Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events for Los Angeles Families

There are so many Christmas events and holiday activities to help families enjoy the season around Los Angeles and Orange County. Keep checking our Holiday Activities Guide for all of your family's holiday season needs (and whims!).

Looking for a tree? A Nutcracker performance? The best neighborhoods to see Christmas lights? Where to donate gifts? What to do on Christmas Day? All that and more is in our Holiday Guide.

Holiday Activities and Events
Try sock skating at Kidspace Winter Frolic. Photo by Jamie Pham courtesy of the Museum
16 Must-Do Christmas Events and Holiday Activities in Los Angeles for Kids
Say hi to the conductor before meeting Santa on the Southern California Polar Express Train Ride. Photo courtesy of the train
Best Polar Express Train Rides & Christmas Trains in Los Angeles
Enchanted: Forest of Light. Photo by Kathryn Rapier, courtesy of the event.
Best Holiday Lights Drive-Thrus and Christmas Light Shows in Los Angeles
Ice skate and ride the Ferris wheel at Irvine Spectrum Center. Photo by Allen Ling
Best Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks in Los Angeles for Kids and Families
Los Angeles Ballet's gorgeous Nutcracker production soars. Photo by Reed Hutchinson
The Nutcracker Ballet and Other Holiday Shows for Kids in Los Angeles
Those eight crazy nights are approaching and we’ve got everything you need to celebrate Hanukkah with your family. Photo courtesy Cottonbro Studios
8 Ways to Celebrate Hanukkah with Kids: Hanukkah Gifts, Fun Crafts, and a Little History

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Holiday Fun at Home
Armed with our giant list of Christmas crafts, you'll keep kids busy until the New Year!
101 Christmas Crafts for Kids, Plus Christmas Games and More At-Home Activities
We’ve tested out dozens of Christmas cookie recipes over the years, and these are the very best.
10 Best Christmas Cookie Recipes To Bake with Kids
It's just not Christmas until you hear Mariah Carey's
50 Best Christmas Songs for Kids
Get in the holiday spirit with Christmas movies filled with Santa, elves, and reindeer.
A Charlie Brown Christmas and More Kids' Holiday Movies to Watch This Holiday Season
Christmas jokes for kids make the season a bit jollier all around!
25 Christmas Jokes for Kids and Holiday Riddles
Uh-oh! The elf tangled up your tree lights! Photo by Mark Baylor, courtesy of Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
50 Best Elf on the Shelf Ideas for 2024: Easy & Funny Ideas to Delight Kids

Latest Christmas/Hanukkah News

Santa ships out before Christmas Day, but there's still plenty to see at the Adventure Aquarium. Photo courtesy of the aquarium
What's Open on Christmas Day in New Jersey: A List of Awesome Things to Do
We've got ideas for Christmas Day fun once the presents are unwrapped.
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Holland Ridge Farms combines a tulip theme and the holidays in its Winter Wonderland installation. Photo courtesy of Holland Ridge Farms
Christmas Vacation in New Jersey: 20 Staycation Ideas for Things To Do with Kids
These are the best things to do over the holiday break with kids in NJ.
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Take a magical one-hour trip to the North Pole on the Polar Express in Whippany, New Jersey. Photo courtesy of Morristown and Eerie Railway
Enchanting Christmas and Holiday-Themed Day Trips from NYC
Head over the river and through the woods to enjoy one of these seasonal day trip destinations.
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Donate to Toys for Tots and help bring Christmas joy to children in need across New Jersey. Photo courtesy of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
Toys for Tots Donation Spots in New Jersey and More Places to Donate Toys
Support one of these NJ charities this holiday season.
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Sofia serves festive brunches and dinners on Christmas Day.
Restaurants Open Christmas Day in New Jersey
Skip the cooking on Christmas Day and enjoy a meal at one of these local restaurants.
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During Christmas in NYC, Midtown Manhattan is chock-full of glittery eye candy. Photo by Ally Noel
Christmas in New York: Ultimate 3-Day Itinerary for a Magical Holiday with Kids
There's no place like the Big Apple at Christmas.
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