Stay local and booked with these festivities.
El Nino might put some holiday snow on the local mountains, but down at Disneyland or Knott’s Berry Farm, the snow will follow on scheduled times. Bright, warm sunlight won’t keep you from skating on the ice. It’s a Southern California holiday that people across the country might envy, but we often take for granted.
Making a case for staying home for the holidays in Southern California is easy when you have all these options. Sure, you can go for a bit of some snowboarding up in the mountains, or a surf at the beach, but the good times to be had on flat land are plentiful and we’ve compiled a list of items that are good bang for your buck.
In recent years, Disneyland Resort and Knott’s (Merry) Farm have put serious effort into becoming foodie destinations as well as being classic theme parks. Special attention is paid to the holiday season.
“One of my favorite things about Festival of the Holidays is that it celebrates multiple holidays during this time of the year,” says Disneyland food, beverage and merchandise spokesperson Esteban Valerio. “In the logo for our merchandise, you’ll find icons from Kwanzaa, Diwali, Hanukkah, Navidad, and of course, Christmas.”
The Festival of Holidays is Disney’s multi-cultural approach to the season, celebrated with live music and shows — and food — at Disney California Adventure Park.
“We were pulling from the ‘Coco’ movie a lot, and ‘Encanto.’ In both of those, they really embrace the family style of eating,” says Chef Michael Stanford II. “The warmth you get of sharing the food at the table is what we’re trying to bring to Disney. There are those really nice al fresco eating areas, where the tables are pretty much made for this. You can get a nice picnic meal and watch the parade go by.”
Stanford says pushing the culinary boundaries has been as fun for those who make the food as it is for the families who eat it.
“It’s nutrition and healthy food, instead of bringing them here and loading them up on sugar and fats. Nothing is wrong with that, but we have hearty, real food options here too. And it’s really interesting because you can learn more about other cultures as you’re eating and embrace our diversity. Over the past five years, we’ve been leaning in more to the culinary side and bringing in outside talent and developing inside talent. It’s been a nice little progress.”
The Sip and Savor pass is the best way to enjoy that progress. For $59 ($54 for Magic Key members), park guests get eight coupons for the seasonal food samples or non-alcoholic beverage. The pass covers items like the albondigas soup featuring Impossible veggie-based meat, the chicken chile verde empanada, the pumpkin layered cheesecake or the guava-melon lassi.
Even though many of the samples are single-serving sizes, some might require a team.
“The one that’s going to get the most eyes is the sharable family-size torta,” says Stanford. “It’s a Cubano milanesa-inspired torta, so we have the milanesa chicken cutlet on there with the traditional panela Mexican cheese, also carnitas slow stewed with a tomatillo sauce. It comes with watermelon with lime juice and chamoy too so it’s like a picnic kit. It easily feeds four, but I could feed six. We’re really trying to bring in the traditional Mexican ingredients to give people more in-depth flavor.
“My favorite is the albondigas (meatball soup). I ate it for a week without realizing it was meatless. It uses the Impossible patties that are gluten-free as well, it uses rice and sautéed vegetables in it. A lot more hearty and seasoned through all the way. Really good after it gets a little bit cold. The cost-effectiveness of the torta allows you to feed a family very easily on that, but the albondigas — a lot of us are taught you need meat to have a meal, but there are a lot of hearty options that aren’t meat-based.”
If you skip the food and stick with popcorn, collector’s item popcorn buckets are now hot commodities. This holiday season, it’s in the form of Mickey as a toy soldier/nutcracker.
“When I was a kid, I would always get the popcorn buckets and it had a lovely graphic on the outside, but there’s something magical about taking home a vessel like a nutcracker that adds another level of excitement,” says Juan Aldava, holiday food, beverage and merchandise spokesperson. “The popcorn is gonna be delicious no matter what. We’re just trying to add more fun to your experience. You don’t just come here to ride an attraction or eat some food. This is an experience. We want to give you something you’re not gonna be able to find anywhere else.”
Theme Parks
Winter brings a change at Knott’s Berry Farm into Knott’s Merry Farm through Jan. 7 and from end to end, the park is wrapped in decorations for its Christmas celebration. View the nightly Christmas tree lighting, or visit the jolly man himself at Santa’s Christmas Cabin. The Snow and Glow fills the evening streets of Ghost Town while Camp Snoopy gets its own light spectacular. The “Home for the Holidays” music revue takes center stage every night while the popular, long-running Peanuts ice show returns for its latest turn on the rink. knotts.com
Disneyland’s holiday highlights include “A Christmas Fantasy Parade” and Fireworks Spectacular as well as ¡Viva Navidad! street party and “World of Color — Season of Light” at California Adventure. Also, Santa appears at both parks through Dec. 24. disneyland.disney.go.com
Universal Studios Hollywood Holidays! includes Grinchmas time and Christmas Time in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and runs through Jan. 1. Special attractions also include The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle nightly light projection show and during the daytime the Grinchmas Who-bilation. Check universalstudioshollywood.com for hours and tickets.
San Diego isn’t too far for the holidays for the pleasure of walking among the animals and Legos.
San Diego Safari Park will be lit in holiday colors through New Year’s Eve, with a Wild Holidays Celebration Tree, live music and performances, and Santa will be available at Safari Base Camp daily. Of course, the rhinos, giraffes, tigers, kangaroos and gorillas are also available daily. Check sdzsafaripark.org/wild-holidays for tickets and more info.
