Christmas Events

These annual celebrations make the Christmas season bright, especially for little kids.

See also Christmas Events by location - in the Northeast US, Orlando, California, and more.

• Christmas Tree Lighting
  Many towns, big and small, stage Christmas Tree light-up events to start the holiday season. Visit some standout light-ups in NYC, Chicago, Boston, DC, and more.

• Holiday Lights
  Check out some top spots to see holiday lights: places with literally millions of sparkles.

• Christmas Festivals
  Many towns celebrate the season with a Christmas Festival: entertainment, holiday lights, maybe a parade, general festivities...

• Christmas Windows
  A fun -- and free - family activity during the Holiday Season is to stroll along a sidewalk beside a big department store, looking at Christmas window displays created to delight children.

• Christmas Train Rides
  Many scenic railroads run special Christmas train rides. Most famous are the "The Polar Express" train rides, that recreate the experience of the classic children's book about a child's train ride to see Santa at the North Pole. Other tourist railroads might run Santa Special train rides or a "North Pole Express".

• Christmas Markets in Europe
  Germany is famous for its Christmas markets, but many other countries -- France, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia, and more-- have these traditional markets, with twinkling lights, roasted chestnuts, and plenty of toys for sale.

And finally, check out some novel places to See Santa and enjoy special Christmas events: the North Pole NY, Bethlehem CT, Santa's Village in the White Mountains...

* Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World.