Christmas in Los Angeles: 2024 Family Events & Activities

Pretend City said:  Celebrate the magic of Las Posadas with us at Pretend City! Las Posadas is a special celebration that takes place in Mexico and other Latin American countries during the days leading up to Christmas

11am & 2:30pm

Pretend City said:  Get ready for a joyous Christmas Celebration with Santa at Pretend City! This special day is packed with holiday fun for the whole family. Christmas Celebration. Join us for a day filled with laughter, joy, and the warmth of the holiday season. Let’s make this Christmas Celebration a memorable one for you and your family! Pictures with Santa: 10 am-12pm Storytime & Movement 11 am & 2:30 pm Pop-Up Booksale: 10 am-4 pm

The Nutcracker comes to life in this magnificent ballet with beautiful sets, dazzling costumes, Tchaikovsky’s classic score, and more than 80 dancers on stage.

2pm

Hannah Scott said:  The annual Los Angeles Harbor Holiday Boat Parade features powerboats, sailboats, and harbor working craft decorated in holiday lights according to this year's theme, A Very Merry Grinchmas...Nautical or Nice.

6pm

The 65th annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration offers Angelenos of all ages the opportunity to honor the dynamic, rich cultures of the county and experience the spectacular show like never before.

3-6pm

Complete with perky elves, zany inventors, toy soldiers and porcelain dolls, audiences boo the villain, cheer the heroine, and help save the day in this delightful holiday event, perfect for the whole family! For the closing day performance at 5:30 on Sunday, December 15, surprise treat bags for the kids and cider, cookies and candy canes for everyone are included in price of admission!

Sat 2pm, Sun 12:30pm

Erynn said:  The Mission Inn Hotel and Spa kicks off the season with the Festival of Lights Switch-On Ceremony in November, but the fun lasts all the way through December. Appearances from Santa, horse drawn carriage rides, a vintage carousel, and rides (including trackless trains, spinning bears, and the Century Wheel) will make your family's visit unforgettable!

For 2021, the event will open as a self-guided holiday lighting and décor experience.

Erynn said:  A range of Christmas carols (including some sing-alongs!) will inspire good cheer.

2pm

Lucy Pollak said:  A Noise Within’s delightfully festive, musically merry stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has become a Los Angeles tradition with its innovative staging, whimsical costumes, original music and boundless good cheer.

Erynn said:  

Light up your holiday season with a visit to Six Flags Magic Mountain. Holiday in the Park features millions of dazzling lights, festive entertainment, sweet holiday treats, and, of course, your favorite thrilling coasters!

Kelly R said:  The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel invites holiday-clad surfers to participate in this annual competition at Salt Creek Beach. Prizes are distributed in different age categories for surfing and stand up paddle boarding, and for best costume! Money is raised for Surfers Healing, a surf camp for kids with autism.

Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum presents the third annual Holiday Family Faire at its spectacular outdoor venue in Topanga, where carolers, singing madrigals and other performers roam the grounds, Theatricum company members tell winter holiday stories from a variety of traditions. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available to take family photos. An artisan marketplace will offer holiday gifts and crafts, and festive food and drink will be available for purchase. Caroling with Theatricum company members and a special outdoor screening of The Muppet Christmas Carol will begin immediately after the Faire, at 5 p.m. (available with Faire admission for an additional $20, or separate admission: $25).

11am - 5pm

Erynn said:  Traverse the snow park and sled hill, participate in a toy drive, check out the Santa float, listen to some live music, and catch the fireworks show that concludes the evening. Try to arrive early for the best viewing experience!

Festivities begin at 3pm, Fireworks at 7pm

Erynn said:  Have a hankering for snow this season? Despite LA's moderate climate, snow falls every evening at The Grove, so don't miss it! Check out the stunning holiday light displays, see Santa ride the Trolley, and take care of some holiday shopping at the same time.

Daily, 7pm & 8pm

Christmas Eve 5pm, 6pm & 7pm

Susan Gordon said:  Hip & Historic Downtown Culver City is pleased to welcome its residents and neighbors to the 2022 Holiday Tree Lighting Sled-tacular, an annual beloved tradition since 2005 that has been enjoyed by thousands of attendees and participants. This year’s holiday season will be magically ushered in with a winter wonderland – 25 tons of fresh snow right at Town Plaza in Downtown Culver City! Sled-tacular begins 5pm, Tree Lighting Ceremony (show & countdown) begins 6pm.

5-8:30pm

Alexandra F. said:  This first annual winter-themed event at the Kidspace Children's Museum was a big hit with both of my boys, who enjoyed the new hands-on, interactive activities alongside permanent exhibits for climbing, building, and creating. I liked the mix of indoor and outdoor exhibits, with many opportunities to play outside. Notable new experiences for Winter Frolic include sock ice skating (for an additional $5), making "ice" sculptures with large, ice-shaped blocks, "ice-fishing" and snowflake decorating.

Based on the popular picture books about the little girl who loves to be fancy! Relaxed performances will be available.

Run Time: 1 hr 10 min (with intermission)

Gina I. said:  Yachts, boats, canoes and kayaks...if it floats, you'll likely see it covered in lights for the the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade! This popular holiday event features festively decorated boats of all shapes and sizes, with optimal viewing locations available at Marina Park. Kids will love watching fireworks on the parade's opening and closing nights.

6:30pm

Assistant to Lucy said:  The company’s signature holiday pageant has been a Los Angeles holiday tradition since 2002. Join the tens of thousands who have become transfixed by the story of Juan Diego, a simple peasant to whom the Virgin Mary appeared on four occasions in the mountains of Tepeyac near Mexico City in 1531. The cast features over 100 actors, singers and indigenous Aztec dancers as well as children and seniors from the community. Performed in Spanish with English supertitles.

lazoo said:  The Los Angeles Zoo, a Kulture City Sensory Inclusive™ Certified institution, will host a sensory-friendly L.A. Zoo Lights: Animals Aglow on Wednesday, Nov. 30. Designed for guests who thrive in a sensory-supportive environment, this evening will feature smaller crowds due to limited tickets available; quieter music volume throughout the experience; sensory bags available for checkout with noise-cancelling headphone (provided by Puro Sounds Labs), fidget tools, verbal cue cards, and weighted lap pads; opportunity to exit and reenter the event; and an online Social Story that provides a preview of what to expect while enjoying Zoo Lights. During this special evening, you can expect the same great L.A. Zoo Lights with some modifications to make it more inclusive. This is part of the L.A. Zoo's ongoing commitment to creating a space where every member of its communities is welcome.