By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Thanksgiving has passed and Halloween 2025 is ancient history. That that means the Christmas season is in full swing – the all-encompassing holiday season with Christmas carols providing the audio background and an endless barrage of Christmas sales and ads in full assault mode.Fortunately, this is the time of year when there also a plethora of non-commercial holiday activities celebrating Christmas along with Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Winter Solstice.
“Chester County Hospital Lights Up Holiday Weekends in West Chester” (greaterwestchester.com/events/featured-events/holiday-weekends-west-chester) will run through January 2.
Transformed into a winter wonderland, the streets of historic West Chester are bathed in the glow of thousands of holiday lights every evening in November and December. Each weekend features holiday festivities, shopping and dining.
On Saturdays from 2-3 p.m., the “Making Spirits Bright Holiday Music Series” will feature local choirs and performances singing favorite holidays songs every Saturday on the steps of the historic courthouse on High Street.
Dressed in Victorian attire, The West Chester Borough Balladeer Carolers will roam around downtown West Chester and perform throughout the holiday season.
On November 29 and December 6 and 20, it will be time for “Santa on The Fire Truck.” Santa will be escorted through the streets of downtown West Chester by the First West Chester Fire Company.
West Chester Griswolds
The fabulous holiday light display “West Chester Griswolds” (304 Dutton Mill Rd, West Chester, www.westchestergriswolds.com) opened on Thanksgiving night and will run through December 28.
This year’s display features more than 135,000 lights and 800 smart pixels.
Lights will be on now through Christmas week — Monday through Thursday from 4:45-9:45 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 4:45-10:15 p.m.
Downingtown Good Neighbor Christmas will hold its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on November 29 at 6 p.m. The event takes place in Kerr Park at the Log House field below the Christmas Tree.
There will be holiday music provided at the concert gazebo, a face painter, small crafts and games for the kids, along with cookies and hot chocolate. Of course, the evening would not be complete without Santa arriving by firetruck at 6:45 p.m. to help light the Christmas Tree!
Downingtown Good Neighbor Christmas
Downingtown Good Neighbor Christmas will feature a 20-foot artificial lighted Giant Everest Christmas Tree with a three-foot lighted star on top. The tree, which is professionally decorated, sits next to the Log House on Lancaster Avenue and at the entrance to Kerr Park.
The annual Downingtown Christmas Parade will be held on December 13 at 3 p.m. The parade will feature marching bands, floats, walking and marching groups, and the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus to end the parade.
Media’s “Santa’s Parade” (http://www.santaparade.media/) is scheduled for November 30 at 5 p.m.
This annual free parade through the streets of Media features Santa (of course) along with fire engines, classic cars, musicians, dancers, drummers and Mummers.
The four-mile parade route starts on East State Street and Monroe Street in downtown Media.
There will also be a Block Party from 2:30-5 p.m. and a Fun Run/Walk at 4:15 p.m.
Longwood Gardens
Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) has shifted into holiday mode with the arrival of “A Longwood Gardens Christmas.”
The festive holiday display at Longwood Gardens, which is running now through January 11, features more than 500,000 spectacular lights, lavish decorations, holiday music and colorful displays featuring thousands of brilliant poinsettias, brightly decorated trees and fragrant flowers — all inside the heated Conservatory.
This Christmas, the Gardens are transformed into a living jewel box as radiant as the jewels and gems that inspired it. Nature and elegance intertwine as twinkling lights dance and every path leads to a new treasure to behold.
Inside the Conservatories, the vibe is pure opulence.
Towering trees gleam in sapphire blue, ruby red, emerald green, and gilded metallics. Crystals sparkle overhead, fabrics shimmer in jewel tones, and gemstone-inspired lighting casts a magical glow.
The Music Room dazzles with a 12-foot jewel-encrusted tree emerging from a larger-than-life jewelry box, surrounded by a grand holiday banquet scene and mirrored reflections at every turn.
The Silver Garden features a living tree and luminous living wreaths. The Ballroom shines with community spirit, where glittering trees are decorated by local art centers.
The Acacia Passage glows with iridescent red and gold fabrics cascading with strands of crystals. The West Conservatory enchants with cut trees that appear to float on water, dripping in jewels of champagne, lilac, silver, and gold.
Throughout, thousands of poinsettias, paperwhites, amaryllis, and other holiday blooms bring living brilliance to every scene.
The colorful annual event, which appeals to the entire family, also has a lot of outdoor attractions such as fountain shows and nighttime light displays.
When night falls, more than half a million lights illuminate the Gardens.
Visitors wander past glowing gem forms floating on the Large Lake. The Wildlife Tree, adorned with faux pearls, gilded oyster shells, and nature’s bounty — always stocked with treats for our feathered friends.
Visitors can stroll Flower Garden Drive, alive with ribbons of light and delight in the Garden Railway, where miniature trains chug past tiny Longwood landmarks.
They also can gather for fountain shows in the Open Air Theatre, where 750 jets dance to holiday favorites throughout the day and evening. On select nights, strolling carolers fill the air with song.
