101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in the Twin Cities
KidsOutAndAbout big list of 2025 holiday events list for the Minneapolis - St. Paul area. Christmas concerts, lights, trees, nativities, and more. . . plus activities for Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve.
The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, and please keep in mind that events could be canceled... so click through to make arrangements. Enjoy the holidays!
If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Mindy Mangan at mindy@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!
If you don't already receive our free weekly e-newsletter for the Twin Cities, sign up today to make sure you're in the know about free stuff, festivals, classes, camps, vacation ideas, and all the best events near you! In the meantime, enjoy the ideas below for holiday family fun!
Below are even more holiday events that have been posted to our calendar by local organizations. If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there... it's free to post! Click here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!
Crayola Experience at Mall of America
Deck the halls with tons of COLOR! From Nov. 1 – Dec. 31, come enjoy holiday fun the Crayola way! Complete a seasonal scavenger hunt, pose in holiday photo-ops, and make handmade gifts from the heart as you create a Pop-Up Greeting Card for someone special, paint one-of-a-kind Holiday Ornaments to add some festive flair to your home, mold a Penguin Friend with Model Magic to bring holiday cheer, and write a Letter to Santa with all the nice things you’ve done this year. All included with general admission.
Holiday Happenings in the Minneapolis - St. Paul area for 2025
Santa Sightings
| Nov 16 - Dec 24, 2025 | The Santa Experience - The Mall of America |
| Nov 20, 2025 - Jan 4, 2025 | GLOW Holiday Festival - CHS Feild |
| Nov 21 - Dec 24, 2025 (select dates) | Visits with Santa - Northtown Mall Burlinton Court |
| Nov 21 - Dec 24, 2025 | It's Santa Photo Time - Southdale Center |
| Nov 22, 2025 | Holiday Walk in the Woods - The Woods Gifts |
| Nov 26, 2025 | Winter Lighting Ceremony with Santa & Mrs. Claus - Nicollet Commons Park |
| Nov 27 - Dec 7, 2025 (select dates) | Santa Visits - Pinestead Tree Farm |
| Nov 28 - Dec 23, 2025 (select dates) | Cookies with Santa - Big Rock Creek |
| Dec 5 - 7, 11 - 14, 2025 | North Pole Express - Friends of the 261 |
| Dec 6 - 21, 2025 (select dates) | Santa's Train Shop - Minnesota Transportation Museum |
| Dec 7, 2025 | Christmas Family Adventure - Oak Hill Church |
| Dec 7, 2025 | Caring Santa - Southdale Center |
| Dec 14, 2025 | Santa Breakfast - St. John Vianney Church |
| Dec 14, 2025 | Skate with Santa - Doug Woog Arena |
Old-Time Christmas
| Nov 28 - Dec 28, 2025 | Christmas at the Lighthouse - Split Rock Lighthouse |
| Nov 28 - Dec 21, 2025 | European Christmas Market - Union Depot |
| Nov 29, 2025 | Julglädje (Christmas Joy) Concert - American Swedish Institute |
| Nov 29 - Dec 30, 2025 | Holiday Season Sleigh Rides - Forest History Center |
| Dec 6, 2025 | Ham Lake Hometown Holiday - Crosstown Mall |
| Dec 6, 7,13, 14, 2025 | Christmas in the Village - Dakota City |
| Dec 13, 2025 | Christmas Celebration - The Pond House |
Light Displays
| Nov 13, 2025 - Jan 1, 2026 | Festival of Trees - Mall of America |
| Nov 15, 2025 - Jan 4, 2026 | Winter Wonderland - The Fair on 4 |
| Nov 20 - Dec 31, 2025 | Winter Lights - Minnesota Landscape Arboretum |
| Nov 20, 2025 - Jan 4, 2026 | Glow Holiday Festival - CHS Field |
| Nov 21, 2025 - Jan 3, 2026 | Magic of Lights - Viking Lakes |
| Nov 22 - Dec 27, 2025 | Bentleyville Tour of Lights Bayfront Park |
| Nov 27 - Dec 25, 2025 | Sever's Holiday Lights - Shakopee |
| Nov 28, 2025 - Jan 3, 2026 | Miracle at Big Rock - Big Rock Creek |
