It’s December, which means we are officially in the Holiday season. Yay! And while last year might have been a bit of a dud when it came to fully experiencing the joy that comes with the Holiday season, this year looks to be a bit more promising. And, we couldn’t be more excited about it! (Okay, we may have already pulled out our holiday pj’s).
We’re hoping to spread that holiday joy with you…so we put together a list of fun holiday themed activities and events that you can enjoy with your friends, family, or significant other.
(Caveat: We encourage you to continue to follow CDC, State, and Local guidelines while enjoying these Holiday activities so that you can experience a happy, and healthy New Year too! For specific guidelines for each event, please visit their event website.)
Ice Skating
The large rink in Union Square is open until January 17, for ice skating. It’s a good idea to book tickets online in advance because time slots have been known to sell out.
Union Square Macy’s Great Tree Lighting
The official tree lighting ceremony took place on November 26 from 6-9pm. The tree will remain up until January 22. There will also be a Chanukah Menorah on display from November 28 through December 6.
Nutcracker Sweets
A 50-minute long adaptation of the Nutcracker that is great for younger children. It takes place at the Fort Mason Center from December 4-19.
San Francisco Fire Engine Holiday Lights Tour
This tour takes place in on a vintage Mack fire engine and takes you to multiple locations like Fisherman’s Wharf, the Embarcadero, Union Square, and Market Street.
Most Fabulous Drag Queens on Ice
Head over to Union Square Park on December 2 at 7:00 pm or 8:30 pm for this 11th annual holiday favorite. Enjoy the performance, which includes lip-syncing and skating the night away.
San Francisco Ballet: The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker ballet takes place December 10-30. Children ages 3 and over are welcome, but they recommend ages 5+. Guests 12+ must present proof of vaccination, and all under 12 who are ineligible for vaccination must present a negative test result taken within 48 hours.
San Francisco Swedish Christmas Fair
Enjoy Swedish food, mulled wine, and listen to Swedish folk music while shopping for unique crafts at St. Mary’s Cathedral on Geary Street on December 4th from 9 am – 4 pm.
Holiday Lights Love Tour
See the holiday lights of San Francisco from the view of a Volkswagen van. The van is decorated for the holidays and seats up to 6 guests for a two-hour holiday tour.
Great Dickens Christmas Fair
This year this Christmas Fair will be a drive thru activity, and some activities will be held virtually on their website.
A Christmas Carol
This year, Broadway San Francisco is offering this show at the Golden Gate Theater from November 26 through December 26. Children under 5 are not permitted.
Handel’s Messiah
The San Francisco Symphony will be performing the classic holiday music of Handel’s Messiah on Dec 10th at 7:30 pm and Dec 11th at 7:30 pm.
A Magical Cirque Christmas
A Christmas themed Cirque du Soleil performance – definitely a unique event. The show will be in town on December 30.
Winterfest at Great America in Santa Clara
Winterfest is a family-friendly event that includes live shows, the chance to bake cookies with Mrs. Claus, enjoy the snowfall in Hometown Square, and one of the largest Christmas trees in the area. The event takes place on select dates from November 26 – January 2.
San Francisco Decorated Boat Parade
Taking place December 17, 2021, 6-9 pm, the parade travels between Chrissy Field and Marina Green in San Francisco.
Christmas in the Park (San Jose)
This holiday light display can be experienced in two ways: the traditional event in downtown San Jose’s Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park and a drive through experience. The drive through experience will be held in Lake Cunningham Park. The event runs through January 9.
Fairy Winterland at Children’s Fairyland
This local theme park gets decked out in lights and culturally-diverse holiday displays from December 17 – 30, 4-7 pm. There is also a Santa-led Festival of Lights Parade at 6:30pm. Reservations are required.
We hope these activities put you in a fun, festive mood and bring you some joy this holiday season.
Happy Holidays from all of us at Intivix!