The One Place In South Dakota That Turns Into An Enchanting Holiday Wonderland

One of the best things about the holiday season is all the pretty Christmas trees decked out in sparkling lights, ribbons and ornaments. If you're looking for some inspiration for your own tree this year, or you just want to walk through a holiday wonderland of enchanting trees, head for the Capitol building in Pierre. You can stroll through the halls (inside where it's warm!) and see this magic firsthand - and it's free!

Christmastime in South Dakota's capital city is magical.

The Capitol Building itself turns into an enchanting holiday wonderland.

More than 20,000 guests visit Christmas at the Capitol every year.

This year's theme is The Colors of Christmas.

More than 80 beautifully-trimmed trees are displayed here.

The trees are available to view from the lighting ceremony on November 21st through December 26th from 8 AM to 10 PM, every day.

Each tree has a different theme.

Stroll down the corridors of the Capitol to admire each one.

The crown jewel of this holiday extravaganza is the rotunda tree.

This year's tree celebrates the colorful history of Fort Pierre, which is celebrating its 200th birthday this year. This tree features a buffalo head and a miniature fort as a topper.

In addition to the trees, holiday displays grace many spaces in the Capitol building.

Local businesses and non-profit organizations decorate around 60 of the nearly 90 trees that are on display.

The "Tree Ladies" are an integral part of this event.

They make up much of the committee that makes this display possible every year. However, not everyone on the committee is a lady - many men help with the set up and decorating as well.

Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to visit all the trees here.

You'll find trees on the main level, second floor and third floor. Every tree is unique, and many have stories about their decorations.

The sparkling lights and beautifully-decorated trees are my favorite things about Christmas! What are yours?

Want to get away from the commercialism of Christmas and give back to the community at the same time? Check out the Christmas sing-a-longs at Nora Store.