Longwood’s Christmas celebration also includes a wide array of seasonal music — holiday concerts, organ sing-alongs and carillon performances.
Visitors to “A Longwood Gardens Christmas” can also check out Longwood’s Garden Railway — a whimsical display set into motion with G-scale model trains. For two decades, the railway has delighted visitors with special water features and custom trains traveling in and out of bridges and tunnels.
Tickets are $45 for adults and $25 for youth.
For the second year in a row, Philadelphia is one of the host cities of Astra Lumina.
Astra Lumina Philadelphia, which is the 24th experience in the Lumina Enchanted Night Walk series, will be held now through December 31 at the Abington Art Center (515 Meetinghouse Road, Jenkintown, astralumina.com).
Astra Lumina Philadelphia welcomes visitors to an extraordinary place — a garden right here on earth that shares a special connection with the sky above. Come nightfall, the garden sets the stage for a phenomenal event — a visit from the stars.
Astra Lumina Philadelphia is a one-mile-long enchanted night walk through a wooded sculpture park of varying terrain that guides visitors on a journey to discover the wonder of visiting stars.
Through the magic of projections, lighting, and music, astral energy transforms the garden into a celestial pathway, connecting visitors to the stars and the vast world around them.
The stars are descending from the night sky. Set off across mysterious grounds to discover a celestial pathway of lustrous light, cosmic visions, and astral song.
Participants can immerse themselves in illuminating encounters of lighting, projection and sound, and connect with the stars before they return to the sky above.
Located on a historic 27-acre campus, just 10 miles from Center City Philadelphia, Abington Art Center is a beautiful setting for the enchanting Astra Lumina. The campus has been transformed to create a magical journey.
Weapons (including off duty officers), flash photography, outside food or alcohol, light-up accessories that distract from the experience, or anything that may disturb other patrons are prohibited.
All guests must pass through handheld metal detector wands and bag check before entering the experience.
Video link for Astra Lumina — https://youtu.be/2mPra01OgCM.
The event will run now through December 31. Ticket prices start at $29.
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Ave., Oaks, 484-754-3976, http://www.phillyexpocenter.com) is hosting two very diverse events this weekend.
If you’re a music fan that is looking for hard-to-find collectibles such as out-of-print CDs, rare 45s, vintage music posters or albums that have been deleted from record company catalogs years ago, you don’t have to rely on online auction sites. There is an alternative.
That alternative is the annual “Not Just’ Rock Record Expo” which is celebrating its 39th anniversary this year. The event will take place on November 29 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center.
There will also be a special autograph guest – Jay Nachman.
Tickets for the special holiday weekend event are $5. Show hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday.
The Cigar and Lifestyle Fest 2025 will be held on November 29 and 20 starting at 9 a.m. each day at the Expo Center.
Cigar Lifestyle Fest 2025 is the definitive gathering for premium cigar, spirits, coffee, and lifestyle accessory brands to connect with enthusiasts and aficionados.
There will be industry cigar and lifestyle vendors, product sampling, live music and curated performances, food and drink sampling and an “Outdoor Heated Cigar Lounge.”
There will also be raffles and giveaways all weekend long.
Tickets are $10.
The annual staging of “Holidays at Hagley” is an event that is always one of the most eagerly anticipated holiday attractions in this area every year.
The popular Brandywine Valley exhibit, which is included with regular admission, is running now through January 1 at Hagley Museum and Library (Route 141, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org).
“Holidays at Hagley” returns with the theme “Our Storied Past” which reminisces upon holiday tales and traditions.
The event will feature Holiday Home and Garden Tours, the eighth-annual Gingerbread House Contest, Santa Day, Holiday Nights Tours, and more.
This year’s edition of “Holidays at Hagley” features tours of Eleutherian Mills, which is the first du Pont family home built in America. The tours, which will be presented each day from 10a.m.-4:30 p.m., feature decorations in a combination of styles from both the 19th and 20th centuries.
During the Victorian years when candle-lit tabletop Christmas trees were the norm, hand-made gifts were attached to tree branches, and winter scenes were displayed underneath the tree. The upstairs Victorian Library shows how magical that looked with its mid- to late-19th-century toys, games and dolls. The upstairs Parlor features a case filled with small ceramic animals well-loved by some of the du Pont family children.
Early du Pont family French holiday traditions are remembered with a display of gifts that were given to E. I. du Pont’s children on New Year’s Day as well as the Twelfth Night party illustrated by the ornate French dessert service in the Dining Room.
Popular returning displays include the elaborate Twelfth Night celebration in the dining room and the Victorian library’s Christmas for children with its table-top tree surrounded by toys and games. Of course, there will be warm glowing lights and poinsettias.
On November 30, there will also be “Cannon Firings” — demonstrations of Hagley’s signal cannon.
Demonstrations take place next to the Millwright Shop in the historic powder yard at 1, 2, and 3 p.m. and are included with admission.
Admission is $20 for adults, $16 for seniors and students and $10 for children (ages 6-14).
