Holiday scene

Houston Christmas Guide 2024

Houston's Best Christmas Events for 2024!

Last updated February 18, 2025.

From the dazzling Houston Zoo Lights to the iconic River Oaks Christmas displays, H-town transforms into a festive playground during the holiday season. The Space City's unique blend of traditions includes everything from catching the Trans-Siberian Orchestra to experiencing Snow Glow on the Bayou.

Whether you're heading to the Wortham Theater for 'A Christmas Carol' or taking the family to breakfast with Santa at Downtown Aquarium, Houston's holiday celebrations merge Texas-sized hospitality with Gulf Coast charm. The George R. Brown Convention Center and Memorial City Mall add their own Bayou City flair.

Explore our Space City holiday guide below!

When is Christmas? Thursday, December 25th, 2025

Houston Holiday Light Displays

Houston Zoo Lights

Zoo Lights at the Houston Zoo is a spectacular holiday light display featuring a myriad of enchanting attractions, including a 33-foot-tall color-changing tree, a canopy of twinkling flowers and butterflies, and the legendary Coca Cola bear. The event offers various special events such as Member Preview Nights, VIP Experience Nights, Sensory Friendly Night, and Special Discount Nights. Additionally, there is an adult-only experience called Sip and Sparkle, which allows attendees to stroll through the zoo while sampling wine and enjoying sparkling photo ops.

Details:

  • 📅 Dates: November 22 - January 5, 2025
  • ⏰ Time: 5:30 PM - 10:30 PM daily
  • 🏛️ Venue: Houston Zoo
  • 📍 Address: 6200 Hermann Park Drive

Magical Winter Lights

Magical Winter Lights is a spectacular holiday light display featuring over 60 lantern displays, each crafted using Chinese lantern-making techniques. The festival spans multiple themed sections, including The Kingdom, The Village, Dinosaur Kingdom, Houston, The Space, The Ice, and The Sea. Guests can explore life-size dinosaurs, ice sculptures, and vibrant sea life while enjoying carnival rides, live performances, and festive food. This event is a celebration of diversity and culture, making it a unique holiday experience.

Details:

  • 📅 Dates: November 15 - January 5, 2025
  • ⏰ Time: (See website for times)
  • 🏛️ Venue: Fort Bend County Fairgrounds
  • 📍 Address: Not specified

River Oaks Christmas Lights

River Oaks Christmas Lights in Houston features millions of twinkling lights adorning the sprawling estates around the neighborhood, transforming them into illuminated castles and glistening gingerbread houses. The air vibrates with festive cheer as visitors take a self-guided tour or go around with Mister McKinney's Historic Houston River Oaks Christmas Lights Tour. Each homeowner has poured their heart and soul into their creation, resulting in a diverse array of festive tableaux, from traditional nativity scenes to whimsical snow globes and fantastical creatures.

Details:

Houston Space Center Galaxy Lights

Houston Space Center Galaxy Lights is a technologically advanced light display featuring hundreds of thousands of LED lights, 3D projections, and interactive exhibits. The event includes two high-tech kinetic light shows with suspended lights moving in precise choreographed sequences to music above the Main Plaza. Visitors can explore the solar system through massive planetary models and walk through a 200-foot LED light tunnel synchronized to festive holiday music. The display also includes a 35-foot-tall shooting star installation, shimmering globes illustrating the planets, and a towering Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lift booster display.

Details:

  • 📅 Dates: November 11 - January 7
  • ⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM daily
  • 🏛️ Venue: Space Center Houston
  • 📍 Address: 1601 NASA Parkway, Houston, TX

City Lights

City Lights Downtown Holiday Magic is an annual event featuring spectacular lights, festive activities, live entertainment, and more enjoyment for adults and kids alike. The event includes 12 uniquely themed villages with dazzling Christmas trees, ice skating, and countless lights illuminating the scene. Visitors can enjoy various activities such as ice skating at Discovery Green, stunning Christmas trees, and gorgeous photo stations.

