CHRISTMAS IN TEXAS

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Santa on his Texas Longhorn.Christmas in Texas is an eclectic mix of ethnic traditions. 

The Texas cowboy is celebrated during the Christmas season with wreaths of barbed wire centered around an old boot. Wreaths of cactus pads strung together celebrate the Texas desert. Longhorns pull Santa's sleigh, replacing Rudolph and the other Reindeer..

The Mexican connection to Texas is represented by many things, like tamales and menudo and luminarias. The Texas love of barbecue, at Christmas, makes as many smoked turkeys as roasted birds. The Cajun influence from Southeast Texas brought Fried Turkey to the rest of Texas. Citrus from the Rio Grande Valley and pecaBelns from Central and East Texas are found all over America and the world during Christmas.

The Holiday Trail of Lights covers 6 cities in 2 states, Marshall, Kilgore and Jefferson in Texas, plus Shreveport, Bossier City and Natchitoches in Louisiana.

TEXAS 
CHRISTMAS FESTIVALS

Austin
 6th Street Downtown
Victorian Christmas on 6th Street

Holiday celebrations with a turn of the century Victorian flavor, with handmade arts and crafts, Christmas carolers, choirs, and handbells in a Christmas Village. Indians & Mountain Men, falconry exhibit, a petting zoo, pony rides, barbershop quartets, banjo groups, fiddlers, and much more. 

Austin
Texas Student Union University of Texas
Madrigal Dinner

Acapella music and an unforgettable meal with Medieval comedy. A University of Texas holiday tradition. 

Belton
Old Fashion Christmas in Belton

Join us for a fun day in downtown Belton on the second Saturday of December at 10:00 to 7:00pm. Santa, Clowns, Gospel groups, vintage cars, Hay rides, Kiddie Korral, carolers, Teddy Bear Parade at 5pm. Lots of food and vendor. A fun day for all.

Canton
Winter Wonderland

 Festival of Trees, held in Canton, Texas. The old Plaza Theaters turns into a winter wonderland for 23 magical days. All decorated trees are donated by local businesses and clubs and are available for silent auction throughout the event. For more information call the Canton Chamber of Commerce 803 567-2991 Free of charge.

Also Western Swing Christmas Ball, Saturday De 12th 7:30 to midnight $20 at the door. Canton Civic Center.

Canton, Texas annual Lighted Christmas Parade around the square downtown.

Cleburne
Whistle Stop Christmas Lights

The annual festival begins with a Christmas parade in downtown Cleburne. After the parade head out to Hulen Park where there will be 11 acres with more than 3 million Christmas lights. Plus, train rides, fire truck rides and hayrides and more.

College Station
Santa's Wonderland

Millions of lights in this drive-through Texas Christmas experience. Eco-friendly lights using L.E.D. lighting. You can drive yourself through Santa's Wonderland or park your car and walk into Santa's Town where you hop on a hayride to tour through the trail of lights. If you get hungry you'll find something to eat at Santa's Cafe.

Columbus
Christmas on the Colorado

A low key, relaxing approach to the holidays in the little Texas town of Columbus.. The weekend opens on Thursday with Veva Vonler and Bob Huffaker discussing the role of the media in Texas movies. On Friday, a candlelight tour of homes, then Saturday, a craft and retail fair with caroling and other holiday performances. At 11:30 attend an author's panel luncheon at the Stafford Opry House with local author, Herman Brune. Later at the Opera House, attend Country Christmas with the Columbus Opry.

Denton
Holiday Fun Fest
First Thursday After Thanksgiving

At Denton's Holiday Lighting Festival thousands gather at the Courthouse on the Square to see the Christmas lights turned on and watch the annual tree lighting ceremony. Santa will be there with the Grammy winning local band, Brave Combo, playing polka music.

Fort Worth
Festival of Lights

The Festival of Lights Parade starts at 6 pm at Belknap and Taylor Streets. The prime viewing area is Sundance Square where you can also watch the lighting of the Fort Worth Christmas tree after the parade. The tree is a 56 feet tall Colorado Spruce.

Galveston
Dickens OnThe Strand

Dickens on the Strand celebrates the holiday in Victorian London style. Beefeaters and bobbies, food and entertainment provides a jolly old holiday where you'll mingle with Dickens' characters, including Queen Victoria.

Granbury
"Night of Lights" Country Christmas Celebration

This is the day Santa arrives in Granbury. Illuminated floats move along a parade route lit by candles. The parade starts at 7 pm. The Historic District of downtown Granbury will by bright with a lighting spectacular. There will be music and all the store will stay open late.

Grapevine
Christmas Capital of Texas

Historic Grapevine goes all out for Christmas. Millions of lights, huge decorations, animated characters. Plus a lot of great shopping. Grapevine has multiple events during Christmas. 

Grand Prairie
Prairie Lights
Lynn Creek Park

Prairie Lights is a Christmas Lighting Extravaganza. We have seen this one and it is a spectacle. Over 3 millions lights along a 2 miles drive with more than 600 individual displays in all sorts of shapes. The finale of the drive is the largest light tunnel in Texas. Go to the website for directions, admission fees and to read about the attractions other than the drive, such as the Holiday Magic Theater and Holiday Village.

Hill Country Regional Lighting Trail

The Texas Hill Country towns of Boerne, Burnet, Dripping Springs, Fredericksburg, Goldthwaite, Johnson City, Llano, Marble Falls, New Braunfels, Round Mountain and Wimberley are all part of the Hill Country Lighting Trail. Each town has dazzling light displays. Each of the towns has its own separate events in addition to being part of the Lighting Trail, such as New Braunfel's Santa's Ranch, a drive-through Christmas Light Park with over a million lights. 

