Holiday Events in the St. Louis Area |
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St. Louis KidsOutAndAbout Holiday Newsletter |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
The holiday season is filled with fun throughout the STL area for the next several weeks! Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's bring the community together in a vibrant celebration of joy and tradition. Here is your master guide to the holidays, including events, concerts, activities, Christmas tree farms, and more! From dazzling light displays to festive markets, there’s
something for everyone to enjoy. Gather with family and friends to create lasting memories and experience the spirit of the season. You'll see right below my signature a link to our HUGE list of ideas for local fun: 101 of them! Scan the list below, then bookmark the 101 list as your go-to resource for this holiday season!
Happy Holidays!
—Debra Ross, publisher |
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. |
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St. Louis 2025 holiday events and activities...Christmas concerts, lights, trees, nativities, and more. . . plus activities for Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve.
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The St. Louis area offers a delightful selection of Christmas tree farms that bring the magic of the holiday season to life. Families can enjoy the cherished tradition of selecting the perfect tree while exploring picturesque landscapes and engaging in festive activities. From charming local farms to larger operations, each location provides a unique experience, complete with hayrides, hot cocoa, and seasonal treats. Many farms also host holiday events, making it easy to create lasting memories with loved ones. Whether you’re looking for a classic fir or a unique spruce, the Christmas tree farms around St. Louis promise to make your holiday celebrations truly special.
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Now through January 3: This year's Garden Glow is the biggest and brightest ever! Featuring more than two million dazzling lights, Garden Glow transforms the iconic setting of the Missouri Botanical Garden into an enchanted wonderland rich with mesmerizing displays and unforgettable moments.
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Big Joel's Holiday Safari is your chance to visit the park during the Holiday Season! The big change for 2025 is that our holiday Safari will be offered during regular day time hours from 10 - 4:00pm and not in the evening hours as in years past. The park will be decorated for the holiday season and we definitely will be highlighting are more winter hardy animals. Of course during this time of the year not all animal species are available for viewing and some may depend on what the weather is doing, but do not worry there will be plenty of animals around.
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Experience the magic of the holiday season at City Museum during Weirdly Wonderful Holidays! Step into a winter wonderland of joy and delight as City Museum transforms into a festive paradise from Thanksgiving through the entire month of December. From twinkling lights that illuminate the night to heartwarming encounters with Santa and his merry helpers, there’s something for everyone!
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For half a century, this festival has made the holiday spirit of the past come to life for the young and young at heart. With a unique blend of storytelling, history, and fairy tale whimsy, guests are welcomed into a world of yuletide nostalgia and fantasy where reindeer fly, sugarplums dance in your head, and an array of international ambassadors invite you to explore unique holiday customs from around the world.
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Santa’s Magical Kingdom is like no other place on earth! Experience a glorious celebration of more than FOUR MILLION shimmering lights nestled among a wondrous & whimsical world of animated scenes and electrifying special effects. Every scene is custom designed to bring childhood fantasies to life. Drive through 35 acres of holiday magic where reindeer soar overhead, elves frolic in the trees, and ice cream sundaes are as big as a boat! Or for a special treat, experience all the sights and sounds of the Kingdom aboard the Santa Express Train or on a festive Old Fashion Holiday Wagon ride!
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WonderLight's Christmas is returning to the greater St. Louis area for the 2025 season! Come see over 1 million LED lights synchronized to traditional and newer, rocking Christmas music played through your own car stereo. Pack your vehicle full of friends and family to enjoy the show and begin a new Christmas tradition with us this season!
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For 56 years, the night shines brightly at the Shrine of Our Lady of Snows as the annual Way of Lights Christmas display illuminates the grounds, focusing on the Journey to Bethlehem and the birth of Christ, the one true light of the world. As our largest fundraiser, donations are accepted to help us continue bringing this family tradition to our community each year.
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THE POLAR EXPRESS™ train ride is back. Real Trains are rolling to the North Pole again in 2025. Santa and his elves are full steam ahead for a trip to the North Pole for THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride at St. Louis Union Station this year!
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Winter nights are better together, and Wild Lights is a wonderful night to share. See what's NEW at the Zoo this year, including visits with Santa and shopping at our Holiday Market. As you bask in the glow of 1 million twinkling lights, stroll hand in hand while sipping hot cocoa, and make some memories to last a lifetime.
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Experience the magic of Grant’s Farm decked out in its holiday finest as you stroll beneath millions of dazzling lights. With festive music, animal interactions, and memories around every corner, this enchanting experience is a must-see tradition to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. Ride the tram to the Bauernhof Courtyard to enjoy festive food and drinks, walk through the Tiergarten, where you can visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and venture past the Busch Family home and down to our 50ft our 50-foot animated Christmas tree synchronized to holiday music.
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Celebration of Lights is a holiday light display held at Fort Zumwalt Park in O'Fallon, Missouri. Each scene is designed and funded by local organizations, churches and businesses. Started in 1991, the holiday event attracts more than 13,000 vehicles each year and more than 15,000 individuals during the Old-Fashioned Holiday Stroll.
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Authentic open air German style Christmas Market. German and polish food, heated tent, international vendors, local craftsmen and artists.
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The annual Wentzville Holiday Night Lights display at Rotary Park is open Friday, NOV 28 through Tuesday, DEC 30. Enjoy a one-mile light display that features large, illuminated commercial scenes and tunnels of twinkling lights. This holiday display is a great way to experience the magic and joy of the season close to home. Drive-Thru admission is $15 for vehicles holding up to six passengers; $1 per additional person after the sixth. On Saturdays, you can enjoy a visit with Santa inside the Kolb Building, which has been transformed into a winter wonderland! The Drive-Thru will open late on DEC 7 due to the Holiday Night Lights 5K and Fun Run. The Drive-Thru will not be open DEC 14…
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Begin your holiday celebration when you experience the enchantment of Christmas at the "Christmas Wonderland" holiday light display. The "Grandpa Gang" has been at it again transforming Rock Spring Park in Alton, Illinois into a Winter Wonderland. Visitors can drive through the park to view more than 4 million lights decorating the park! This year the popular Enchanted Forest where visitors vote on their favorite decorated tree returns to the park, as do visits with Santa Claus! Take your own free photos with Santa! Walkthrough night is always the first Monday after Thanksgiving (6 p.m. - 9 p.m.) for anyone who wants to brave the cold and get an up-close-and-personal view of the…
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Saint Louis Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” performances have become a tradition for thousands of area families. Glorious dancing, costumes, sets and lighting – this Nutcracker has it all.
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Nov 29 & 30: The magic of the season comes to life in this stunning production of the Nutcracker Ballet. Colorful costumes, breathtaking music, and over 50 local, classically trained dancers make this performance a true holiday tradition. The Dance Center of Kirkwood presents its annual Nutcracker Ballet in November of each year. The production lasts approximately two hours with one 15-minute intermission. All ages are welcome!
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Step into a world of festive fun at Winter Wonderscape, a pop-up holiday experience! Climb to the top of a dazzling Ice Castle and zip down the slide, weave your way through the Snow Maze and craft a one-of-a-kind holiday gift in the Elves Workshop. Then hop in Santa’s Sleigh for a photo that’s picture-perfect for the season! Plus, don’t miss the Snowball Showdown, happening Tuesday through Friday at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. Come make magical memories with your family with Holiday Magic this December at The Magic House! Winter Wonderscape is included with admission.
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KidsOutAndAbout's list of family-friendly New Year's activities in and around Saint Louis.
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