Details:

  • 📅 Dates: December 1 - December 31, 2024
  • ⏰ Time: (See website for times)
  • 🏛️ Venue: Downtown Houston
  • 📍 Address: View on map

Snow Glow on the Bayou

Snow Glow on the Bayou is a digital, immersive light and sound spectacular projected onto a 4-story tall, 6-story wide water screen in Downtown Houston. The event can be experienced from multiple vantage points, including the bayou's banks or trails, or on a Holiday Cruise boat tour operated by Buffalo Bayou Partnership. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs, and thermoses of hot cocoa for a unique holiday experience.

Details:

Dasher’s Light Show

Dasher’s Light Show in Houston is a one-mile-long Christmas drive-through featuring over a million sparkling lights synchronized to festive music. The event includes various holiday decorations, Christmas characters, and a fun-filled activity park called Winterland. Guests can enjoy light tunnels, gigantic Christmas trees, snowmen, and acres of land decorated with thousands of lights.

Details:

Winter Wonderlawn

Winter Wonderlawn at POST Houston is a holiday light display featuring thousands of beautifully illuminated lights and festive decor, including a 25-foot Christmas tree and multiple holiday-themed activations, all set against the backdrop of the downtown Houston skyline.

Details:

  • 📅 Dates: November 1 - January 11, 2025
  • ⏰ Time: 11 am - 9 pm Sunday through Wednesday, 11 am - 10 pm Thursday through Saturday
  • 🏛️ Venue: POST Houston
  • 📍 Address: 401 Franklin St Houston TX 77201

Market Street in Lights

Market Street in Lights is a festive holiday event featuring a 70-foot-tall Christmas tree illuminated with thousands of lights. The tree is synchronized to holiday music, creating a dazzling display that attracts visitors nightly. The event includes a festive atmosphere with local performers and special guests, making it a popular holiday destination.

Details:

  • 📅 Dates: November 21 - December 31, 2024
  • ⏰ Time: 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM daily
  • 🏛️ Venue: Market Street in The Woodlands
  • 📍 Address: The Woodlands Town Center

Holiday Lights at Memorial Park

Holiday Lights at Memorial Park features a festive spectacle with lights and lanterns throughout the half-mile Promenade. Guests can walk the natural surface pedestrian path encircling nine acres of open space, native plantings, and habitat. The event includes a one-of-a-kind Holiday tree on Bowden Terrace lit against Hines Lake.

Details:

Sugar Plum Plaza

Sugar Plum Plaza is a festive holiday event located outside Wortham Theater Center. The plaza transforms into a vibrant holiday destination featuring a beautifully crafted Santa's Sleigh and giant, interactive gift boxes. Visitors can enjoy live music, holiday-themed crafts, and sweet indulgences like cookies and cocoa. The event also includes a life-sized Gingerbread House and a 30-foot Christmas tree adorned with over 19,000 twinkling lights. The Sugar Plum Fairy herself will light the tree at precisely 12 NOON, creating a visual treat that leaves visitors spellbound.

Details:

Dickinson Festival of Lights

The Dickinson Festival of Lights is a walk-thru event at Paul Hopkins Park featuring twinkling lights, festive displays, and family-friendly activities. Visitors can enjoy free admission, parking, and shuttle service. The event includes opportunities to take pictures with Santa, explore a 22-foot tall Christmas tree with over 1,600 lights, and participate in various holiday activities.

Details:

Peppermint Plaza

Peppermint Plaza at Avenida Houston transforms into a festive holiday destination with gorgeously festooned Christmas trees displayed in the Grand Holiday Window at the George R. Brown Convention Center. The area also features unique and remarkably decorated holiday trees, adding to the festive ambiance. Holiday-themed live musical performances take place every Saturday evening, enhancing the festive atmosphere.

Details:

Deck The Trees

Deck The Trees is an annual holiday event at the Alley Theatre and George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, featuring 40 stunning trees and wreaths artistically adorned by renowned designers. This festive holiday tradition celebrates Houston's arts and culture with a mix of whimsical, cultural, traditional, and eclectic tree designs. The event complements the Alley’s yearly holiday classic, A Christmas Carol, on the theatre stage.