| Nov 29 - 30, 2025 | Lighting Festival - Taylors Falls |
| Nov 29, 2025 | Holiday Tree Lighting - 50th & France |
| Dec 5 - 28, 2025 (select dates) | Holiday Lights Tour- Gray Line Minnesota |
| Dec 6, 2025 | Tree Lighting & Movie Night - Union Depot |
| Dec 6, 2025 | Anoka Tree Lighting Celebration - Downtown Anoka |
| Dec 6 - 31, 2025 (select dates) | Merry & Bright Holiday Light Ride - Minneapolis Trolley |
Holiday Theatre
| Nov 4, 2025 - Feb 7, 2026 | Irving Berlin’s White Christmas - Chanhassen Dinner Theatres |
| Nov 5, 2025 - Jan 5, 2026 | How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Children’s Theatre Company |
| Nov 8 - Dec 28, 2025 | A Christmas Carol - Guthrie Theater |
| Nov 13, 2025 - Jan 17, 2026 | The Chaos of the Bells - Dudley Riggs Theatre |
| Nov 26 - Dec 7, 2025 | Twas the Night Before...by Cirque du Soleil - Northrop |
| Nov 28 - Dec 31, 2025 | Dashing Through the Snow Plows - Chanhassen Dinner Theatres |
| Dec 6 - 14, 2025 | Continental Ballet Company: The Nutcracker - BloomingtonCenter for Arts |
| Dec 12 - 13, 2025 | Nutcracker! Magic Christmas Ballet - Orpheum Theatre |
| Dec 13 - 21, 2025 | Loyce Houlton's Nutcracker Fantasy - State Theatre |
| Dec 13 - 15, 2025 | Betty Jo’s Dance Center: The Nutcracker - Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center |
| Dec 17 - 29, 2025 | Celtic Holiday Hooley - Chanhassen Dinner Theatres |
| Dec 21 - 23, 2025 | Christmas on The Prairie - Fireside Theatre |
Holiday Concerts
Christmas Tree Experience
| Open Nov 20, 2025 (Reservations only) | Krueger's Christmas Trees - Lake Elmo |
| Open Nov 21, 2025 | Hansen Tree Farm - Ramsey |
| Open Nov 22, 2025 | Jan's Christmas Tree Farm - Clear Lake |
| Open Nov 22, 2025 | Cut Your Own Christmas Trees - Rum River Tree Farm |
| Open Nov 22, 2025 | B & J Evergreen - Princeton |
| Open Nov 22, 2025 | Pinestead Tree Farms - Isanti |
Hanukkah
| Dec 14, 2025 | Hanukkah Lighting on 50th |
| Dec 14, 2025 | Hanukkah Handmade Market |
| Dec 14, 2025 | Festival of Lights & Shopping Delights: Chanukah Storytime and Celebration - PJ Library |
| Dec 18, 2025 | Hanukkah Party - JCRC |
| Dec 18, 2025 | A Very Funky Hanukkah Show - The Cedar Cultural Center |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| Nov 1 - Dec 21, 2025 | Field and Festival Holiday Market - Wagner's Garden Center |
| Nov 8 - 20, 2025 (select dates) | A Handmade Holiday Market - Bruhhaven Craft Co. |
| Nov 22, 29, Dec 6, 2025 | MN Christmas Market - Union Depot |
| Nov 28 - Dec 21, 2025 | European Christmas Market - Union Depot |
| Nov 29, 2025 | Small Business Saturday - Miracle Market |
| Nov 29, 2025 | Christmas in the Valley - A' maze'n Farmyard |
| Nov 29 - Dec 21, 2025 | Rosemount Christmas Craft & Gift Show 2024- Hope Fieldhouse |
| Dec 5 - 7, 2025 | Holiday Bazaar - Landmark Center |
| Dec 5 - 7, 2025 | Auxillary Holiday Sale - Minnesota Landscape Arboretum |
| Dec 6 - 7, 2025 | Holiday Craft Fair - Roseville City Hall |
| Dec 13 - 14, 2025 | Nicollet Island Winter Market - Nicollet Island Pavilion |
| Dec 20, 2025 | Shop Last Minute Saturday - Miracle Market |
New Year's Eve
Miscellaneous
| Nov 1 - Dec 31, 2025 | Handmade Holidays - Crayola Experience at Mall of America |
| Nov 21, 2025 - Jan 3, 2026 | Gingerbread Wonderland - Norway House |
| Dec 13, 2025 | Reindeer Run - Lake Harriet |
Christmas Tree Farms
Do you cut your own Christmas tree? Here's our big list of farms where you can cut your own Christmas tree in our area.
Subscription Boxes: Gifts That Keep on Giving
Send thoughtful choices to the ones you love near and far, and plan some excellent expected surprises for your own family in the months to come. KidsOutAndAbout has put together of some of our favorite choices with a range for all different ages and interests.
