Moving from Florida, where celebrating Christmas in 90-degree weather never really set the Christmas spirit for me, to Colorado where the winters are so amazing has really enhanced our family’s love for the Christmas Season. We live near Denver, so we have light winters with lots of sun plus we get to enjoy all the winter sports, without the freezing temps and ski town snow accumulations. This is our 5th holiday season we are celebrating Christmas in Colorado and really do feel the Spirit (sometimes too early, Costco ought to be ashamed to get the Christmas display going when they are still selling back-to-school supplies and Halloween candy). Here are some great traditions we have started in the Front Range.
Santa Photos
What Christmas experience would be complete without Santa Photos? Our family doesn’t go to the mall for those pictures anymore, any excuse for me to stay out of a mall during prime Christmas shopping season is welcome. I learned about Cabela’s Santa photos years ago when our daughter was first born. We lived right across the street from a Bass Pro Shop in Florida and I took Cassidy to see the fish in the tanks quite frequently when she was a baby and toddler. The stores are decorated and even in Florida had a winter feel during Christmas.
Cabela’s & Bass Pro Shop around the country offer this winter experience. We signed up for a free photo with Santa and Cassidy brought her Santa letter to send to the North Pole. After a few minutes talking to Santa and taking a picture, including the family dog, is a special moment. Linger a little longer when they are not backed up, take pictures with reindeer or by the mailbox. Once we moved to Colorado we continued this free Christmas experience (every other experience is super expensive, so a free one or two is always appreciated) at either Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shop, they both offer the same experience and a great place to get some Christmas shopping done… especially for us casual Coloradans. Don’t miss checking out the fish tanks and animal displays found around the store.
Christmas Light Displays
One of the first things we do each year, is called Christmas in Color, with three locations, the Morrison show will now be held at Red Rocks (instead of Bandimere Speedway) as well as at the Denver Water Works & an Aurora location at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds. This is an event for the whole family, even the family dog, since you pay by car. Tune into the radio station displayed and take 10-15 minutes slowly driving through a beautiful light display to timed music for a multimedia experience.
The rest of the lights & decorated homes we visit around town are free experiences and can be planned on the fly without reservations. I typically choose a cold night that we won’t want to get out of the car and make a big pot of homemade white hot chocolate or Belgium hot chocolate to take with us to visit Grace Presbyterian Church in Highlands Ranch. They host a free Christmas light show from 5:00-10:00 pm each night from Thanksgiving through the New Year.
Another light show that has had lots of hype is the Hazard’s Gingerbread House, which was a contender on ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight, where decorated houses across the country compete for $50,000 and a trophy. Denver is a large city with lots of suburbs surrounding it, each year I add the neighborhood names and the word lights into the googler and find a great list of decorated houses. Since we live south of Denver our list has houses in Cherry Creek, Englewood, Centennial, Greenwood Village and Littleton. You can do this all around the country, in your hometown or while traveling during the Christmas season.
Denver Traditions
Zoo Lights
Zoo Lights was a first for us this year, since we have not been to the zoo for this event. We have been to the zoo on a few occasions, between class field trips, birthday parties and with friends. We were excited to see the new flock of flamingos that we have been seeing advertised and recently opened. The flamingos were out, but since this event was at night they were all sleeping, huddled together inside an enclosure that we viewed from a window. In reality, we really did not get to see as many animals as we had anticipated. There were some areas open like ‘explore the shore’ building with reptiles and fish. There were two sloths sleeping in a tree, primates and our favorite animals, giraffes and capybaras. The big disappointment was not getting to see the penguins, they can take the cool weather!
The lights were beautiful, they had a lot of animal and nature lights and areas that were amazing to stand and just look at for a while. The worst part of this event was the parking, but I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t feel that crowded once we entered the zoo. A trick I learned was to park in the garage of the Science Center and walk into the zoo event halfway. There were a few employees telling us they could scan us in there, it saved the day with my daughter. She’s not a ‘walker’ like mommy. I don’t know if it’s the teacher in me or the European traveler, but I can walk forever and with purpose. I have to read my audience and realize that I’m on vacation; not managing a high school hallway.
