Holiday Fun

          December is right around the corner, and you can definitely feel the holiday spirit. Colorful lights are going up on homes, and sparkling décor is highlighting doors and windows. Everywhere you look holiday decorations are on lawns, houses and in store front windows. We want to help you get into the holiday spirit by highlighting a few fun places to visit to see some lights and decorations.  

To start off the Lion’s Club parade of lights will be held this Friday night, December 1 at 7pm for all to enjoy. The route will start at Buford Park, making their way down Connally Street to Church Street then back down Houston Street to end at the Prim. This parade is great, fun for everyone, pull up a lawn chair, grab your hot coca and watch the colors drive by as the Community Supports the local Lion's Club. This is a free event, for those in attendance.  

Heritage Park’s Christmas in the Park is one of my favorite holiday experiences here in town. The park looks beautiful all dressed up for the holidays and the atmosphere is festive and fun. Plus, I think it helps to draw new people to the park who otherwise might not have stopped by in the past. The last day to experience this step back in time is Saturday, December 2, from 5:30 to 8:30 p. m. admission is $3 per person. 

Another one of our favorite activities to do is to go hunt for a Christmas Tree. Kadee Farms in located in Greenville at 5054 Highway 69 South (7 Miles) Greenville, TX 75402 and has been hosting a choose and cut tree farm for the past 40+ years. In recent years they have added a walking light path for everyone to enjoy. It is $8 per person to walk the path and enjoy the lights. The lights are open Tuesday – Sunday from 5:30 – 8 p. m. Even if you are not looking for the perfect tree, you can enjoy Christmas at the Farm. They have many activities for the whole family, a holiday shop, s’mores roasting along with hot coca and apple cider to enjoy. Be sure to check out their website for more information and what they offer and hours of operation.

 

The North Pole of Texas is another great option to see holiday lights while riding the rails. A small farm in Pickton, Texas, host a train ride that is 100% free to the public, we encourage you to read their message on their website to learn more about this service this wonderful family provides for people from all over. Only open on the weekend during the season, be sure to get there early, located at 227 County Road 3378 Pickton, TX 75471. Stop by and experience the joy of the season, in a unique way.  

There are multiple drive through light displays in North Texas. Where you want to go and how far you want to drive will determine which ones you take advantage of. Tyler has the Tyler Lights, and the cost is $20 per car.  Grand Prairie has been hosting Prairie Lights for many years and is probably one of the best drive through light displays that I have ever seen. There is something for the whole family to see and talk about during this display. There are multiple ways to see the lights, $50 per vehicle or you can grab a fast past and skip the line, and select at time for $149 per car. Carmela’s Magical Santa Land in Longview, Texas is another great option for the whole family. Located at 6085 Hwy 259 North, Longview, this is fun for the whole family, and they only request that you make a donation. They are open Sunday – Thursday from 5:30 – 10 p. m. and Friday – Saturday from 5:30 – 11 p. m. There is no excuse to not see the lights at Carmela’s they have hours that you can visit after dinner and enjoy a driving and walking the trail. 

The Dallas Arboretum does an amazing job of decorating for the holiday season. Their 12 days of Christmas Display is a wonder to see and fun for the whole family. The display is open to the public November 9 – January 5 from 9 a. m. - 5 p. m. Grab your tickets and select your day to enjoy this piece of holiday fun. Tickets range from $12 – 20 per person.  

If you are looking for a colder adventure for the family, then be sure to check out ICE at the Gaylord. This year’s theme at the Texas location is How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Grab your blue coat and wander through the ICE as you discover how much fun the cold can be. Be sure to take a trip down the slide and enjoy being a kid again. Ticket for ICE are $28.99 for adult (12+), $19.99 for child. This is an adventure the whole family can enjoy.  

To make the holiday season a little more fun, we like to do a drive through town scavenger hunt where everyone can participate. You can make your scavenger hunt into bingo and give our prizes or treats. Or just see who can collect the most items. If you have multiple drivers, this could be fun as groups who go out separately and come back after a certain amount of time. Either way, there are multiple ways to enjoy the lights and decorations this holiday season. We hope that you and your family find many fun and exciting ways to celebrate the lights and décor of the holiday season.