Behind the Scenes: Keeping Christmas Alive in Excelsior Springs through Generations

Excelsior Springs, Mo. (December 22, 2025) – Nearly 40 years ago, a local organization known as the Business and Professional Women’s group began what would become some of Excelsior Springs’ most recognizable holiday traditions: the Hall of Trees, the Lane of Lights, and the Lighted Christmas Parade, along with the Mistletoe Market and Holiday Home Tours. Today, those events continue under the leadership of the ES Christmas Committee, helping continue a legacy built on volunteerism, creativity, and community pride.

Sylvia Eales, a former member of the Business and Professional Women’s group, said she witnessed the earliest planning stages of the holiday celebrations. What began as a modest project eventually grew into something more long-lasting. While the group no longer oversees the events, Eales said she is grateful the traditions continue today with the Excelsior Springs Downtown Partnership.

“It’s fantastic that it’s still going,” she said, noting how meaningful it has been to watch the work carried forward by a new generation of volunteers.

Roots in Professional Women and Community Connection

Founded in 1939, the Business and Professional Women’s group is a local chapter of working women focused on professional growth, workplace equity, and civic involvement. Eales said the group’s mission naturally extended into community projects, including holiday celebrations.

“It just started as a project,” Eales said, adding that relationships with local businesses and organizations quickly followed, including Job Corps.

In the early years, Job Corps students volunteered to help decorate the city, assisting with hauling decorations and setting up light displays along Regent Avenue before the Lane of Lights was later relocated to Lovers Lane. Eales said the city also contributed funding to help pay for lighting and decorating services throughout Excelsior Springs.

As the events grew, Eales said it became harder for the original organizers to keep up with the physical demands. She recalled her husband putting his foot down when he saw her precariously climbing a ladder to hang some decorations, and telling her it was time to take a step back. While difficult at the time, she said the transition ultimately brought reassurance.

“I’m just glad younger people are now involved,” she said.

Passing the Torch to a New Generation

As the celebrations expanded, leadership gradually shifted from the Business and Professional Women’s group to other community members, eventually forming what is now known as the ES Christmas Committee.

Committee head Amanda Romazon said the group has been active for at least the past 20 years, continuing the same traditions for the community to enjoy. For the past 15 years, Romazon has overseen the Lighted Christmas Parade.

“I do it because it brings generations together and I love the spirit of volunteering,” she said. “Especially with the parade, just seeing the looks on the little kids’ faces, enjoying the whole day, everyone’s in a good mood, and I can focus on giving back to my community.”

Romazon said the committee is small, made up of six or seven members who plan and coordinate the events. In addition, community members volunteer independently, assisting with light displays, garlands, and event logistics.

Beyond hosting seasonal festivities, Romazon said the committee also uses the Lane of Lights nightly viewings as a fundraiser. Each year, the group donates up to $20,000 to local nonprofits, helping extend the impact of the holiday season beyond decorations.

Keeping Celebrations Going

Maintaining decades-old traditions has not always been easy. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, public health restrictions forced several changes. Romazon said the Hall of Trees was temporarily suspended, but the committee worked to adapt rather than cancel entirely.

To keep the season alive, the group hosted an online holiday wreath auction and organized a stationary lighted parade, allowing residents to view displays safely from their vehicles.

In the future, Romazon said she hopes to expand the scope of the festivities. Ideas include extending the Lane of Lights, adding more lights throughout downtown, and potentially piping music along Broadway Avenue.

Her broader vision, she said, is to turn Excelsior Springs into a Hallmark-style holiday town, where families can find moments of shared joy close to home. Sustaining that vision depends on new volunteers stepping forward, Romazon acknowledged.

For Romazon, her fellow committee members, and those who came before them, the work has never been about recognition. “It’s wonderful that it’s been around probably longer than I’ve been alive,” she said. “I think it’s just about keeping the Christmas spirit alive.”