On Dec. 10, Sesame Place San Diego is hosting a Hanukkah celebration. A Sesame Street-style Hanukkah is a daytime family-friendly event featuring Glatt Kosher food, a menorah lighting led by a rabbi, dreidel games with Elmo, Furry Friends Hanukkah dance party and Hanukkah storytime. The park also celebrates A Very Furry Christmas, featuring a Christmas show, Christmas parade and dance party through Jan. 7. For tickets and more info, go to sesameplace.com/sandiego
At SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration, visitors can experience a variety of live shows as well as photo and visit with Santa. Check SeaWorld’s website for hours and other info at seaworld.com/san-diego
Meet Santa, the Gingerbread Man and the Toy Soldier at Holidays at Legoland with special seasonal shows. Fun Town includes a 30-foot, fully decorated, Lego Christmas tree and Holiday Light Show. Activities take place most days through Jan. 7, but check legoland.com for complete details.
Festivals
Winter Fest OC features a 150-foot-long, nine-lane ice tubing slide, the chance to become an elf at the immersive “North Pole Journey,” snowball throwing zones, sledding for kids, a nightly tree lighting and snow flurries, and an outdoor ice-skating trail. The OC Fair & Event Center-based Fest runs Dec. 1-3, 7-9, 14-17, 21-Jan. 7. Check winterfestoc.com for details and ticket info.
Down the road from the OC Fair & Event Center is the Newport Dunes’ Fire & Ice Festival. The long-running Lighting of the Bay returns again this year (with more than 50 illuminated floating Christmas trees), while the Dunes debuts a wintertime festival. The Fire & Ice event features an inflatable garden, a large ice skating rink, Santa himself, and on weekends, fire dancers and live DJ performances. More details at newportdunes.com/fire-and-ice-festival
The 33rd Annual Sawdust Festival Winter Fantasy features the work of more than 150 artisans and also serves up free arts and crafts classes for all ages, as well as live music, puppet shows and magic acts. Of course, Santa will be available for photos. The event runs weekends through Dec. 17 from 10 am-7 pm. Go to sawdustartfestival.org/festivals/winter-fantasy/ for more info.
Santa Ana Winter Village returns for its third year at the Plaza of the Flags at the Orange County Civic Center, featuring an ice skating rink, live entertainment, holiday merchandise, local food trucks, storytime with Mrs. Claus, visits with Santa and on Dec. 9, breakfast with Santa. Dec. 19 features a toy giveaway for registered Santa Ana kids. For more info, go to santa-ana.org/wintervillage
Theater
South Coast Repertory’s production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” returns for its 42nd year. Now one of the older holiday traditions in Orange County, the show is a must for families who share a love for watching the classic tale live on stage. Performances are Tuesdays through Sundays through Dec. 24. The production also features a special student matinee Dec. 7 and an American Sign Language-interpreted performance on Dec. 10. For tickets and more information, go to scr.org.
Fullerton’s Maverick Theater offers a wholly different take on holiday tradition and theater itself. The community theater’s popular annual production of “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” brings the infamous bad movie from the 1960s to the live stage in 2023 for family-friendly comic mayhem. All performances feature scripted and improv elements as well as some audience participation. For more info, go to mavericktheater.com
If Santa isn’t fending off Martians, he’s fighting pirates. Pirates Dinner Adventure in Buena Park holds its annual “Pirates Take Christmas” production through Jan. 1. Guests can cheer to stunts, songs, audience participation as well as a three-course meal. For tickets and more information, go to piratesdinneradventureca.com
Outdoors
You’re in for a sweet time at this year’s Roger’s Gardens Holiday Boutique. The Christmas Confections motif makes this holiday installation resemble a holiday sweet candy shop. Open daily through New Year’s Eve, the boutique will be adorned with handcrafted ornaments and other one-of-a-kind artisan items. Additionally, the Lil’ Dickens Carolers will stroll the gardens on Dec. 23 singing Christmas carols. For more info, go to rogersgardens.com
The Christmas Train will be rolling through Irvine Park through Dec. 23. The popular event takes riders to the North Pole for photo ops with Santa. Santa’s Village is packed with activities from Blizzard Ball and Rudolph Racers to carnival games and cookie-decorating — which require tickets. Train reservations are required because times sell out. The train rolls nightly. For tickets, reservations and more info, go to irvineparkrailroad.com/events/christmas-train/
Hikari means “shine” in Japanese and is the focus of Tanaka Farms’ winter event. Take a wagon ride to the “Land of a Thousand Lanterns” and stroll the twinkling wonderland. At the festival grounds, visit with barnyard animals and enjoy various arts and crafts, games, food and photo ops, including with Santa. Hikari is open Dec. 1-2, 8-10, 13-23, 26-30. Register online at tanakafarms.com/hikari
By Shawn Price
More Fun
Enchanted Forest of Light
The Enchanted Forest’s brilliantly conceived winter light installations will dazzle visitors to La Cañada Flintridge’s Descanso Gardens through Jan. 7. Highlights include HYBYCOZO’s 3-D geometric sculptures within the Rose Garden’s Labyrinth; a glowing field of “meadow grass”; the village of stained-glass houses’ new interactive lighting options; and the new, ethereal hanging light display under the oaks. Hours are 5:30 pm-10 pm nightly (closed Dec. 24-25).
Ice at Santa Monica
The corner of Fifth Street and Arizona Avenue in Santa Monica will again be home to a marvelous 8,000-square-foot ice rink — as well as a 400-square-foot tot rink for little skaters. This pop-up rink will be open for guests through Jan. 15 (11:30 am-9:30 pm Sundays-Thursdays and 11:30 am-11 pm Fridays and Saturdays.
Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square
This 7,200-square-foot ice rink has been a big presence in Southern California’s winter scene. The Holiday Ice Rink, which remains up through Jan. 7, has a typical 11:30 am opening time but end times vary.
Compiled by Michael Berick
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