Details:

  • 📅 Dates: November 16, 2024 - January 1, 2025
  • ⏰ Time: (See website for times)
  • 🏛️ Venue: Alley Theatre and George R. Brown Convention Center
  • 📍 Address: View on map

George R. Brown Convention Center Holiday Display

The George R. Brown Convention Center Holiday Display features a festive holiday tree exhibition with 40 stunning trees and wreaths adorned by renowned designers. This event complements the Alley Theatre's holiday classic, A Christmas Carol, and offers a joyful atmosphere celebrating Houston's arts and culture.

Details:

Houston Holiday Shows and Entertainment

Beyoncé's Christmas Day Halftime Performance

Beyoncé's Christmas Day Halftime Performance was a spectacular display of her vocal prowess and star power. The show, dubbed the 'Beyoncé Bowl,' featured a tribute to Western and Rodeo culture, with Beyoncé riding a white horse into the stadium to open her set with '16 Carriages.' She was joined by several special guests, including Mexican cowgirl Melanie Rivera and bull-riding legend Myrtis Dightman. The performance included first-time performances of songs from her album *Cowboy Carter*, as well as covers of classic tracks like 'Blackbird' and 'Jolene.' Post Malone also joined Beyoncé on stage for a duet of 'Levii's Jeans.' The show culminated with Beyoncé performing 'Texas Hold 'Em' live for the first time, line dancing alongside her daughter Blue Ivy Carter.

Details:

The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker in Houston is a holiday show featuring Stanton Welch's choreography, including numerous roles for children. The production includes stunning set designs and costumes, with a cast of 223 characters. It is a celebration of ballet with classical movement and physical comedy, showcasing the talents of the Houston Ballet company.

Details:

  • 📅 Dates: (See website for dates)
  • ⏰ Time: (See website for times)
  • 🏛️ Venue: Wortham Theater Center
  • 📍 Address: 501 Texas Ave

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Lost Christmas Eve Tour

Trans-Siberian Orchestra's 'The Lost Christmas Eve' tour in Houston features a spectacular blend of heart-pounding rock, breathtaking visuals, and enchanting seasonal melodies. The show is a Christmas adventure that combines storytelling with music, creating an immersive experience. The tour includes songs from 'The Lost Christmas Eve' album alongside other holiday classics, all set against a backdrop of pyrotechnics, lasers, and elaborate lighting.

Details:

A Christmas Carol at Wortham Theater

A Christmas Carol at Wortham Theater in Houston is a classic adaptation of Charles Dickens' novella. The production features Ebenezer Scrooge's transformation as he encounters the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. The show is set in Victorian England with dazzling costumes and stunning sets, bringing the Dickensian world to life. It is a heartwarming holiday tradition that explores themes of love, redemption, and the true spirit of Christmas.

Details:

The Night Shift before Christmas at Wortham Theater

The Night Shift Before Christmas is an adult holiday comedy at the Alley Theatre, where Margot navigates her Christmas Eve shift at a drive-thru until her late best friend's ghost warns her of imminent spirits. The show is packed with humor and heart as Margot confronts her inner Scrooge.

Details:

  • 📅 Dates: December 5 – December 29, 2024
  • ⏰ Time: (See website for times)
  • 🏛️ Venue: Alley Theatre
  • 📍 Address: 615 Texas Avenue

Carols on the Green

Carols on the Green is a family-friendly holiday event featuring a program of opera, holiday hits, mariachi, and more. The event includes performances by company favorite Vanessa Alonzo, the University of Houston Mariachi Pumas band, Indigo Diaspora Dance Company, Segundo Barrio Children’s Chorus, members of HGO’s Butler Studio program and Bauer Family High School Voice Studio, and the HGO Chorus.

Details:

Houston Holiday Giving Opportunities

Super Feasts City Wide Club

The Super Feasts City Wide Club in Houston provides a comprehensive holiday event aimed at serving thousands of people in need. The event offers hot meals, food baskets, haircuts, clothing, toys, and assistance in finding jobs or a place to live. It also includes a 'grab n' go' line for pre-packed boxes and brown bags containing non-perishable items, frozen turkeys, and other essentials.