One of the best holiday events in the area is the annual “Yuletide at Winterthur.” This year’s 40th annual staging of the event, which runs through January 7 at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware, www.winterthur.org).
Visitors can revel in the beauty and warmth of the holidays and explore treasures of Christmases past with displays of holiday traditions from the 1800s to the early 20th century, including displays of: the earliest types of colorful lights decorating house exteriors; the du Pont family holiday celebrations; and the evolution of Christmas trees over the decades from the 1880s to 1960s.
A Popular attraction is “Holiday Nights.”
Visitors can soak in the evening glow of the house decked in its holiday glory or toast marshmallows by the outdoor fire pits. They can tap their toes to the sounds of the area’s best musicians, savor a seasonal cocktail and see our magical gingerbread and doll houses.
Additionally, they can enjoy holiday jazz performed by the Cartoon Christmas Trio in the Visitor Center on December 5 and outdoor roaming caroling by the Brandywine NOTEables on December 6.
This year’s Yuletide Tour features artful displays celebrating beloved works, including A Christmas Carol, Alice in Wonderland, Moby Dick, and A Visit from St. Nicholas.
Each installation uniquely connects these stories to Winterthur through displays of rarely seen collection objects and tributes to the estate’s rich history. Celebrate the season in this storybook setting where literature, history, and holiday magic meet.
Visitors will also enjoy an outdoor light display, including a 15-foot decorated Christmas tree. The miniature doll house and other holiday favorites will also return.
One of visitors’ favorites every year is the 18-room dollhouse mansion created by designer and philanthropist Nancy McDaniel over a period of 30 ears. It features amazing intricate details in each room and is even decorated for the holidays.
As always, the rooms will be enhanced with the floral displays so essential to du Pont’s decorating, and with special Christmas trees inspired by the beauty of Winterthur’s gardens — including the popular Dried Flower Tree in the Conservatory.
Returning this year is a toy train display, featuring Standard Gauge toy trains. The display is presented by the Standard Gauge Module Association, whose members will construct the display at Winterthur.
Timed Yuletide Tour reservations are required.
Admission to Winterthur is $30 for adults, $28 for seniors and students and $9 for children.
Nemours Estate (1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Delaware, nemoursestate.org) was closed until November 17 for holiday decorating.
Guests were able to resume visiting when Nemours reopened for its “Noël at Nemours Estate,” which will run from November 18 through December 30.
Nemours Estate comprises an exquisite, 77-room Mansion, the largest formal French gardens in North America, a Chauffeur’s Garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles, and 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns.
Nemours was the estate of Alfred I. duPont.
Alfred named the estate Nemours, after the French town that his great-great-grandfather represented in the French Estates General. While looking to the past and his ancestors for inspiration, Alfred also ensured that his new home was thoroughly modern by incorporating the latest technology and many of his own inventions.
Ever since 1910, when Mr. and Mrs. duPont began living in their newly built mansion, the holiday season has been a festive time at Nemours. The Christmas decorations at the Nemours Mansion are often inspired by the architecture of the home, the customs of the duPonts or the French influence.
The Mansion is also decorated by some of the duPonts’ original decorations, including a German crèche, which dates from the late 19th century. The figures are soft ceramic, unglazed and hand colored.
Visitors can enjoy Christmas trees, wreaths, and hundreds of feet of garland on grand display in the Visitor Center, Chauffer’s Garage, Mansion and grounds.
All three floors of the Mansion will be decorated as well as the Chauffeur’s Garage and select areas of the gardens. Decorations will coincide with the story of the Estate along with a festive Versailles-inspired motif.
Admission to Nemours is $25 for adults, $23 for seniors and $12 for children.
Chaddsford Winery (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) is presenting “Reserve Tastings — Festive Faves” on Saturdays and Sundays in November and December.
Guests will join the CFW Crew for an intimate and educational 60-minute experience in the Barrel Room. The trained staff will guide them through a pre-selected tasting of five widely diverse and award-winning wines from across its portfolio.
The selections will be paired alongside seasonal local cheeses and other accoutrements to enhance your tasting experience.
The staff will also discuss topics such as grape growing conditions at our partner vineyards and the onsite winemaking process from production to aging and bottling.
Tickets are $35 per person.
The holiday season at Herr’s Snack Food Factory (20 Herr Drive, Nottingham, 610-932-9330, www.herrs.com) has arrived. The area around the factory site will be illuminated with thousands of lights and holiday displays.
Herr’s “Holiday Light Display,” which is free and open to the public, will be open nightly now through January 5.
Visitors to the site will be able to drive along a trail that is illuminated with more than 600,000 lights.
The special light exhibit will be open daily from dusk to dawn.
The Brandywine Museum of Art Route 1, Chadds Ford 610-388-2700, www.brandywinemuseum.org) is celebrating the 53rd anniversary of the Brandywine Railroad holiday train display now through January 4.
A holiday favorite since 1972, the Brandywine Railroad features trains running on 2,000 feet of track and contains more than 1,000 pieces, including locomotives, passenger and freight trains, and trolleys that pass through a small village, a farm, factories, a drive-in movie theater and even a carnival.
