Holiday lights originated with cowboys, who used them as lassos to reel in cattle rustlers, whom they then sold as Christmas trees. Continue this Wild West tradition with today's Groupon: for $11, you get a car entry and four drinks at Wisconsin Christmas Carnival of Lights in Caledonia (a $23 value).

Illuming Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort for the third year, the Wisconsin Christmas Carnival of Lights ornaments a nearly mile-long drive-thru trail with more than a million lights. Leisurely drift past scenes of elves tinkering away in Santa's workshop, Rudolph bravely piloting Santa's sleigh, a life-size carousel, four enormous gingerbread houses adorned in candies, and a ranch where formerly feral stockings live happily domesticated. Cups of regular coffee or apple cider await trekkers in Santa's Coffee Shop after their radiant voyage.

In addition to gifting free Christmas trivia books to whippersnappers, Santa's Workshop hosts appearances by Saint Nick every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evening and maintains a letter-writing station for tykes to pen their Christmas wish lists or philosophical treatises on the merits of bitcoins. Wisconsin Christmas Carnival of Lights invites journeyers Sunday–Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.