Houston Christmas Events: Your Ultimate 2025 Guide

Winter chills and cozy decked halls offer convincing arguments for curling up inside all season. But an enticing array of Houston Christmas events might be worth donning your coat and hat for; you don’t want to miss out on the holiday magic during Christmas in Houston.

Houston Christmas events – Our top picks

Need a few quick and easy ideas Houston Christmas events to keep your offspring entertained? Check these out:

• Classic Christmas Houston at Katy Mills with ice-skating, snow slides, and a giant light display
• Christmas Village at Bayou Bend
• Texas Winter Lights at the Marriot Marquis Houston rooftop

Keep reading to find a list of more great Houston Christmas events that are guaranteed fun for the whole family.

Christmas Light Displays

River Oaks Christmas Lights

River Oaks is a neighborhood in Houston that puts quite a show every year around the holidays. Residents stop at nothing to deck out their homes. Nothing gets you in the spirit better than folks who love bright lights and Christmas displays for the pure pleasure of the season.

• Location: River Oaks neighborhood, Houston, TX
• Date: The season kicks off on November 7th and
• Cost of entry: $30 for the whole car
• Age requirements: Fun for all ages
• Vibe: Joyful, festive, convivial

The Light Park (Spring/Katy)

The Light Park welcomes you to a dazzling light show from the comfort of your car. Drive through a loop and gaze out at the spectacular Christmas displays with all the trimmings: lights, familiar faces (that you, Santa?) and a scrapbook’s worth of memories. It’s Houston’s Christmas Lights putting on a show for you.

• Location: River Oaks neighborhood, Houston, TX
• Date: The season kicks off on November 7th.
• Cost of entry: $30 for the whole car
• Age requirements: Fun for all ages
• Vibe: Electrifying, brilliant, a heck of a lot of fun
• Pro tip: Visit on a weekday — there are fewer cars

Christmas Markets

Caring Santa

Caring Santa is an annual event hosted by Memorial City mega mall. This Christmas activity in Houston is all about giving back. Plus, little ones hoping to get some face-time with Santa Claus can do so in a sensory-friendly environment for greater accessibility. Low lighting and soft, ambient music set the scene for a soothing atmosphere still glittered with the spirit of the season.

• Address: Between Macy’s and Nordstrom, Level 1, 5085 Westheimer, Houston, TX 77056-5606
• Date : December 7, 2025, from 10 :30 AM to 11:30 AM
• Cost of entry: Free
• Age requirements: For children of all ages, accompanied by a parent
• Vibe: Serene, calming, wholesome

Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market

The Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market is one of the city’s largest holiday markets and one of the great holiday events in Houston. With almost 300 merchants lining the aisles, you’ll surely find everything you need to make this Christmas your merriest yet, from food, décor, trinkets, and more.

• Address: NRG Park, 1 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77054
• Date: November 13-16, 2025; doors open at 8 :30 a.m. Thurs-Fri, and at 10 :00 a.m. Sat-Sun
• Cost of entry/Ticket info: $68.40
• Age requirements: All ages
• Vibe: Energetic, bustling, fun-filled
• Pro tip: Plan your day(s) of shopping by using the market’s official web app!

Holiday Vibe Market Houston

The Holiday Vibe Market Houston is your DIY Christmas shopping destination. The market brings together the city’s independent makers for your perusing pleasure. If shopping local is your thing this year, this curated market has everything you need, including home décor, art, design, and food.

• Address: POST HTX (2nd Floor X-Atrium), 401 Franklin St, Houston TX 77201
• Date: December 6-7, 2025
• Cost of entry: Free but bring your wallet to support vendors!
• Age requirements: All ages
• Vibe: Local, quaint, DIY

Christmas Shows and Performances

Nutcracker Ballet at Wortham Theater Center

The Nutcracker is a timeless story and holiday tradition for the ages, making it one of the quintessential Christmas things to do in Houston. The Houston Ballet company spares no detail, crafting a performance garnished with stunning details and atmospheric design for a show so spectacular that you’ll yearn to visit the Land of Snow every year.

• Address: Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas Avenue, Houston, TX 77002
• Date: November 28-December 28, 2025
• Ticket info: $44 -$160
• Age requirements: All ages
• Vibe: Classic holiday magic meets world-class performance
• Pro tip: Get there early to snap a pic in front of the towering Christmas tree.

