Everything Merry and Bright: Your Complete Guide to Houston’s Holiday Magic
Explore Houston’s best holiday festivals, Christmas markets, spectacular light shows, and Santa meet-and-greets for an unforgettable festive season.
You’ve made it past Halloween, and that gives you full license to start getting excited about Christmas.
Come November, we Houstonians have no problem working around tropical temperatures to get into the spirit of the season. And when you live in a city filled with holiday festivals, lights, and markets, that’s much easier to do.
Across Houston, you’ll find holiday traditions that bring the whole family together, opportunities to stroll with your significant other through Christmas wonderlands, and more shopping than you can shake a credit card at.
So grab your eggnog, deck the halls, and hook up the sleigh—it’s time to jingle your way around town and fill your heart with the magic of the season!
Deck the Trees
Location: Alley Theatre and George R. Brown Convention Center
Dates: Nov. 16 to Jan. 1
Celebrating its 20th annual Deck the Trees, the Alley Theatre and George R. Brown Convention Center will spark your holiday excitement with trees, trees, and more trees.
Imagine 50 evergreens, all individually decorated by local designers and reflecting a variety of tastes, from cultural to traditional to downright crazy. You and 250,000 of your closest friends will descend on both the Alley and George R. Brown and wind your way through a forest of fun.
Last year, Photos with Santa was a huge hit, and as any good theatre-goer knows, you always go for the encore. So bring the kids for their first Christmas photo of the season while celebrating the creativity of Houston artists.
Ice at Discovery Green
Location: Discovery Green
Dates: Nov. 15 to Feb. 2
Nov. 29, Dec. 6, 13, and 20 feature Skate with Santa!
Forget about the ice rinks at Central Park and Rockefeller Center—the real action is at Ice at Discovery Green. I mean, it takes a lot of work to maintain an ice rink in the South, and it takes even more to make you feel like you’re in New York.
But Discovery Green does it every single year, as proven by the thousands of kids and adults who skate their way into the holidays in downtown Houston. In a nod to the many cultures that are represented in this city, Discovery Green features Santas of all different backgrounds, so every kid sees a little of themselves in the jolliest of jolly men.
Texas Winter Lights
Location: Marriott Marquis
Dates: Nov. 21 to Dec. 31
If you’re skating at Discovery Green, you are just steps away from the Marriott Marquis’ Texas Winter Lights, and you absolutely can’t miss it.
Just take the elevator to the hotel’s famous rooftop with the Texas-shaped lazy river pool. Then sashay into a line dance on the expansive pool deck, sing along to live country music, take photos at the new immersive installation at the center of the lazy river, and keep your eyes open for Santa, who is happy to pose for photos with the kids.
Check the website for special events like holiday movies on the deck, Snowfall in the South, and a virtual sleigh ride with Santa and his reindeer. To level up your holiday game, reserve a private igloo or wooden cabin with food towers and bottle service, or check into a holiday-themed guest room for the ultimate birds-eye view of Texas Winter Lights.
Coca-Cola’s Classic Christmas
Location: Katy Mills
Dates: Nov. 21 to Dec. 28
An event that debuted in 2024 to rousing success, Coca-Cola’s Classic Christmas returns this year with a new Alpine Adventure theme.
Imagine a mountain getaway where you’ll find Santa and Mrs. Claus in their own chalet surrounded by (real!) snow flurries, an outdoor ice skating rink, slides that make you feel like you’re sledding on the slopes, a host of treats to give you visions of sugarplums—and, of course, lots and lots of Coca-Cola.
In addition to 90,000 square feet of immersive scenes and lights, you can enjoy classic Christmas movies, an après-ski dance party, Christmas karaoke, ugly sweater contests, and carolers. Sip a holiday cocktail while you stroll the new Memory Lane, snapping photos of an evening you won’t want to forget.
Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market
Location: NRG Center
Dates: Nov. 13 to 16
Considered by many to be THE can’t-miss holiday event in Houston, the Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market is legendary for providing an instant immersion into Christmas. It’s a rite of passage for shoppers everywhere and signals that it’s time to start thinking about holiday shopping.
And why not? It truly is a one-stop shop for every person on your list, and its festive atmosphere—along with the fact that it’s a fundraiser to keep the arts alive and kicking—does the heart good.
What can you find at this seemingly endless market? It all starts with the hundreds of merchants selling a unique variety of wares. Wander about the booths to find home décor, jewelry and other accessories, clothing, handmade toys, and enough food that you’ll have jams and sauces and desserts to serve holiday guests for weeks.
Heights Holiday Market
Location: Studewood St., The Heights
Dates: Dec. 6, 10 am to 4 pm
The Heights Holiday Market is a beloved holiday tradition in the trendy and cozy Studewood section of the Heights. Composed of local talent that applies for each coveted booth, the market offers one-of-a-kind treasures and special gift-giving opportunities.
Your brother who has literally everything? Surprise him with a hand-knit sweater. Aunt Kate, who’s crazy about her Maltipoo? She’ll swoon over a personalized, gem-adorned collar. And your friend who just bought her first house will thank you for an original piece of artwork to light up a room.
From jewelry to wreaths to candles, you’ll meet the makers behind the creations, run into neighbors you haven’t seen since last Christmas, and soak up all the warmth of the holidays.
Holiday in the Gardens Festival
Location: Moody Gardens, Galveston
Dates: Nov. 22 to Jan. 3
When Houstonians want to leave the city for a bit of something different, they head just a short drive away to Galveston. And come Christmastime, they flock there.
Moody Gardens’ Holiday in the Gardens Festival gives you every reason to head east, and you’ll want to start in the morning to enjoy a full day and night of festivities. Buy the full package ticket so you can enjoy the displays across the entire property and within the various pyramids.
A highlight of any visit to the festival is the Ice House, the layout of which is changed every year to create an original experience. Even Santa would have a hard time believing that two million pounds of ice were carved into this home, where you can glide down the ice slide and belly up to the ice bar for an even colder one.
After the sun sets, follow the North Star—otherwise known as the Northern Lights Trail—to walk through one of the best light displays in Houston, all set to Christmas carols and the delighted giggles of children who have just found themselves in the Winter Wonderland of their dreams.
Dickens on the Strand
Location: Historic Strand in Galveston
Dates: Dec. 5-7
If you decide to make a weekend of your visit to Galveston, or if you just want another opportunity to drive to the island, you’ll love Dickens on The Strand, in its 52nd year of honoring “The Christmas Carol.”
The Galveston Historical Foundation sets the tone with full Dickensian garb, and visitors love to dress in petticoats and bowler hats to enjoy a weekend of family fun. Who doesn’t love a Christmas parade that takes you back in time?
The entertainment continues on four stages along the historic Strand, which is fully decorated to look like 19th-century Victorian London. The kids will love Tiny Tim’s Play Land, Shopkeeper Skills Village, and the roaming characters that pause for photos. Costumed vendors pull food carts down the cobblestone streets, and vendors hawk their wares from street stalls filled with gift items and crafts.
Winter Wonderlawn
Location: POST Houston
Dates: Nov. 7 to Jan. 11
There’s a reason why POST made our list for most Instagrammable spots in Houston. Photo ops abound—both inside and out—and you won’t want to miss any of it.
Start at the base of the stairs in the center of all the restaurants, then move to the grand staircase for an elegant look. Next, take the whole family to the five-acre rooftop for the highlight of the evening—POST Houston’s Winter Wonderlawn.
Walk the entire rooftop, a gasp-worthy experience with 360-degree views of all things holiday: thousands of twinkling lights, life-size décor, and a 25-foot bedazzled tree, all showcased against the lights of the Houston skyline.
To keep up on the holiday happenings around Houston, check in with Visit Houston. You’ll have so much to do and so many ways to celebrate the season, no one will ever accuse you of being a Scrooge.
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