A dazzling array of both toy and scale model trains can be seen chugging through the varied scenery, including those made by Lionel, Williams, Atlas, Mike’s Train House, K-line and others. Interactive components are also incorporated into the display to allow for further engagement.
The Brandywine Railroad holiday train display is included in the cost of general admission, which is $25 adults, $23 seniors (65+) and $10 children (ages 5-18) and students with ID.
One of the most elaborate model train layouts in the Delaware Valley can be found at the Morris Arboretum (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, 215-247-5777, http://www.morrisarboretum.org). The popular Garden Railway Display that has become a summer fixture at The Gardens at Morris Arboretum returns again for a special holiday display.
The display, which is open to the public now through December 30 in the winter garden of the Morris Arboretum, has a quarter-mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with 15 different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under) and bustling model trains.
The buildings and the display are all made of natural materials — bark, leaves, twigs, hollow logs, mosses, acorns, dried flowers, seeds and stones — to form a perfectly proportioned miniature landscape complete with miniature rivers. Philadelphia-area landmarks are all meticulously decorated for the holidays with lights that twinkle.
Admission to the Morris Arboretum is $22 for adults, $20 for seniors (65 and older) and $12 for students and military.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Philadelphia (500 W Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, Https://philadelphia.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/) is presenting “Holiday Bricktacular!” now through January 4.
Participants can create their own LEGO ornament and display it in on the LEGO tree and check out all the holiday scenes in the Winter Wonderland in Miniland Philadelphia.
As an added attraction, LEGO Santa will be visiting from the LEGO North Pole.
Ticket prices start at $21.99.
Two historic sites in Montgomery County have their own holiday celebrations.
Pennypacker Mills (3 Haldeman Road, Perkiomenville, 610- 287-9349, www.historicsites.montcopa.org) is hosting “Victorian Holiday Tours” now through January 4 while “Twelfth Night Tours” at Pottsgrove Manor (100 West King Street, Pottstown, 610-326-4014, www.historicsites.montcopa.org) will be held now through January 11.
For the next five weeks, Pennypacker Mills will offer free tours of the 18-century mansion used by General George Washington as temporary headquarters during the Revolutionary War. The home will be decorated for an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas and will feature the warm glow of oil lamps, festive decorations, and a candy-making demonstration.
The event at Pottsgrove Manor features an event based on history.
Visitors can witness the transformation of Pottsgrove Manor for the yuletide season and the traditions of an 18th-century Twelfth Night party. Twelfth Night marked the end of the Christmastide season, celebrated on Epiphany.
Guided tours of the manor explore all aspects of the festivities, from the intense preparations to the differences between the way elite families like the Potts and their household staff experienced the season.
One of Philly’s premier annual events, Macy’s Christmas Light Show (1300 Market Street, Philadelphia, www.macys.com) is running now through December 24.
Set in The Grand Court, the show features a 100,000-light show of twinkling snowflakes, dancing snowmen and more, narrated by Julie Andrews and accompanied by the famed Wanamaker Organ.
Images of snowmen, reindeer, snowflakes and more dance across the atrium inside of the historic Wanamaker building (now Macy’s Center City) during the ever-popular Macy’s Christmas Light Show. The show, which has been on view since 1956, runs every two hours during store hours.
Visitors can also tour the second floor’s vintage Dickens Village, where more than 100 intricate animated dolls and sets retell A Christmas Carol. Each free walkthrough ends in a chance to meet and get photos with Santa.
The 2025 Winter in Franklin Square holiday festival (200 North Sixth Street, Philadelphia, http://www.historicphiladelphia.org/franklin-square/holidays-in-franklin-square/) opens its season on November 20 runs until February 28.
It will be open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.
The Electrical Spectacle Holiday Light Show will be open from 5-9 p.m. daily and will be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Visitors are invited to experience the magic of the holidays and celebrate traditions — new and old — at the Franklin Square Holiday Festival.
Inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s electrifying genius, the free Electrical Spectacle Holiday Light Show presented by PECO is the key to holiday fun in Franklin Square.
Attendees can marvel at more than 50,000 lights as they shimmer, dance, and illuminate the Square to a soundtrack of holiday classics, some of which are performed by The Philly POPS in two alternating shows every 30 minutes.
A popular annual Philly holiday tradition can be found at the Rothman Orthopaedics Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park (1 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, http://ccdparks.org/dilworth-park),
Beginning this November, some of Philadelphia’s favorite winter traditions return to Dilworth Park. Visitors of all ages can enjoy a dramatic seasonal transformation as fountains are replaced by the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Ice Rink and reindeer topiaries take up winter residence on the Greenfield Lawn.
In addition, a full lineup of free entertainment is planned, including the Deck the Hall Light Show, the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market and Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Cabin.
Dilworth Park’s winter season is running now through March 14.
The Rothman Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park is an unparalleled entertainment experience on Philadelphia’s center stage in a wonderfully urban and unique setting. Open seven days a week, the rink offers wintery fun for all ages, with a full slate of programs.
The Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market runs through January 1 with more than 40 local vendors.
Now through January 1, the Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, www.philadelphiazoo.org) will host LumiNature, a gigantic holiday season light experience that turns the entire Zoo into a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises.
The giant-sized holiday extravaganza will transform the entire Zoo into a nighttime winter wonderland. Guests will experience a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises.
New this year will be the Philly Zoo Pherris Wheel, a new observation wheel ferris wheel with breathtaking scenes of the lights and overlooking the city where the former Zoo balloon was.
LumiNature will expand to feature illuminated experience zones that will feature lively themed displays, newly enhanced installations and thousands of twinkling lights on a breathtaking journey celebrating the wonder of wildlife and the beauty of our planet.
LumiNature will feature more than a million lights and 10+ miles of power cord.
New for this year are Santa’s Lodge, a cozy indoor space with the chance to say hello to the big man himself, and
Jambi’s Solstice Saloon, the perfect spot to chill along the beaming river.
Favorite returning illuminated displays include the high-energy Penguin Prismatic show with a 40 ft. tall penguin shining with 40,000 lights and the famous 25 ft. tall pink flamingo tree, made entirely out of 1,500 lawn ornament flamingos.
Additionally, seasonal fare, strolling performers, hot chocolate and ever-warming adult beverages promise to additionally spark the holiday spirit.
Tickets start at $22 for adults and $18 for children.
Elmwood Park Zoo (Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) is in holiday mode.
Elmwood Park Zoo’s favorite family tradition, “Wild Lights,” returns this November, with more lights and decorative attractions than ever before. During this walk-through experience, guests will be surrounded by dazzling light displays, illuminated animals and live entertainment.
“Wild Lights” operates on select days from 5-9 p.m. now through December 30. “Wild Lights” tickets are valid beginning at 5 p.m. The Zoo and “Wild Lights” will be closed on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. “Wild Lights” will be held rain or shine.
Winter Light Spectacular will be held at the Lehigh Valley Zoo (5150 Game Preserve Road, Schnecksville, www.lvzoo.org) now through January 3.
The Lehigh Valley Zoo celebrates the most magical time of the year during the annual Winter Light Spectacular.
Guests can bundle up and enjoy the beauty of nature as they stroll through tree-lined paths lit up by more than 1.2 million twinkling lights and themed animated displays.
They will be able to warm up next to the cozy outdoor fire pits, while enjoying hot cocoa and Stuffed Puffs® Classic Milk Chocolate Filled Marshmallow s’mores.
And there are plenty of photo opportunities to capture the children’s delight when they encounter Santa, Anna, Elsa, Belle, and Cinderella.
General admission is $11.
“Christmas Candylane,” which is the annual holiday event at Hersheypark (100 West Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, 800-HERSHEY, www.hersheypark.com), is running now through January 4.
Visitors to Hershey can also experience the winter wonderland called “Hershey Sweet Lights, A Holiday Drive-Thru Spectacular.” The attraction is a two-mile drive through wooded trails featuring approximately 600 illuminated, animated displays.
Admission prices for “Christmas Candylane” start at $46.99.
“A Very Furry Christmas at Sesame Place” (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) is a festive, family-friendly celebration with everyone’s favorite Sesame Street friends live and in-person at the amusement park in Langhorne.
The annual event, which runs through January 4, offers a wide array of family holiday activities.
Visitors to the park can sing along at three special Christmas shows and a spectacular music and light show at our giant 1-2-3 Christmas Tree, take a train ride tour through the Twiddlebugs’ Gingerbread Cookie Factory on the Sesame Place Furry Express,take part in the Neighborhood Street Party Christmas Parade, and have the opportunity to meet Lightning, the adorable reindeer from the movie “Elmo Saves Christmas.”
As an added attraction this year, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is spending the holiday season at Sesame Place. The lovable reindeer along with his friends Clarice and Bumble, will be available for photos with guests.
Tickets for “A Very Furry Christmas” start at $29.99.
Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park (2249 Route 30 East, Lancaster, 866-386-2389, www.dutchwonderland.com) is hosting its “Dutch Winter Wonderland” now through December 31 on Saturdays, Sundays and select weekdays.
Visitors are invited to celebrate the magic of the season at Dutch Winter Wonderland with rides, entertainment, and the Royal Light Show, a spectacular display of thousands of twinkling lights dancing to music.
Ticket prices start at $24.99 at the gate. Children ages two and under are admitted free.
Christmas Underwater at Adventure Aquarium (1 Riverside Drive, Camden, New Jersey, www.adventureaquarium.com) is open through December 31.
At Christmas Underwater visitors can discover an incredible world of seasonal under-the-sea fun.
Scuba Santa is back in Ocean Realm, sharing Christmas cheer with kids (and animals) of all ages. The event features more holiday decor than ever before, including underwater light displays, and festive new shows.
The World’s Tallest Underwater Christmas Tree returns — stretching 18 feet tall and decorated with colorful, custom-sculpted corals.
More than 15,000 incredible animals are getting in on the festive fun with eight underwater light displays spread throughout the exhibits.
