Foundry.) 
Santa’s Reindeer (all the way from the Drayton Reindeer Ranch–it’s practically the North Pole) visited the mall. 
Scheel’s sponsored the visit from Santa’s Reindeer. 
TC Nursery is the only place in town to cut your own Christmas tree. 
TC Nursery is the only place in town to cut your own Christmas tree. 
Photographers across town bring their A-game to offer sweet Christmas card mini sessions. 
Photographers across town bring their A-game to offer sweet Christmas card mini sessions. 
Christmas in Minot wouldn’t be complete without the Olson’s annual light display or Sertoma’s Christmas in the Park. 
Lowe’s Garden center is open year round and chock full of poinsettias and fresh trees at Christmastime. 
Lowe’s Garden Center greenhouse is a warm and colorful escape on cold days. Nothing looks more Christmasy than a greenhouse full of poinsettias. 
Light snow and freezing fog make the trees look like they belong in a gingerbread village. 
While the train is stopped spectators have plenty of time to walk along the cars and see the light displays. 
The Canada Pacific Holiday Train stops in Downtown Minot every year. Main Street is crowded with families bundled up to watch the show. 
The Canada Pacific Holiday Train stops long enough for a live performance of Christmas music and a visit from Santa. 
While the train is stopped spectators have plenty of time to walk along the cars and see the light displays. 
Lowe’s Floral and Garden Center and TC’s Nursery are two favorite local places to get a fresh tree. 
Christmas decor and arrangements like this one by the Depot make downtown holiday-ready. 
Oak Park Theater brings holiday classics in to watch on the big screen. 
Charlie’s downtown stays open late during special events. Coffee, wine and local eats are abundant downtown. 
Minot is friendly year-round, but especially so at Christmas. 
United Congregational Church of Christ offers a free community breakfast every Saturday morning. Minot has soup kitchens that offer meals every day all year long. 
Churches across Minot host lovely public Christmas gatherings and events. This is a themed table at the First Baptist Christmas Tea. 
Churches across Minot host lovely public Christmas gatherings and events. This is a themed table at the First Baptist Christmas Tea. 
The annual Ugly Sweater Fundraiser at Grow With Me supports a local cause every year. 
Christmas in Minot wouldn’t be complete without several picturesque snowfalls. 
Cold winter mornings leave delicate, lacy ice on branches.
Places mentioned in this post:
- Downtown Minot
- Main Street Books
- Video Magic
- BeLocal Minot
- Festival of Trees
- Dakota Hope Clinic
- Minot’s Daily Bread
- The Foundry–see a list of places for makers here.
- Scheel’s
- Dakota Square Mall
- TC Nursery — more on Christmas trees here
- The Olson’s Light Display
- Sertoma Christmas in the Park
- Lowe’s Garden Center
- Holiday Train
- Oak Park Theater
- Soup Kitchens
- First Baptist Church
- Grow With Me — more on thrifting here