Details:

Houston Other Holiday Activities

The Christmas Train

The Christmas Train in Alvin, Texas, is a unique holiday event featuring an open-air train ride through thousands of holiday lights and festive displays. The train travels through a beautifully decorated landscape, including colorful gingerbread villages, penguin snow lands, and life-size storybook illustrations. After the ride, visitors can enjoy the Great Elf Show, take photos with Santa, and explore the nativity story area. The event also includes a gingerbread village, coffee and treats, and holiday fun photos. Big Al's Pizza and Java offer a variety of food and beverage options, while the Victory Camp Gift Shop provides souvenirs and unique Christmas items.

Details:

  • 📅 Dates: Every December
  • ⏰ Time: (See website for times)
  • 🏛️ Venue: Victory Camp
  • 📍 Address: View on map

Breakfast with Santa & The Grinch at The Woodlands Resort

Breakfast with Santa & The Grinch at The Woodlands Resort offers a festive meal where guests can meet Santa and The Grinch amidst a Whoville-themed setting. The event features a cold station with fresh juice and overnight oats, as well as a hot station with eggs, bacon, rosemary roasted potatoes, and buttermilk biscuits with gravy. There is also an omelet station and pancake bar available. This event is perfect for families looking to create lasting holiday memories.

Details:

Memorial City Mall Holiday Festivities

Memorial City Mall transforms into a holiday destination with festive events, family activities, and seasonal surprises. The mall features a Santa's Workshop where children can share their wishes and snap a keepsake photo. An ice rink offers family fun or cozy skate nights with friends. The area is adorned with sparkling lights, dazzling decorations, and unique holiday setups for picture-perfect moments. Live music and holiday performances add to the festive atmosphere, along with surprise delights.

Details:

Breakfast with Santa at the Aquarium

Breakfast with Santa at the Downtown Aquarium in Houston offers a festive breakfast alongside Santa Claus. The event includes a delicious breakfast buffet and the opportunity to dine with Santa and the aquarium's mascot, Sharkey. Additionally, guests can enjoy exhibit discounts and other holiday activities.

Details:

Santa Photo Experience

Santa Photo Experience in Houston offers various locations where families can take photos with Santa Claus. These events range from free community gatherings to paid professional photo sessions. Some popular spots include The Galleria, where Santa's arrival marks the beginning of the holiday season, and Sugar Land Town Square, which provides complimentary photos every Saturday leading up to Christmas. Other venues like the Lone Star Flight Museum and Downtown Aquarium offer unique experiences, including Santa's arrival by plane and swimming with the fish. These events often combine photo opportunities with festive activities like breakfast with Santa, holiday markets, and live music.

Details:

Jingle Town

Jingle Town is a holiday event located in Lynn Wyatt Square, featuring interactive Yuletide installations including giant Christmas-card-ready photo frames, interactive Christmas trees that play music, and Santa's sleigh. The event offers a variety of activities for families to enjoy during the holiday season.

Details:

Signature Santa Experience

The Signature Santa Experience in Houston offers a luxurious and personalized encounter with Santa Claus. Families can enjoy a private, 15-minute session with Santa, which includes a premium photo session, story time with Santa reading 'The Night Before Christmas,' and a holiday keepsake book. Additionally, participants receive a special holiday frame and a personalized message from Santa. This package also includes complimentary holiday greeting cards from Shutterfly.

Details:

Land of Sweets

Land of Sweets at Hilton Americas-Houston features a giant tree and myriad of lights in the lobby. The venue has crafted an indulgent Yuletide scene with a centerpiece made from nearly a literal ton of chocolate. The display includes 80,000 sparkling lights and 14-foot Champagne trees surrounded by more than 10,000 mini lights.

Details:

Hilton Americas Holiday Display

The Hilton Americas Holiday Display is a spectacular holiday event featuring a life-size chocolate-crafted holiday scene with characters from Super Mario Bros. The display is made from 1,300 pounds of dark chocolate, 1,000 pounds of white chocolate, 500 pounds of icing, 20 gallons of corn syrup, and 100 pounds of chocolate gravel. The hotel lobby is also adorned with a large Christmas tree and thousands of lights. Guests can enjoy Breakfast with Santa at the hotel's 1600 Bar + Grill and take advantage of the 'Tis the Season' package, which includes deluxe accommodations, buffet breakfast daily, a Christmas gift for the kids, and tickets to the ice rink at Discovery Green Park.

Details: