Happy Holidays! Shows + Performances to Ring in the Season in the Arlington Area

Nothing delights this time of year like a holiday performance. If you are looking to spread some holiday cheer by seeing local performance of one of your favorite holiday shows, look no further! EA has your comprehensive guide to Arlington-area holiday shows.

I can still remember my favorite holiday show I've ever seen live- The Radio City Rockettes at the Rosemont Horizon in the Chicagoland area. I must have been 13 or so the first time we went, and, WOW, those high kicks! As someone who grew up dancing, I love nothing more than watching those talented women dance their hearts out in flashy, sparkly dresses up on stage. I hope to take my own daughters to see the Rockettes some day.

Until then, though, I love seeing all the fun performances of my holiday favorites all around the Arlington area. Forget professional actors- I adore nothing more than seeing a local student (or young child!) tackle the role of Buddy the Elf or Tiny Tim. And to see tiny dancers perform The Nutcracker... It's truly what the holiday season is all about! 

This year we are lucky enough to have multiple performances spanning multiple weeks of some of our favorite holiday shows right here in the Arlington area. Whether you want funny, or serious, or heartfelt, you are sure to find something that will give you the warm fuzzies this December and leave you ready to spread some holiday cheer. No need to drive to Fort Worth or hoof it all the way to Dallas- Arlington and the surrounding area has tons of opportunities for you to see your favorite shows.

So dust off your Sunday best and get ready to get in the holiday spirit!

Holiday performances in the Arlington area

The Nutcracker

Leap of Faith Dance & Performing Arts presents The Nutcracker- 

Friday, December 3 at Arlington Music Hall. Tickets start at $15. 

The United Performing Arts Guild presents The Nutcracker- 

December 3 & 4 at the AISD Center for Visual and Performing Arts. $20 per ticket. 

Art Ballet Academy presents The Nutcracker-

Saturday, December 18 at the Mansfield ISD Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets start at $20. 

Rhythmic Souls Tap Company presents The Nutcracker Untapped-

Monday, December 20 at Uptown Theater in Grand Prairie. Tickets start at $10. 

Elf

Grand Prairie Arts Council presents Elf the Musical-

Weekends, December 3 & 10 at Uptown Theater in Grand Prairie. Tickets start at $13.

Kennedale Wildcat Theater presents Elf Jr.- 

December 16-19 at the Kennedale Performing Arts Center. Tickets start at $15. 

A Christmas Carol

Kennedale Community Theatre in the Park presents A Christmas Carol-

December 11 &12 at Kennedale Town Center. Free. 

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Mainstage Classic Theater presents The Best Christmas Pageant Ever-

December 3 & 4 at First Methodist Mansfield. Tickets start at $8. 

DFW's Hot List: The Best Holiday Events in Dallas/Fort Worth for 2021

Guys... It's here.

The holiday season 2021!

I love this time of year.

The lights. The hot cocoa. The colder weather. The merriment. 

All. Of. It.

We are fortunate enough to live in an area that does the holidays in a BIG way. There are so many amazing holiday events coming to the metroplex in 2021 I struggled to keep my list to 10. 

So, without further adieu... 

Here is my list of the 10 Best Holiday Events in DFW for the 2021 Season.

Happy Holidays from the EA Crew. 

Also, before you read on... The BEST place for Santa photos is right here in Arlington. Right at the Highlands. Santa Town Arlington is FABULOUS- be sure and check them out this season- you will love the prices and the experience! (And follow them on Facebook here)

Have fun and be merry!

The Best Holiday Events in Dallas and Fort Worth for December 2021

1. Christmas at the Gaylord- Although the Gaylord won't be hosting ICE! this year, they have plenty of other amazing activities for you and your kids to enjoy. Join Buddy the Elf in a mission to save Christmas in an interactive new display. Or check out the light display at Merry & Bright. Enjoy snow tubing and so much more! Code ARLINGTON will save you 50% on some events, restrictions apply. 

2. Magical Elf Journey at Choctaw Stadium- Arlington has a brand new light display and interactive holiday exhibit that follow everyone's favorite (or maybe least favorite as this elf is a chore to move every night for weeks?!) elf this holiday season. Help Scout Elf Tiny Tinkerman find the ingredients for Christmas Spirit at this fun show. Christkindlmarket will also be part of this wonderful display, so book your tickets now!

3. Zoo Lights at the Dallas Zoo- This drive-through lights display at the Dallas Zoo will leave you feeling merry and bright for sure. See the zoo lit up at night and discover the magic after hours. Loads of twinkly lights await. Pack your car full of friends and hot cocoa (and maybe a Christmas cookie or two!) and prepare for a wonderful evening. 

4. Prairie Lights at Joe Pool Lake- Prairie Lights is back with all it's holiday merriment this year! Drive through 1000s of twinkly lights as you listen to music on your car radio. Stop in the middle of the drive at Holiday Village for shopping, a walk-through wonderland, photos with Santa and so much more. Prairie Lights is a holiday tradition you won't want to miss. 

Prairie Lights at Joe Pool Lake. 

5. Gift of Light at Texas Motor Speedway- Drive around at Texas Motor Speedway gazing at Christmas lights and generally being merry! Stop off at Santa's Village for photos with Santa, drinks and more merriment. No ice skating this year, and weekdays are less crowded if you don't want to wait in line. The drive thru takes about an hour. 

6. Enchant at Fair Park- The holiday magic that is Enchant Christmas has moved to Fair Park! I'll admit- I'm pretty partial to this event. We've gone every year since they first came to DFW, and every  year I'm blown away by the sheer magic and wonder of the lights, the maze, the ice skating... All of it. I guess we'll just have to drive to Dallas for the magic this time around! 

7. A Christmas Carol in Granbury- We had the privilege of attending The Sleepy Hollow Experience by the Brian Clowdus Group in October for Halloween and absolutely loved it. So we are so excited that they are introducing a holiday experience! Interact with characters and become part of this tale that involves a grouchy old man discovering the true meaning of Christmas. This one should not be skipped! 

8. Snow Day at the Dallas Galleria- Experience more than 20 immersive rooms that are sure to leave you feeling jolly. Your kids will love taking wonderful photos and creating lasting memories. Grab a combo ticket to experience Santaland, too, which includes a meeting with Santa himself. This experience is located at the Galleria. 

9. 12 Days of Christmas at the Dallas Arboretum- Stroll through the Arboretum in delightfully cooler weather to enjoy the magic of the season. The 12 Days of Christmas will spring to life as you stroll the grounds with hot chocolate in your hands (this is optional, obviously!). Visit with Santa, shop and do so much more at this annual holiday tradition. 

10. Christmas at the Hilton Anatole- A kid's winter wonderful awaits you at the Hilton Anatole this season. Kid's can bounce on a giant bounce house, visit with Santa, watch a marionette show and so much more at this fabulous Dallas hotel. Decorate cookies, attend Elf Academy, I can ramble on with all the fun activities that are happening this season. 

Christmas magic. 

Happy Holiday Season, friends! 

What To Do With All Your Extra Halloween Candy

I love candy. 

Probably more than the next guy, to be honest.

But each year after October 31, it's a race to get my girls' excess Halloween candy out of my house before I rot all of my teeth irreparably munching on all of the delicious sugar!

So I let the girls each pick out 25 or so pieces of candy, enough for an after-school treat daily for a few weeks, and we get rid of the rest. 

Don't worry- we don't toss it in the trash! Luckily, there are lots of great places that will take your excess Halloween candy and donate it- some spots will even pay you for your extra candy!

Too much Halloween candy?

Get paid for your excess Halloween candy in the Arlington, TX, area

If your kids, like mine, would rather have a bit of cold hard cash than a bag full of candy (although, as one friend joked, my kids would very likely trade their Halloween candy in for cash and then take the cash to our local corner store and... spend it on more candy!), there are a few spots that will pay you by the pound. 

Fort Worth Children's Dentistry is doing a buyback today, November 1, from 4-6pm. They will buy back up to 5 pounds of candy per child, for a total of $5 per kid. This spot is about a 25 minute drive from Arlington, but, if you have several kiddos, it may be worth an after-school adventure! (Contact them for more info if you can't make it today- today is the only day listed)

HalloweenCandyBuyBack.com has multiple spots listed in the Dallas area that will buy your candy. If you find yourself in Dallas County this week with your kiddos, you may check out one of the resources in the Dallas area. (The spot listed in Colleyville is not participating in a buyback program, I called to confirm)

Donate extra candy in the Arlington area

If you would rather just donate candy than try to find a buyback program, you are amazing! You can always take it to local shelters or food banks.

The Ronald McDonald House in Fort Worth will also take your individually-wrapped candy bars and goodies. 

Operation Gratitude lets you register and get matched with a first responder or military person who would love to receive your extra candy! You can also ship to their Los Angeles headquarters if there isn't a match for you locally. 

Move America Forward will also accept your unwanted candy and donate it to military personnel. This program is great for troops! 

Treat for Troops will take your candy and possibly even send your kiddo a trinket in return! This program is sponsored by Soldier's Angels. 

Corey Academy PTA will take it to use as prizes for its annual carnival, which is on Saturday, November 6. Please email president@coreypta.org to arrange drop off and receive a thank you! 

Email your child's teacher or school and see if they can use it for prize bins or to give away for good behavior, etc. It can't hurt to ask!

What do you do with extra Halloween candy? I mean, besides create an emergency stash far, far out of the kids' reach? (My husband thinks I don't know about the stash he keeps in our coffee mug cupboard on the top left... It's like the doesn't know me and my wicked sweet tooth at all!)