The Holidays Come to Life in Anaheim, CA!
November and December are two of the best months to find yourself living in or visiting Southern California. The weather is gorgeous, your thoughts often turn to service and doing things for others, and it’s definitely a time for sharing with family and friends.
Things can get pretty hectic during the holidays. So take a moment to plan ahead and take part in the things that will bring you and your loved ones the most joy this year. Here are a few of our suggestions for local shows, opportunities to share, activities, and shopping destinations in and around Anaheim, CA, to put you in the holiday spirit:
Activities
Shows and Performances
Shopping
Opportunities to Share
Safe Celebration
Activities
Holiday Festival & Photos with Santa: This event hosted by Labrewdors and Friends is a holiday festival that includes photos with Santa (dogs and people), vendors, adoptable dogs, and beer! Held on December 4 from 12 to 4 p.m. at Stereo Brewing in Placentia, this event is sure to be“pup-ular” with your favorite furry friend. Learn more about this event on their events page.
Winter Fest OC: Southern California’s largest winter festival runs from November 25 through January 1. This event transforms the OC Fair & Event Center into a magical winter wonderland. Activities include ice skating, ice tubing, a holiday market, a snowboard simulator, carnival rides, and photo ops galore. You must purchase tickets beforehand. This is going to be a popular event, so get your tickets today.
Families Together of Orange County Annual Christmas Together Toy Drive: Organizers are promising that this year’s event, scheduled for December 18, will be bigger and better than ever, with 20,000—count ’em, 20,000!—toys set to be handed out. The experience includes carnival rides, games, raffles, entertainment, pictures with Santa, COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, holiday meals, and a variety of food options—all for free.
Disney’s Festival of Holidays and Merriest Nights: One can’t talk about holiday activities in Anaheim and ignore the gigantic mouse in the room. Disneyland is featuring a pair of holiday celebrations this season: Festival of Holidays and Merriest Nights. Festival of Holidays, being held at Disney California Adventure Park, is a multicultural event taking in the sights and sounds of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Three Kings Day. The festival runs from November 11 through January 8.
Ticketed separately, Merriest Nights is essentially an after-hours party on six select nights with a Mark Twain Riverboat-ton of special attractions and entertainment available. While some rides will be closed, you don’t have to worry about It’s a Small World. That attraction will be open, meaning guests will be able to keep that obnoxiously catchy theme song stuck in their minds all the way into 2023.
Shows and Performances
Disney on Ice: If you find that your kids (or you) are craving some Disney magic around the holidays, Disney on Ice is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a festive version of your favorite childhood classics. This touring production is going down at Toyota Arena in Ontario. There will be 10 shows over a span of six days (December 22–27), offering plenty of scheduling flexibility.
A Magical Cirque Christmas: Nothing says holidays in Southern California like over-the-top, high-flying acrobatics set to Christmas music. The cast of A Magical Cirque Christmas will take to the air with a dazzling array of stunts and aerials on November 25–26 at 7 p.m. at the City National Grove of Anaheim.
The Nutcracker Ballet at the Grove of Anaheim: Perish the thought of a holiday season without seeing Clara falling asleep and turning her woeful winter night into a fanciful feast, accompanied by wooden toys come to life. Come out of your shell and satisfy your Nutcracker quota this holiday season when the Anaheim Ballet performs the timeless classic in all its glory with the Irvine Symphony at the Grove at Anaheim on November 25 at 7 p.m.
Shopping
The 51st Annual Golden Candy Caneland and Craft Faire: Food and crafts booths will be in plentiful supply for holiday purchases, but there also will be games, snow slides, and a visit from Santa to divert the kids’ attention away from what you’re buying for them! The Ehlers Event Center in Buena Park is the place to be on December 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Be sure to check out the popular “Holidays Around the World” cultural booths as well.
Sugar Plum Arts and Crafts Festivals: This festival is so awesome it runs for four days! Happening in downtown Buena Park, the festival features homemade crafts, unique holiday and home decor, garden accessories, clothing, jewelry, food items, and fine arts by more than 150 vendors.
Anaheim GardenWalk: More than just a shopping center, Anaheim GardenWalk offers 430,000-square-feet of outdoor entertainment. From shops and restaurants to exciting entertainment like escape rooms and an AMC theatre, there’s something for every person to enjoy—and the perfect gift waiting to be bought for that special someone.
Opportunities to Share
Volunteer with The Salvation Army: The Salvation Army wants you to ring someone’s bell this holiday season. Or, if you’re worried about how your arms will hold up under the constant strain of shaking that bell for hours on end, how about volunteering as a personal shopper for a needy family?
Light a Light of Love: Journey to Huntington Beach on December 4 for holiday revelry. One of the main happenings will be the Light a Light of Love, a celebration to benefit the Huntington Beach Youth Center. The festivities also feature a parade down Main Street, a visit on the beach from Surf City Santa, and a ceremony to light the Snowflakes on the Huntington Beach Pier.
Operation Santa Claus: This holiday season, donate toys and gifts to children and families in need. Last year, Operation Santa Claus distributed over 19,000 toys and gifts, bringing hope, happiness, and caring to the most vulnerable children in Orange County.
Winter Wonderland Toy Drive: Health screenings, COVID-19 vaccines, and haircuts may not be the first items on your child’s wish list this holiday season, but those services will all be available at this December 10 event in Huntington Park. Oh, and children will also receive a toy and have the chance to win a prize from the raffle! The event is free and open to all families.
Safe Celebration
Scented candles are extremely popular during the holidays. But they also create the potential for danger. Did you know that up to 7,500 fires are started each year because of household candles? So please take extra care when lighting candles in your apartment, especially your bedroom. Consider using battery-powered candles or scented spray instead. And if you do use candles, do not leave them unattended.
Christmas trees, of course, can also create another natural fire hazard. If you’ve purchased a real tree this year, make sure you keep it watered so it doesn’t dry out. Keep all open flames, such as candles, away from the branches, and make sure you turn all lights off when you’re not at home. Stay safe and enjoy the holidays!
Holidays are the perfect time to reach out to family and friends, especially those with whom you may have lost touch in recent times. With activities, shopping, shows, and opportunities to serve, Anaheim, CA, has everything you need to share good times with a friend or family member.
We’d love to see your holiday fun! If you decorate for the holidays or try out one of the activities above, post a photo on social media, tag us, and use #TisTheSeasonAtAMC.
From all of us at The Evergreens Apartments in Anaheim,
Happy Holidays!
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