Everyone’s favorite time of the year is finally upon us. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other holiday, this cozy winter time of year is a perfect time to have a fun time and relax. Although Southern California doesn’t have the cold, winter snow and frozen lakes to skate on, there are plenty of ways to cherish this special time with your loved ones. Here are ten activities and events to get in the holiday spirit in Santa Barbara:
- Lane Farms Christmas Patch
What better way to start off the season than with a Christmas tree! Go with your roommates and pick out the perfect tree to put in your Isla Vista home to get in the spirit. Even though the quarter is over, getting a tree is a fun way to spice up the Christmas decorations and get you excited. Lane Farms in Goleta is hosting a Christmas tree patch where you can browse through hundreds of trees to see which fits right for you. Not to mention, Lane Farms could be a cute photo-op to start your winter feed! Check out all of the beautiful trees before it’s too late, and stop by the fresh fruit stands on your way out for all your holiday treats.
- Christmas Lights
Besides decorating your home in festive colors, go visit some of Santa Barbara’s holiday light areas. The Santa Barbara Zoo is hosting ZooLights now from January 15th where you can look at all of the vibrant animal-themed lanterns all around the park. From 4:30-8:30 pm every night, ZooLights is a sight you won’t want to miss!
One of my personal favorite Christmas light tours takes you on a self-guided driving tour of Santa Barbara’s best lights. The step-by-step directions take you throughout the city and assure you that you’ll see some festive neighborhoods. This is a charming activity to do with friends and family while listening to celebratory music and sipping some hot chocolate.
- Ice Skating
Although I wish I could ice skate on top of a frozen lake while snowflakes are melting on my face, I can still appreciate the joy of ice skating in Santa Barbara. Ice in Paradise, Goleta, offers public ice skating to anyone, and even has “College Night” every Tuesday from 7:00-10:00 pm, and you get free skate rentals if you bring your college ID! They play fun music and serve tacos and alcohol at the cafe. Whether you’re good at ice skating or are holding onto the walls the whole time, this is an amusing activity to do with friends during this winter season!
If you’re interested in watching a skating performance, Ice in Paradise also has a Holiday Ice Skating Show on December 17th!
- Annual Parade of Lights
One of Santa Barbara’s most beloved holiday events is the waterfront boat parade. This year is its 36th annual parade, where 20+ decorated boats float around the Santa Barbara harbor. On December 11th at 5:00 pm, go check out this local Santa Barbara event! It’s free, and there will also be a holiday event on the City Pier and a firework show at night; you won’t want to miss it.
- State Street Promenade Market
Every first Thursday of the month, Downtown State Street hosts its Promenade Market. Here, they have local businesses, artists, non-profits, restaurants, and performers to interact with the local community. Each vendor has something special, and it will be specially decorated for the holiday season. Walk around with some friends, enjoy the cool winter air, and support some local businesses. This allows you to feel the “small-town vibe” that so many cute winter towns emulate.
- Adult Holiday Card Workshop
A fun arts and crafts activity is the holiday card, gift tag, and postcard workshop on December 2nd from 6:00-8:00 pm. Art From Scrap is hosting an eco-friendly event where people can create cute, festive cards out of recycled materials. You can then type a note on a vintage typewriter for the full holiday effect and give it to someone you love. Save the earth and do some local arts and crafts to get in the spirit!
- Nutcracker Ballet
If you appreciate the arts and enjoy watching performances like me, check out the Nutcracker Ballet in Downtown Santa Barbara. At the Granada Theatre, on December 17th and 18th, watch State Street Ballet perform one of the most popular holiday stories! This classic story revolves around Clara, a young girl, whose nutcracker gift comes to life on Christmas, and battles an evil mouse king. Enjoy the sugar plum fairy, waltz of the flowers, and beautiful orchestrations of this performance to feel some Christmas joy.
- Try Some Holiday Drinks
Now that the days of the pumpkin spice latte have ended, it’s time for us to delve into peppermint mochas and eggnog! Starbucks just launched its winter drinks including peppermint mochas, caramel brûlée, and chestnut praline lattes. You can also visit some local coffee shops like Caje, Handlebar, Lighthouse, and Old Town Coffee to see if they have any holiday favorites! Hot cocoa is a staple if you don’t like coffee drinks, so grab one on a cozy morning and get warm!
- Classic Holiday Music
You can’t get into the holiday spirit without the classic holiday tunes that go along with it. Some of my personal favorites include albums by Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, and Elvis Presley. I also love listening to more modern artists’ renditions of classic Christmas music, such as Michael Buble, Mariah Carey, and Justin Bieber. Invite some friends over, bake some goodies, and sing along to your holiday favorites! I know you know all of the words to “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and “Mistletoe,” so have a karaoke night with your closest friends and have fun!
- Holiday Movies
If you would rather have a chill, relaxing night in, watch some classic holiday movies. Cozy up with blankets, bake some Pillsbury cookies, warm up the hot chocolate, and turn on your favorites. Whether you’re feeling nostalgic for the Polar Express, Elf, or How The Grinch Stole Christmas, or want to watch a modern classic like Love Actually, The Holiday, or Home Alone, there are plenty of holiday movies to choose from to get in the festive mood.
Whether you choose to stay in and relax, or adventure to one of Santa Barbara’s holiday events, there are plenty of ways to have an exciting holiday season with the local community. These ten activities are sure to bring you some joy and happiness, and I hope you can share them with the ones you love most.