Are you looking for some holiday fun in Southern California?
There are a number of SoCal holiday pages on this website covering major holidays such as Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, Christmas and New Year's. You'll find details about events, decorations, costumes, etc, in the sections below on this page.
Photo note: A cute churro stand decorated with pictures of colorful yellow, orange and white candy corn is part of the Halloween holiday celebration at Disney's California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California. For those unfamiliar with what "churros" are, they're a long stick-shaped feathery-light piece of fried dough topped with sugar and cinnamon. These were originally a Mexican dessert treat...which the white, black and Asian residents of California quickly came to enjoy, as well!
If you'd like to try making churros at home, here's a tasty churro recipe from the
www.cooking-mexican-recipes.com website,
and it's even got photos to accompany the churro-making instructions!
Southern California Holiday Activities: Halloween
In response to a great interest by readers on the subject of Halloween, the Family Halloween Activities section of our site has been beefed up. We now have dozens of pages covering all of Southern California's theme park Halloween celebrations...plus dozens of costume pages to help you find cool Halloween stores (or sew a terrific costume yourself.) Here's a list of Halloween pages you'll find on our site---
Family Halloween Fun is an overview page. You'll find photos, a description of the various Halloween pages on THIS website, plus a selection of great Halloween information on OTHER websites!
The Costumes section of this website now includes the following pages---
Captain Jack Sparrow, pt 1, assembling a Captain Jack Sparrow-style pirate costume from clothing you already own or can pick up at a thrift store
Captain Jack, pt 2, includes tips for sewing or buying a pre-made pirate costume for men
The Halloween & Costume Stores section of the website can give you ideas of where to find a great costume in the Los Angeles, Orange County or San Diego areas.
* Spirit Halloween/Halloween Adventure Stores, lists locations for these popular temporary Halloween costume shops. Locations change annually...and these temporary stores are only open during September and October each year. Both Spirit Halloween and Halloween Adventure operate on-line all year long, however.
* Year-round Southern California costume stores is the page to try if you're seeking costumes in months other than September or October. The stores on this list serve customers with supplies for other occasions, such as Christmas Santa Suits, Mardi Gras masquerade balls, Renaissance Festivals, Easter Bunny suits, and costumes for local plays & pageants put on by schools and community theaters
Family-Vacation-Getaways.com has only one Thanksgiving page, and that's the Pilgrim Costumes page.
Are you thinking about sewing or buying a Pilgrim or Native American costume? The Pilgrim Costumes page can point out the advantages of either option, and will give you some sewing pattern suggestions for men, women, girls and boys.
Or, how about a Turkey costume? Directions for a Thanksgiving turkey costume for pets can be found on our "No-Sew Turkey Costume for Pets" page. It's a project meant for beginners...and making it would be a fun family project for parents & kids to do together!
Thanksgiving Activities in Southern California: Several interesting Thanksgiving dinner suggestions can be found on the Christmas Activities Calendar page of this site (which actually begins its listing of events beginning November 1st.)
Where else but Southern California can you eat your Thanksgiving feast at a world-class zoo? Or on a retired luxury ocean liner!
Southern California Holiday Activities:
Christmas & New Years
CHRISTMAS PAGES---
SoCal Christmas Activities: This page is an overview of all the other Christmas pages on this website PLUS recommended Christmas websites you may also enjoy.
Southern California Christmas Activity Calendar: This page describes holiday happenings day-by-day around the various cities of Southern California from San Diego to Santa Barbara. You'll get info about Christmas light displays, community festivals, and other SoCal Christmas celebrations you'll want to enjoy.
"List of Southern California Christmas Activities--by category" On this page, you can look up Southern California holiday fun by the "type of activity" rather than by the date (as on the December Calendar page.) Topics covered: Seasonal outdoor ice rinks; holiday boat parades; live stage productions; Christmas lighting displays; holiday activities for train-lovers.
Disneyland at Christmas: Discover the various holiday celebrations you won't want to miss at Disneyland Park and its "sister" theme park, Disney's California Adventure. From this "Disneyland Christmas Overview" page, you'll be led to see detailed pages about the Disneyland Resort Christmas events, attractions & activities---each page just brimming with Disneyland theme park Christmas pics! These pages include the following:
Haunted Mansion pictures, part 1 (exterior): Jack Skellington and the Nightmare Before Christmas gang have taken over the Haunted Mansion and are trying their best to help you celebrate the season. Poor Jack! He just doesn't realize that you don't like scary Christmas presents or wreaths decorated with skulls!
Holiday Haunted Mansion pictures, part 2 (interior): Part one shows pictures of the mansion's exterior; part 2 has photos of what you'll find inside. Jack Skellington has decorated a Christmas tree with Halloween Jack-o-lanterns, among other mistakes. Poor Jack; he just doesn't "get" Christmas!
Disney Christmas Parade, part 1: View photos of Disneyland's spectacular nighttime pageant, the "Believe in Holiday Magic" parade.
Disney Holiday Parade, pt 2: With a parade as popular and as fun-filled as the Disneyland Christmas parade, pictures brimmed over one page & spilled onto a second one!