Admission fees start at $30.99 for adults.
Now that Christmas activities have begun, Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, http://peddlersvillage.com) is starting its celebration and that means there will be a lot of activity at the site over the next few weeks.
Visitors to the Village can join special guest Mrs. Claus for festive fun and mini-lightings in a different Village neighborhood each night leading up to the Village-wide Grand Illumination Celebration. Village shops will be open until 9 p.m. with a distinctive assortment of merchandise, special promotions and refreshments.
The 25th Annual Grand Illumination celebration will showcase thousands of tiny white lights outlining the Village’s buildings, colorful lights with less-than-common colors (teal, peach, and fuscia) adorning the trees and shrubs and a landscaped backdrop featuring a group of reindeer glowing in white light.
Slated to run through January 5, the “Gingerbread House Competition” features over $2,000 in cash prizes in such categories as Traditional and Authentic Reproduction of a Significant Building.
The holiday lights will be on display every evening through January 18. Shops will be open until 10 p.m. There will be free admission and free parking.
If you take a trip to the Lehigh Valley, you can check out three very impressive holiday lights displays.
Bethlehem, which is known as the “Christmas City,” presents Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem (PNC Plaza at SteelStacks, 645 East First Street, Bethlehem, 610-332-1300, http://www.christmascity.org) every Friday, Saturday and Sunday now through December 22.
Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem showcases aisles of exquisite handmade works by the nation’s finest artisans. The market also features live performances of Christmas music and vendors with an amazing variety of tasty food items.
Other special attractions include ice carving, glassblowing demonstrations, “Breakfast with St. Nicholas,” outdoor artisan huts, fire pits and igloos in the Outdoor Village, and Käthe Wohlfarht with handmade ornaments, nutcrackers and collectibles from Germany.
Admission fee is $14.50.
The “Illumination at Coca-Cola Park” opens on November 14 at the Lehigh Valley IronPigs Baseball Stadium – Coca-Cola Park (1050 IronPigs Way, Allentown, illuminationlv.com ).
“Illumination at Coca-Cola Park” will take place nightly from 6-9 p.m. and feature more than one million holiday lights. Every 15-20 minutes, a dazzling synchronized music, and light show will take place featuring a breathtaking display where the stadium lights come alive in harmony with the holiday music.
Building on a wildly successful debut, “Illumination” has added various new entertainment options in addition to the spectacular lights show to help create the greatest holiday experience in the Lehigh Valley.
Guests will now be able to take part in a traditional carousel ride or even take a hayride with Mrs. Claus during their visit. For those with a competitive side, or even those looking for a truly unique experience, curling lanes have been added and are available for rent.
Joining Mrs. Claus as nightly new characters will be the Grinch and Cousin Eddie. Guests will have even more opportunities to snap the perfect flick for their holiday cards with additional sELFie stations.
Building on a successful debut, the food menu at Illumination will also feature new additions with even more holiday treats. Plus, a new large heated dining tent will be available for guests to relax and enjoy their food.
Admission prices start at $11.
Koziar’s Christmas Village (782 Christmas Village Road, Bernville, 610-488-1110, www.koziarschristmasvillage.com) began its 77th season on last week.
Koziar’s Christmas Village is truly a holiday wonderland — a wintertime spectacle that delights young and old alike with a huge amount of holiday displays and special attractions. It will remain open every night through January 3 — including Christmas Eve, Christmas Night, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Night.
The tours of “Christmas Village” feature visits to a variety of displays and exhibits, including “Santa’s Post Office,” “Christmas in the Jungle,” “Manger Scene,” “Christmas Beneath the Sea,” “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” “Olde Fashioned Bakery Shop,” “Toy Maker and his Toy Shop,” “Christmas in Other Lands” and “The Olde Church”.
Other attractions at Koziar’s Christmas Village include a huge model train display, a toy shop, a country kitchen, indoor and outdoor Christmas displays and a place to visit with Santa and even get pictures taken with the old guy in the red suit. Admission to Christmas Village is $13 for adults, $12 for seniors (65 and older) and $11 for children (ages 4-10).
A popular Bucks County attraction is the “Holiday Light Show” at Shady Brook Farm (931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley, www.shadybrookfarm.com)
The farm features a three–million-light Holiday Light Show with “Dashin’ Through the … Lights,” a family-friendly two-mile drive-through on Thursday and Friday nights.
The main display allows visitors to drive or (if weather permits) ride in wagons past post-sundown displays including illuminated tunnels.
The “Holiday Light Show” is open now through January 27.
Timed tickets, which start at $40, are required.
“Christmas Spirit Light Show” is running now through December 31 (except December 25) at Clipper Magazine Stadium (650 North Prince Street, Lancaster, christmasspiritlightshows.com).
“Christmas Spirit Light Show” is an exciting, one-of-a-kind Christmas light display that families can enjoy from the comfort of their vehicles.
As participants make the journey through the mile-long track, they get immersed and surrounded by hundreds of thousands of color-changing lights that are animated and dancing in harmony with favorite Christmas classics.
The drive-through event is billed as a “breathtaking holiday experience that you and your loved ones will never forget.”
Ticket prices start at $25 per car.
Candlelight Dinner Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware, www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org) is celebrating Opening Night for its annual holiday show .
“Christmas by Candlelight” will open on November 15 and run through December 21.
There’s no place like home for the holidays so the Candlelight is thrilled to welcome audiences “home” to the barn for its heartwarming celebration of the yuletide season back by popular demand.
The show features favorite seasonal and sacred tunes, as well as some new surprises, brought to life by some of the theater’s most popular cast and staff.
Tickets, which include dinner and show, are $77.50 for adults and $35 for children (ages 4-12). “Show Only” tickets, which have limited availability, cost $35.
The American Music Theatre (2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, 800-648-4102, www.AMTshows.com) has its holiday show running now through December 30.
The AMT’s 2025 show “Deck the Halls” is an all-new presentation of favorite sacred and secular holiday songs performed by professional artists from across the country.
The show will feature spectacular vocal harmonies, lively musical arrangements, impressive dancing and the music of the AMT Orchestra.
The show features incredible singers, astonishing dancers, wondrous costumes, breathtaking sets, and all the endearment of a perfect fireside family moment. Patrons can bask in the beauty of the season and cherish the stories of spirit and love.
The show will have both matinee and evening performances each week with the addition of 10:30 a.m. performances on Saturdays throughout December. Tickets are $59 for adults, $57 for seniors and $30 for children.
A good location for a nature walk is Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org).
The arboretum’s schedule for this weekend features a “Saturday Wildflower Walk: Late Fall Edition” on November 25.
With 650 protected acres of beautiful woodland, seasonally charming meadows, and a lively program of seasonal events and activities, Tyler Arboretum is a delight for nature lovers, birders, botanists, and those who want rediscover the natural world.
Dating to 1681, making it one of the oldest public gardens in the United States, and home to eight generations of three families, Tyler Arboretum connects visitors to the region’s rich culture and history while preserving, developing, sharing, and celebrating Pennsylvania’s priceless horticultural heritage.
“Saturday Wildflower Walk,” which runs from 1-3 p.m., features wildflower expert Dick Cloud on an informative two-hour hike that will take guests through meadows, woods, and occasionally streamside. These walks are for those who have a love of plants, their role in ecology, or for those who want to learn more.
Although the focus is on plants, Cloud will also talk about whatever else is seen on the tour. Walkers should wear comfortable hiking shoes and bring a camera and/or a wildflower guide, for this botanical-filled walk.
Admission to Tyler Arboretum is $18 for adults and $10 for children (ages 12-17).
On November 29, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present “In Their Own Words.”
Many of permanent residents at Laurel Hill Cemetery East had a way with words, whether they were keeping diaries, writing novels and poetry, or keeping up with friends via letter.
In this tour, the cemetery lets these people speak for themselves, as they describe a traditional New England Thanksgiving, recount their big moment singing at the White House, and contemplate the romantic ramifications of coin collecting, among other written words they left behind.
The tour guide is Rich Wilhelm.
Ticket prices are $17/General Admission (Ages 13 and up), $15/Seniors (Ages 65+) and Students with ID and $8.50/Youth (Ages 6-12).
Grim Philly’s “Dark Philly History Tour” (www.grimphilly.com) will be held every evening throughout the summer.
Participants can walk with tour guides from the grounds of America’s first White House, Congress, and Liberty Bell to homes and sites of Hamilton, Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and more than 10 other Founding-Fathers. The surprising dirt of espionage, murder, sexual license and blackmail highlight the secrets of 1776 with a ghost story or two along the way. This tour is highly researched. And your guide is a historian.
Tickets are $35.
Ghost Tour of Philadelphia (215-413-1997, www.ghosttour.com), Ghost Tour of Lancaster (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) and Ghost Tour of Strasburg (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) operate throughout the winter and offer an eerily entertaining evening of true ghost stories and real haunted houses.
The Ghost Tour of Philadelphia, which is based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Philadelphia, PA.,” is a candlelight walking tour along the back streets and secret gardens of Independence Park, Society Hill, and Old City, where ghostly spirits, haunted houses, and eerie graveyards abound.
Participants can discover the ghost lore of America’s most historic and most haunted city with stories from the founding of William Penn’s colony to present-day hauntings.
The activity is open year-round – weekends, December-February; every night, March-November. Tickets are $24.
The Ghost Tour of Lancaster and the Ghost Tour of Strasburg are based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Lancaster, PA.”
Participants in the Ghost Tour of Lancaster explore the long-forgotten mysteries of one of America’s oldest cities, with haunting tales of otherworldly vigils, fatal curses, and star-crossed lovers. The tour provides the opportunity to experience 300 years of haunted history from Red Rose City’s thorny past. Tickets are $20.
The Ghost Tour of Strasburg is a candlelight walking tour of the quaint and historic town of Strasburg in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Visitors will experience an entertaining evening with a costumed tour guide spinning tales of haunted mansions, eerie graveyards, and spirits that roam the night … in a town lost in time. Tickets are $20.