Candlelight Concerts Houston

Candlelight Concerts in Houston happen year-round, but they hold a merrier place in our hearts for the holidays. Audiences are treated to a live musical experience, bathed in the glow of warm candlelit. This year, catch the “Candlelight: Christmas Special” featuring pieces from The Nutcracker and other seasonal classics.

• Location: At different venues across the city
• Date: Various dates throughout December 2025
• Cost info: $40
• Age requirements: Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
• Vibe: Intimate, romantic, and effortlessly elegant
• Pro tip: Arrive early to score the best seats. General admission is first come, first served.

Family-Friendly Holiday Fun

Classic Christmas at Memorial City Mall

Coca-Cola’s Christmas at Memorial City Hall turns Houston a true Winter Wonderland. There are special events all throughout November and December, including a massive light display, a snow slide, an ice skating rink, a family photo night out, Paws n Claus, ive entertainment, Country Christmas, and more… will we see you there?

• Location: At different venues across the city
• Date: From November 21 to December 28
• Cost info: Tickets vary based on event
• Age requirements: Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
• Vibe: Festive, fun, delightfully Christmas-y

Carols on the Green

Carols on the Green at Discovery Green Park for Houstonians from all walks of life! Even if you celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or something else entirely (Festivus, anyone?) you’re invited and encouraged to watch these operatic vocalists belt their hearts out. Running 90-minutes long, the concert is totally free and family-friendly. We’ll save you a seat.

• Location: Discover Green, 1500 McKinney St, Houston TX 77010
• Date: December 13, 2025 at 7:00 PM
• Cost info: Free
• Age requirements: All ages
• Vibe: Festive, fun, delightfully Christmas-y

76th Annual H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade

H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade deserves a spot on our list of Christmas things to do in Houston. Why? Because it’s the unofficial kick-off to the holiday season, complete with floats, festive energy, and countless balloons! The streets of downtown Houston come to life. This is a great way to experience Houston’s wild and bubbly spirit for yourself.

• Address/Location (if there is no address)
• Date: November 27, 2025 at 9 AM
• Cost of entry: Free
• Age requirements: All ages
• Vibe: Jubiliant, gleeful, celebratory
• Pro tip: Arrive at least an hour before the parade starts to secure a spot and catch all the floats go by!

Nearby Attractions

Galveston’s Dickens on the Strand

Galveston’s Dickens on the Strand is the city of Galveston’s annual Victorian Christmas festival. For the whole weekend, the city dons opulent 19th-century garb, including top hats and petticoats, and turns into the kind of Christmas village inspired by Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol!

• Location: Strand Historic District, downtown Galveston, Texas
• Date: December 5-7, 2025
• Cost of entry: $20 for adults, $15 for youth (ages 7-12) and FREE for children aged six and under
• Age requirements: All ages, but some activities may be best suited for children aged six and older
• Vibe: 19th Century London meets Southern Charm
• Pro tip: People go all out here — though dressing in era-appropriate attire isn’t a requirement, it’s strongly encouraged if you’re looking to fully embrace the spirit of the season.

Moody Gardens Holiday in the Gardens

Moody Gardens Holiday in the Gardens is a holiday festival that turns a beloved Houston landmark, Moody Gardens, into a hub of holiday action and excitement! For the uninitiated, check out the majestic ice sculptures that stand tall in the ICE LAND exhibit, take a stroll through the holiday lights trail, and be sure to test out the Arctic Slide.

• Address: Moody Gardens, 1 Hope Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77554
• Date: November 22-January 3, 2025
• Cost of entry: Ticket prices vary depending on the attraction
• Age requirements: All ages
• Vibe: A sparkling, winter wonderland-esque holiday playground for the young and young at heart
• Pro tip: Avoid big crowds, visit on a weekday instead!

Galaxy Lights

Galaxy Lights adventure is an earth-defying leap into outer space, complete with massive twinkling planetary models and a strobing light show that will leave you starry-eyed. Just one glance will get even the biggest Scrooge into the festive spirit.

