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     Chinese New Year has a long rich tradition in Las Vegas, and the Year of the Dragon is no exception. The annual celebration is marked by traditional Lion Dances, extravagant décor, unique entertainment, and special culinary offerings, so come celebrate Las Vegas-style.

     For those drawn to the spectacle and pageantry of the traditional Lion Dances, check out the Wynn Las Vegas where the Dragon and Lion Dance ceremony takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 27, The Venetian on Monday, Jan. 23 at 1 p.m., and at the Gold Coast two Lion Dances on Feb 1 at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Caesars Entertainment Lion Dances will be on January 27 at 5 p.m. at Harrah's Las Vegas, 6:15 p.m. at Imperial Palace Las Vegas, 7 p.m. at Flamingo Las Vegas and 10 p.m. at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. On January 28 at noon at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, 1 p.m. at Paris Las Vegas, 2 p.m. at Bally's Las Vegas and 5 p.m. at Caesars Palace.

     All across the city, resorts transform their properties with extravagant displays and elaborate décor. The Palazzo will display a 128-foot fire breathing dragon. The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens will feature over 22,000 colorful flowers and two 25 foot dragons. Wynn Las Vegas' atriums will feature over 8,000 red and yellow chrysanthemums, silk dragons, and golden dragon sculptures measuring eight feet tall.

     Cultural entertainment offerings abound throughout the Year of the Dragon celebration. The Colosseum at Caesars Palace welcomes Mandopop star Wakin Chau in concert and the Fremont Street Experience will host a nightly festival with Chinese food, arts and crafts, and cultural presentations on the 3^rd Street Stage.  Fantasy Stars in concert will be at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Jan. 28 for the celebration, welcoming Daniel Chan, Aska Yang, Alec Su and Wilber Pan.

     Several world-class restaurants will offer special menus and festive culinary creations to honor the Chinese New Year. Luxor's new Asian bistro Rice And Company will offer a traditional prix fixe menu and The Palazzo's Zine Noodles Dim Sum and China Poblano at The Cosmopolitan will offer celebratory cuisines and festive cocktails as well.

     Join the celebration and welcome the Year of the Dragon in Vegas!

The holidays are upon us, and what better way to celebrate the season than to zip up the warm jackets, pack the thermos with hot chocolate and take the family out to view holiday décor?

The weather's great, so head outside for a walk through beautifully lit displays. At Ethel M's holiday cactus garden in Henderson, visitors can wander down brightly lit paths from 5 until 10 p.m. through Sunday, January 1. For an even more elaborate tour, visitors can purchase 3D glasses to enhance the experience. Enjoy music by local choirs and say hello to Santa on select evenings.

At the Holiday Spectacular at the Springs Preserve through December 23, enjoy a family-friendly atmosphere with yummy treats, crafts, reindeer (pony) rides, photos with Santa and an ice-skating rink. Plus, enjoy nightly musical performances by local artists including Kid Fiddlers, Rage Time Entertainment, Beth Mullaney, The Rock Group and much more.

Through January 8, Venetian and Palazzo have been transformed into a winter wonderland for Winter in Venice. Get in the merry spirit as you surround yourself with brilliantly lit trees and festive music. Warm up with an eggnog cupcake and hot apple cider as you enjoy the nightly light show and performances. Also, tie up the skates to glide across the largest ice rink on the Strip.

Don't miss Opportunity Village's largest fundraiser of the year, the Magical Forest, for gorgeous light displays designed by local businesses. Take a ride on the Forest Express train through the two-acre forest, enjoy the kiddie rides and take a photo with Santa.

With miles of LED lights, the drive-through Glittering Lights  at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is sure to impress. Plus, soak in the breathtaking details in the Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, decked out for the holiday season with hundreds of seasonal plants, flowers, and festive decorations.

Finally, head out of town for Ice Skating on the Lake with the family at the Aston Montelago at Lake Las Vegas.

Happy holidays to you and yours from Las Vegas!

     'Tis the season for a Vegas getaway! The holidays are a great time to check out special events that you'll only find in Vegas!

     Start with a little holiday shopping. With everything from extravagant malls to specialty shops, you're sure to find something for everyone on your list. Bring along our shopping passport for even bigger savings!

     Enjoy a little seasonal spirit at any of Las Vegas' holiday displays, including the Ethel M Chocolates and Cactus Garden, the Conservatory at the Bellagio and the Waterfall, Atrium & Gardens at The Palazzo, which feature hand-designed snowflakes suspended midair in the three-floor-high atrium.

     Ice branches and glittering birch and pine trees will transform the resort into a winter wonderland as part of The Venetian and The Palazzo's 49-day Winter n Venice Holiday Celebration. And this year, you can ice skate on the Las Vegas Strip, as a synthetic rink will be open day and night for the coolest experience in town!

     If you're a sports fan, you can catch two of college football's top team at the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas on Dec. 22 or some spirited college hoops action at the iBN Sports Classic on Dec. 22-23 at the Orleans.

     This holiday season, Vegas is the place to be jolly!

In this week's Vegas Minute, which you can watch below or on our official Las Vegas YouTube channel, see how Las Vegas celebrates the Chinese New Year with marvelous displays at the Bellagio Conservatory and inside the Venetian and Palazzo. Also, catch George Lopez at the Las Vegas Hilton, Linkin Park at the MGM Grand, USA Sevens rugby at Sam Boyd Stadium and more. Spend a minute checking it out and then plan your Vegas getaway at LasVegas.com. Vegas Minute produced by http://www.vegas.com

Las Vegas has plenty of holiday spirit everywhere you look, from amazing light displays to activities that will keep you smiling throughout the season.

Visit the Opportunity Village Magical Forest and see more than 3 million lights on hundreds of trees, or enjoy the breathtaking botanical displays at the Bellagio Conservatory, where 140 expert horticulturists have arranged gazebos, bridges, ponds, and water features to enhance your holiday season.

More fantastic displays can be seen at Ethel's Chocolate Lounge and Cactus Garden,  featuring four acres of decked out drought-tolerant ornamentals and cacti. The Springs Preserve, three miles from the Strip, also offers patrons thousands of colorful, LED lights, tasty treats, holiday arts and crafts and several special events throughout the holiday season.

For some more outdoor holiday scenery, go horseback riding and take a tour of Sagebrush Ranch and see some of Las Vegas' hidden beauty. And no place lights up New Year's Eve like Las Vegas. It's a party 365 days in the making! Make your plans and celebrate the holidays Las Vegas style!