Take a trip around the world without leaving town at this year’s holiday ice show at Stumptown Ice Den.

“Christmas for All on Ice” takes place Saturday at the Whitefish skating rink. It features local skaters of all ages from Glacier Skate Academy and professional guest skater Amanda Billings of Calgary, Alberta.

It’s the 21st holiday ice show for Carol Anderson, who has been helping put together and promote the shows since 1993.

Her first holiday show was a tribute to the Winter Olympics. Anderson’s skaters pretended to ski down Big Mountain, and an actual flag from the Olympics was part of the ceremony. Skier Tommy Moe was a member of the U.S. Olympic team and bound for Lillehammer, Norway, and his grandmother, who lived in Whitefish, was able to get an Olympic flag for the show.

Anderson was thrilled to have an authentic flag in her Olympic-themed show. But she was so worried the memento would be stolen that few people knew about the flag and its significance was lost on the crowd.

Despite that, Anderson has fond memories of that first show, which was held on Whitefish’s outdoor rink. The indoor rink wasn’t built until about nine years ago.

“It was really fun, even though it was really cold outside and all the people had to stand out in the snow,” Anderson said.

Eventually bleachers were brought in for the holiday shows and soon elite skaters became part of the annual lineup. Skate director Chad Goodwin was a professional skater and has connections in the professional skating world, Anderson said.

Anderson had once been a professional skater herself. She grew up in Minnesota, where she says “everybody skates,” and remembers her father taking her to the rink.

“I always had the dream of being a professional skater,” Anderson said. “I continually skated through my childhood and I tried out for the show.”

“The show” was Shipstads & Johnson Ice Follies, which from the late 1930s through the late 1970s traveled around the United States and Canada performing on ice. Anderson was hired in 1951 and traveling by train with other skaters from show to show.

She spent about a year with the follies and then began teaching skating. When she moved to Whitefish, Anderson taught the town’s first adult skating classes on the outdoor rink.

Now 82, Anderson has taught skating throughout her adult life. A fall and concussion slowed her down last year, but she still is involved in this year’s show, helping with Glacier Skate Academy’s Learn to Skate class. Those 4- and 5-year-olds will be in Saturday’s show.

“Christmas for All” performances are at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday.

This year’s show highlights holiday traditions, music and costumes from around the world. In keeping with the theme, doors open an hour before show time to give guests time to sample treats from around the globe. Tasting coupons may be purchased for $1 each.

Tickets are $15 for VIP on-ice seating.

General admission is $10 for ages 11 and older, $5 for ages 6 to 10 or free to ages 5 and younger. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information about the show, visit www.glacierskateacademy.org.