A popular Christmas activity every year is taking a train ride with Santa Claus. Fortunately, there are quite a few very good options in our area.
One of the best train rides with Santa Claus is the one presented by the West Chester Railroad (Market Street Station, West Chester, www.wcrailroad.com).
The special “Santa’s Express” trains (which feature heated cars decorated for the holidays) will run on November 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30 and December 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 11 a.m., 1, 3 and 5 p.m.
The 75-minute journey on the trail line’s heated decorated train travels through the Chester Creek Valley. Santa Claus will be greeting everyone at Market Street Station and then going along for the ride to Glen Mills.
Adult fare for the West Chester Railroad trips is $40. Tickets for children (ages 2-12) are $30 while toddlers (ages 9-23 months) get to ride for $15.
The Strasburg Rail Road (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running its “Santa’s Paradise Express” now through December 24.
Santa will be the featured guest on each ride from Strasburg to Paradise and back.
The rotund guy in the red suit will be greeting passengers, shaking hands, posing for photos and giving a treat to each child. After the train ride, children are treated to storybook readings of holiday classics. Visitors of all ages can also enjoy a ride aboard the Tinsel Trolley, a self-propelled motor car.
Other “Christmas Experiences” offered by the rail line are “Santa Claus Limited,” “Night Before Christmas,” “Christmas Tree Train” and “Christmas Caboose.”
Tickets are $45 for adults and $35 for children.
The New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Santa’s North Pole Express Train — The Magical Journey Begins Here” now through December 30.
Riders can join Santa and Mrs. Claus as they depart New Hope Station for a train ride through the historic Bucks County countryside on the way to the North Pole.
The journey begins when the Conductor calls “All Aboard!”
Passengers will experience the sounds and tastes of the holiday season as they sing along with roaming musicians playing Christmas carols, sip warm cocoa and enjoy a freshly baked cookie.
Each child will receive his or her own sleigh bell gift from Santa himself. Children and adults alike are encouraged to indulge in the season’s spirit by wearing pajamas and settling in for a relaxing ride with family and friends aboard the festive railway cars adorned with holiday decorations.
Ticket prices start at $70.
The Northern Central Railway (2 West Main Street, New Freedom, www.northerncentralrailway.com) is running its “Christmas Elves Express” on November 28, 29 and 30.
When Santa’s quirky team of elves — Finnigan Frost, Trixie Toymaker, Gabby Gumdrop, and Iceberg Ike — accidentally open a magical Forgetfulness Potion, they lose all memory of who they are… and worse, they forget who Santa Claus is.
Now it’s up to passengers to help bring back their Christmas spirit before it’s too late. Riders join Santa and the elves on a festive, interactive train ride filled with laugh-out-loud moments, silly pranks, jolly sing-alongs, and heartwarming surprises.
This event is perfect for families, kids, and anyone who believes in the magic of Christmas. Fun characters, music, dancing, and snow—this is one train ride you won’t forget.
Tickets are $42.99 for adults and $22.99 for children.
The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (Reading Outer Station, Reading, www.rbmnrr-passenger.com) is running its 2025 “Santa Claus Special” excursions from a variety of locations – Nesquehoning, Tunkhannock, Tamaqua, Minersville, Pittston and Reading.
Santa Claus will be visiting with each of the children and there will be live holiday music performed throughout the ride.
Trains depart at 10:30 a.m. and 1 and 3:30 p.m.
All Trains Are 80 Minutes Round Trip
Tickets start at $22.
The Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com) is running its “Santa’s Polar Bear Express” from November 28-December 24.
Kids can join Santa on a magical adventure into “Christmas Past” on an exciting train journey. They will be able to sip complimentary hot cocoa or enjoy Christmas cookies and, on some trains, sing favorite carols as the Secret Valley passes by the window. Santa will bring a gift for every child, and every child has an opportunity to give their Christmas letter to him.
The rail line also is running “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” excursions now through December 19.
These special evening trains bring the storybook magic of the season to life. Kids are invited to wear pajamas and sip complimentary hot cocoa as the train crew reads “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
Ticket prices start at $52.
The Wilmington & Western Railroad (2201 Newport Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-998-193, www.wwrr.com) will run its “Santa Claus Express” on Saturdays and Sundays between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Santa and Mrs. Claus will be riding along with passengers on the steam-powered 90-minute round trip to Ashland Station. They will be greeting everyone on board and offering chocolate treats to the youngsters. Santa will also be posing for pictures with his fans.
Steam locomotion will return to the Wilmington & Western for its annual Santa Claus Express. The rail line’s 0-6-0 switcher No. 58 has returned to service after a multi-year restoration and will power Santa’s train through the Red Clay Valley this season.
Tickets for these trains, which run now through December 23, start at $25.
The tourist rail line will also be running special “Holiday Night Express Trains,” featuring a peaceful evening ride in the railroad’s 1929 Doodlebug rail car.
Tickets for these trains, which are running now through December 30, start at $17.
