Tis the season!

Photo courtesy of www.houstontx.gov

With Thanksgiving only a few days away, there is a definate essence of the holidays starting to creep into our beloved city. Take a quick drive around the town and you’ll see subtle hints of the coming holiday season. Whether its the appearance of the large, glowing red bows atop the shops in River Oaks, the on-slaught of holiday sales being stuffed into your mailboxes, or the sudden abundance of those santa clauses that stand outside department stores ringing their bells, it is without a doubt the holiday season.

So yes, tis the season to get out and see the city in all of its lit up glory! For me there is nothing better to do during the holiday season than grabbing those that mean the most to you, bundling up (hopefully its cold out, but in Houston we’ll take cool), and taking in some holiday lighting displays. There’s something about the warm glow of Christmas lights that just infuses you with the holiday spirit!

For some holiday infusion, check out some of the holiday events going on in and around the Houston area.

1. The Uptown Holiday Lighting  – Thanksgiving Night @ 7PM – every year, the trees that line Post Oak boulevard near the Galleria light a pathway to Houston’s shopping mecca. Be there when they are lit to signify the start of the Holiday season!

2. Lights in the Heights – Dec 12th from 6-10PM – for the past 22 years, the Woodlands Heights neighborhood has been home to the “brightest” block party in Houston. These people literally block off a section of their neighborhood and let people come enjoy their elaborate Christmas decorations. The route is on the streets Euclid and Byrne. All of the crossing streets will be blocked off and there is no parking on the route so find a spot a block or so away and trek it in. Tip: Get there early because parking will become an issue.   

3. Downtown Holiday Trolleys – Begins Thanksgiving Day – I personally have not gotten to experience this holiday service yet, but am very excited about checking this out this year. Go downtown, jump on a holiday trolley and take a tour of all the holiday sights (and there are a lot) in Downtown Houston! Best Part? Its FREE!

4. The Ice @ Discovery Green – Opens Thanksgiving Day – Where else is Houston are you going to find a 7,200 square-foot outdoor ice rink? Perfect spot for a wintry date? I think so. Admission is $10 including skates. Tip: Check out these dates… Fridays to skate to music spun by DJs from Hot 95.7, Nov 28th to see the Nutcraker for free, and Nov 30th to see Houston’s best figure skaters.  

5. H-E-B Holiday Parade – Thanksgiving Morning @ 9AM – dubbed the Holiday Parade, this is Houston’s Thanksgiving Parade. The parade starts at Minute Maid Park and travels down Texas, Fannin, and Dallas.

6. Holiday Celebration at City Hall – Dec 4th @ 6PM – see the official lighting of the City Hall tree and the Houston skyline!

7. Glowarama: Illuminated Art Car Parade – Nov 28th @6PM – see crazy lit-up art car goodness in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center.

8. Snow Day – Dec12 @ noon – that’s right… snow! Go to Discovery Green this afternoon and enjoy the things northerners do every winter! Build a snowman! Have a snowball fight! Tip: I’d say get there early considering I’m not sure how smart it is to have “snow” at noon in Houston… it might not last very long.

9. Festival of Lights @ Moody Gardens– Already open 6-10PM – take a drive down to Galveston, TX and see one of the largest lighting displays in the area. Tickets are $5.95 a person.

10. Santa’s Wonderland – Open now 6-11PM – being an Aggie, I have to include this hidden gem of holiday extravaganza. Sitting on the outskirts of College Station, is this drive-thru lighting display. It’s a bit of a drive out there, but totally worth it!

Alright Houstonians and visitors alike, get out there and soak up the holiday spirit! Obviously there are several more lighting displays and holiday events going on around town. I didn’t even mention the HUGE christmas tree in the middle of the Galleria skating rink or the Pasadena Lighted Holiday Parade. So if you know of some great holiday events going on around Houston, let us know by emailing into info@myhoustonlife.com!