Disney Fireworks & Snow: If you're "dreaming of a white Christmas," be assured that it DOES snow in Southern California! Head to Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, and you'll witness plenty of snowfall, as you'll see in these pics
Santa's Reindeer Roundup: You can meet Santa Claus at Disneyland Park, too...and this Santa is more traditional. He wears a red suit, and has his reindeer parked outside his house in the corral! Kids can see a show, meet Christmas Chip 'n Dale and Pluto characters, and do fun Christmas Crafts!
Small World Holiday: "It's a Small World" is prettiest of all during the Christmas Holidays, bedecked with bounteous amounts of decorations and colorful lights. See pictures of the Small World's holiday version on this page!
Santa's Beach Blast: What's a California Christmas without Surfin' Santa? Alas, this beloved activity hasn't returned to Disney's California Adventure since Christmas 2007. But we can hope its beach-themed atmosphere, complete with retro surf music and visits by Christmas Mickey & Minnie Mouse returns some time in the future! It's totally awesome, dude!
Disneyland at Christmas, 2005: Disneyland's 50th Anniversary wasn't long ago, but it's something we'll never want to forget! Come reminisce about the fun Christmas when spotting golden ride cars and hunting for "hidden 50's" ALMOST made us forget about the holiday happenings!
SeaWorld Christmas: Shamu the killer whale celebrates Christmas in his own way...with a special nighttime show! Hear favorite Christmas carols play as Shamu & friends swim to the music. Not to be outdone, Clyde & Seamore have their own Christmas show, as well!
Knott's Berry Farm at Christmas: On this page, you'll discover info about the Knott's annual Toys for Tots gift-donation program (your toy donation in exchange for free entry to the theme park!), plus info on the Christmas Crafts Fair Village, the Snoopy Ice Skating Show, the new Knott's Christmas Parade, and other Knott's holiday events.
Legoland's Christmas fun is just the right holiday celebration for families with toddlers, preschoolers and young children. Holiday decorations made from Lego's are a major feature...or you can try out the park's new Christmas musical show!
Grinchmas at Universal Studios Hollywood is the name of this major California theme park's Christmas celebration. Going? You'll get a chance to play in real snow--and to meet The Grinch in person!
Griffith Park Christmas Activities: See photos and discover info about 2 popular seasonal activities at Griffith Park in Los Angeles---the Griffeth Park-DWP Holiday Lights Festival (free) and the Train Ride to Santa's House at Travel Town (fee charged.)
The Del Mar Holiday Lights: What a lovely Christmas tradition is held in San Diego County each year---a spectacular lighting display at the Del Mar County Fairgrounds! See photos...then make your plans to attend.
Hollywood Santa Parade: This annual parade has been a beloved family holiday event in Southern California for over 80 years! It first went by the name "Santa Claus Lane Parade," and inspired Gene Autry to pen the now-famous words, "Here comes Santa Claus...right down Santa Claus Lane!" Next, it was called the Hollywood Christmas Parade. And, now, it's the Hollywood Santa Parade---but it's still just plain fun!
Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade. There's a whole list of holiday boat parades in Southern California, but the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade is the Granddaddy of them all! Going strong for over 100 seasons of fun (incredible!) this Orange County tradition features beautiful lights, colorful decorations and dozens of sleek yachts! (To find out about other Christmas boat parades, please visit the "List of Southern California Christmas Activities--by category" page of this site.
STORE PAGE (FOR CHRISTMAS SUPPLIES) Also see the costume & party store pages listed under the "Halloween" heading on this page.
Michael's Arts and Crafts: Are you itching to get started making holiday crafts projects? Michael's stores will have what you need to turn your ideas from daydreams to reality. Here are locations of Southern California Michael's Crafts Stores.
CHRISTMAS COSTUME PAGES For other types of costumes, please see the costume pages listed under the "Halloween" heading on this page.
Christmas Angel Costumes. Discover Angel sewing patterns for men, women, boys, girls, babies...and even dogs! Plus, see a sampling of the types of Angel costumes for sale during the Christmas season.
Elf, Snowman & Reindeer Costumes. Discover whimsical Christmas Elf sewing patterns for the whole family...plus other Christmas costumes such as reindeer, snowmen, gingerbread man and Victorian Carolers. Plus, see a sampling of the types of Christmas costumes for sale this year.
Santa Costume Ideas. Would you like to dress up as Santa or Mrs. Claus? Or, how about an old fashioned Father Christmas? Would the kids in your family like to portray "baby Santa" or a young Miss Claus? Even dogs and cats can get in on the fun!
NEW YEARS EVE/NEW YEARS DAY---
"New Year's Eve at Disneyland Park: Information about spending New Year's Eve celebrating at the ultra-popular Disneyland Park, and its sister-theme park, Disney's California Adventure.
Knott's Berry Farm's New Year's Eve: On this page, you'll see more Knott's Christmas pictures...but not before discovering info about the annual Knotts New Year's Eve party, which rings in the New Year every December 31st!
In response to a great interest by readers on the subject of Halloween, the Family Halloween Activities section of our site has been beefed up. We now have dozens of pages covering all of Southern California's theme park Halloween celebrations...plus dozens of costume pages to help you find cool Halloween stores (or sew a terrific costume yourself.) Here's a list of Halloween pages you'll find on our site---
The Halloween & Costume Stores section of the website can give you ideas of where to find a great costume in the Los Angeles, Orange County or San Diego areas.