• Address: 1601 E NASA Parkway, Houston, TX 77058
• Date: November 15 – January 4, 2026
• Tickets: Prices vary, ranging from $19.95 to $27.95
• Age requirements: All ages
• Vibe: The holidays in outer space
• Pro tip: Go early in the night or mid-week to avoid big crowds

Zoo Lights

Houston Zoo Lights, where towering great oak trees shine upon crowds, and blooming groves evoke chameleons with color-changing LED lights for an enchanted forest made real. The butterfly garden flutters to life after dark with a canopy of illuminated flowers suspended over entranced visitors. In other words, it’s the perfect place to stop by after your holiday shopping.

• Address: 6200 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77030
• Date: 2025 season to be announced
• Tickets: Typically around $24.95
• Age requirements: All ages
• Vibes: Animals and holiday spirit – need we say more?
• Fun fact: The zoo encourages visitors to bring in old holiday lights. Many of the treets and sculptures you see lit up are the result of recycled lights!

Radiant Nature at Houston Botanic Gardens

Radiant Nature, at the Houston Botanic Gardens, lights up the impressive gardens with larger-than-life lanterns and a holiday light show. Here, a 200-foot-long dragon soars above a two-story peacock while visitors romp on whimsical light-up swings and seesaws.

• Address: 1 Botanic Lane, Houston, TX 77017
• Date: November 14, 2025 through to February 22, 2026
• Cost of entry: $28.50 for people aged 4 and up; children under 3 are free
• Age requirements: All ages
• Vibe: A glowing outdoor lantern festival set in a natural ecosystem — it’s dreamy, vibey, and enchanting!
• Fun fact: The lanterns are all crafted by Tianyu Arts & Culture by Chinese artisans. Bringing them to life is a meticulous affair. Some of these lamps take up to 30 days to craft.

Green Mountain Energy Ice

Green Mountain Energy Ice is the city’s only outdoor ice rink, much to the locals’ delight. The first scrape of skates on the open-air ice is a sound that rings in Houston’s holiday season starting in November, drawing guests from far and wide eager to join in this classic Christmas activity. Nightly DJs turn after-hours excursions into full-blown parties for couples, friends, families, and solo stars whirling beneath the starry sky.

• Address: Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77010
• Date: Opens as of mid-November through early February
• Cost of entry: $18 plus tax for general admission
• Age requirements: All ages, but guests under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
• Vibe: An outdoor ice rink under the Houston sky!
• Pro tip: Opt for a weekday session if you want to glide across a less-crowded ice

The Aerodrome Ice Skating Complex

Aerodrome Ice Skating Complex is indoor skating at its finest: glide across a pristine surface sans the dreary elements. First-timers, book helpful skating classes here and then visit during the public skating hours to put your skills to the test. You’ll be slicing and spinning your way across the ice with the verve of one of our performers in no time!

• Address: 8220 Willow Place North, Houston, TX 77070
• Date: Open year-round
• Cost of entry: $12 per person for public skating and $6 for skate rentals
• Age requirements: All ages
• Vibe: A fun way to practice your skating skills and enjoy year-round skating 
• Pro tip: If you’re a newbie, book a “learn to skate” class before you hit the ice during a public skate — you’ll unearth talent you didn’t know you had!

Houston Christmas Events — Where holiday magic meets Southern Charm

Holly jolly Houston transforms into a winter wonderland for the holiday season. There’s no better place to be if you’re looking to embrace the spirit of the season.

Locals love this time of year—Houston’s neighborhoods turn into snow globes, with dazzling lights and holiday decorations on full display. You’ll be practically bursting at the seams with holiday fun with all the Christmas things to do in Houston!

For more festive fun, especially for the little ones, explore the things to do in Houston with kids, where we're always crafting new and exciting entertainment experiences.

High-flying feats and emotionally moving stories capture the wild and warm feeling of the season for a performance steeped in sweet sensations to share with your Christmas clan. Our Houston shows are sure to be a wondrous mix of heart-stopping excitement and awe.

FAQs

What are some free things to do in Houston during Christmas?

Plenty of Houston’s fun Christmas activities won’t set you back. Stroll through the River Oaks neighborhood to scope out the Christmas lights, explore City Hall’s holiday display and tree, or visit Discovery Green, popular for its free art installations and live music.

Are there any free family activities to do during the holidays in Houston?

Absolutely. Christmas can be your wallet’s least favorite time of year, but luckily, Houston delivers on the free fun. Families can enjoy the Lights in the Heights parade, snap photos with the giant ornaments at Market Square Park, or catch community events at Levy Park, where you’ll find outdoor crafts or movies.