Jefferson
Christmas Candlelight Tour of Homes

Tour of homes in Jefferson's historic district, decorated in the finest holiday tradition.

Johnson City
LBJ National Historical Park
Christmas at the LBJ Boyhood Home

Relive LBJ's 1920s boyhood small town Texas Christmas. On December 10th, you can also experience a frontier Christmas in the 1860's at the Johnson cabin.

Johnson City
LBJ National Historical Park
Christmas Tree Lighting and Evening Ranch Tours

Tree lighting and decorations on the LBJ ranch and Christmas at a German farm.

Marlin
A Marlin Christmas
Marlin City Website

Christmas parade, historic church tour, historic cemetery tour, sampling of natural mineral waters, six historic homes decorated for Christmas, a hospitality house with wassail and cookies, a Christmas Gospel sing after the Home Tour and a charity luncheon to benefit Meals on Wheels.  For more info contact Kathy Sartor 254-803-2239.

Marshall Texas
Wonderland of Lights

The community of Marshall, Texas joined together to create a holiday extravaganza called Wonderland of Lights. The festival begins the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving and runs through December 31st.  Today, this festival rivals any Christmas lighting scene in the country, with over 10 million lights.

McKinney
Dickens of a Christmas

Downtown McKinney's #1 festival. This is an old-fashioned Victorian themed festival with horse drawn carriages, strolling carolers, Santa, a Christmas tree lighting, Christmas music, food and more.

San Angelo
Ft. Concho NHL 630 S. Oakes St.
Christmas at Old Fort Concho

A celebration of western heritage at the 40-acre, 24-building historic fort. Includes living history camps, children's activities, shopping, entertainment, special displays and exhibits.

San Antonio River Walk at La Villita
International Accordion Festival

At the Annual International Accordion Festival you'll hear a wide range of accordion music and more from around the world. You'll be able to participate in informal workshops, jam sessions, open mics and presentations and talk with master artists about their music.

San Antonio
San Antonio New World Wine & Food Festival

This Festival showcases the Alamo City’s finest restaurants and chefs--as well as celebrity guests from Mexico, Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and all over Texas--as it celebrates San Antonio as a top notch wine and food destination as well as an important culinary and cultural gateway to Mexico and the rest of Latin America. 

San Antonio River Walk
Ford Holiday River Parade & Lighting Ceremony

The Annual Holiday River Parade & Lighting Ceremony begins at 7:00p.m. with the ceremonial "Pulling of the Switch" lighting up over 122,000 twinkling lights, suspended in the trees along world famous San Antonio River Walk. Following the lighting ceremony, there is a one-hour parade along San Antonio's River Walk featuring decorated and illuminated floats with celebrities, bands and wildly-costumed participants. The Ford Holiday River Parade & Lighting ceremony is the official kickoff to the Paseo Del Rio Holiday Festival.

San Antonio River Walk
FORD Fiesta de las Luminarias

Experience Christmas on the River Walk as you stroll along the banks of the San Antonio River lit by more than 2,500 luminarias. Warmly glowing candles in sand filled bags line the walkways to symbolically mark the "lighting of the way" for the Holy Family. This centuries old tradition begins at dusk Friday, Saturday & Sunday only.

San Antonio San Antonio River Walk Extension
TexasHoliday Arts & Crafts Sho

Local and regional artists, craftsmen, and jewelers sell handcrafted, original designs, holiday gifts. Located along the River Walk Extension near the Chamber of Commerce, this Arts & Crafts Show offers some of the most unique hand made products available.

Richmond
10215 FM 762
Campfire Christmas

George Ranch hosts a holiday celebration that includes a traditional Texas meal, wagon rides, caroling and campfires, and tours of the George Ranch homes. Travel through the park on a hay wagon, and visit the Jones Stock Farm, decked out in Christmas 1830s-style, where the family will be gathered by candlelight to sing carols and tell stories. Join the ranch's cowboys around the campfire to toast the season and its blessings.

Texarkana
Twice as Bright Festival of Lights
Day after Thanksgiving through January 2

Thousands of lights decorate downtown Texarkana. In addition to the lights there are horse and carriage rides, plus live reindeer.

Texas Hill Country
Holiday Wine Trail

Visit trail wineries full of Christmas Spirit with wine for gifts, parties and special dinners. With your registration confirmed and ticket in hand, you will collect a dated ornament, specially chosen and often handcrafted, at each Trail Winery. 

Tomball
German Christmas Market “Weihnachtsmarkt Texas Style”
“Second Saturday & Sunday in December”
Sat 10 am – 9 pm * Sun 10 am – 6 pm
Tomball, Texas, Old Town near the historical Train Depot Plaza, 201 S. Elm 

Free Admission and No Parking Fees. Herzlich Willkommen! You do not have to be German to enjoy this festival. Come and enjoy the family-friendly ambience - Gemütlichkeit - of this unique music/street festival and open air market along with antique shops in the old town area.

Waxahachie
Bethlehem Revisited
402 N. College St.

Walk the streets of ancient Bethlehem, recreated to look like they did the night Jesus was born, complete with live animals and over 150 costumed characters with artisan demonstrations. Free Admission

Wimberley

The Wimberley Merchants Association would like to invite you to join us on for the Winter’s Eve Festival on the Wimberley Square. Enjoy two stages of live entertainment, gourmet food booths, including wine and beer. Santa will be arriving around 7:00 pm and over 90 shops around the Wimberley Square will be open for holiday shopping. This is a free event for the family. The Wimberley Square will be adorned with holiday lighting as well. Come to the Texas Hill Country for an enchanting holiday event! For more information 

If you know of a Texas Christmas Festival that needs to be on the list let us know.

Visit our Eyes on Texas Blog to share
 info about Christmas Festivals in Texas

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