Botanical Garden Lights
The main Denver light festival is called Blossoms of Light , with a secondary location at the Chatfield Gardens in Littleton. Get your tickets really early in the season because they sell out early most years. Hudson Gardens in Littleton hosts another great experience of walking through lights called Hudson Holidays. Glowing trees, festive lights, a lighted maze and themed exhibits provide a festive atmosphere and themed nights throughout the season.
Finally, Elitches theme park in Downtown Denver, between the Aquarium/Children’s Museum area and the sports arenas dresses up its property and hosts its annual Luminova Holiday. Enjoy over 4 million lights, visits from Santa Clasu, a 65 foot Christmas tree, a snowman that never melts, a candycane tunnel, 16 foot tall ornaments and presents, light swings, a wall of lights, interactive hopscotch and ride featured attractions open at Elitch Gardens. Cassidy asked me, “Mommy, are we going to all those cold, outside, light shows?” Point taken kid, apparently my kid can only handle one or two outdoor events a year, so maybe we will just pick one this year.
The Nutcracker
These past three years we have been going to the Colorado Ballet’s Nutcracker at the Ellie Caulkins Theater in the Denver Arts District. This year, we will be going on opening night (I’m a sucker for a sale and they had availability in the box seats we liked last year. The box was right in the middle back of the orchestra seating and slightly elevated so my daughter could see really well. These seats also had actual chairs instead of uncomfortable stadium seating. We sat in the 1-4 section of the box and had lots of room. The last couple of years we’ve had to fight snowstorm weather on Nutcracker evening, lets hope it will be nicer this year!
The Ellie Caulkins theater feels fancy to Cassidy and I, so we get dressed up. I was glad they had a coat check, since most of these venues are warm and it’s bulky to carry a coat. I love a good coat check, that’s my Euro-bougie side. They also had lots of concessions with drinks and snacks, but still elevated for a theater experience. I enjoyed a coffee before the show and a specialty sugar plum fairy Prosecco drink during intermission. Cassidy got caught up in the gift shop, gift shops really are her love language. We spent most of the intermission there, but I only got roped into one thing this year. This gift shop would be a great place to get dance ornaments or signed ballet slippers for gifts or mementos.
Annual Activities to Plan During Christmas in Colorado
Ice at Gaylord of the Rockies
Gaylord of the Rockies and get to have the same fun Ice! experience each year. These experiences are also available in Dallas, Nashville, San Antonio and Washington D.C. each winter. These destination hotels are part of the Marriott group and can be booked with a ton of points or free night certificates. They are expensive to stay in cash, but might be more worth it in other cities, but in Denver the hotel is located so far from the Rocky Mountains you often can’t even see them during snow storms or wildfire season! The amenities of the indoor and outdoor waterpark might be worth the price tag in summer, but not for just the indoor pool. Instead, I always think of this as a day-trip experience either for the spa and outdoor pool area or the holiday extravaganza during the Christmas season at Gaylord of the Rockies.
The festive holiday decor hits you from well before you arrive, since it is the largest building for miles around. As you pull up to the resort, the lights and decorations transform both indoor and outdoors into a winter wonderland. Inside, you are greeted with holiday experiences to choose from; the most impressive being Ice! featuring the Polar Express theme for the 2024 season. Scenes from the movie (and book) are brought to life through colorful ice sculptures, set in a very chilly setting.
The popular holiday Cirque show Frost makes a great addition to your Ice! tickets. Other festive activities including Mrs. Claus’ Christmas traditions, photos with Santa, Elf training academy, gingerbread decorating, mistletoe mile scavenger hunt and campfires with s’mores. Kids can enjoy a wildlife rescue augmented reality experience and many holiday dining locations on the property, the most popular being Old Hickory Steakhouse. Make it an annual visit each season!
Christkindl Market
The Christkindl Market, a German Christmas Market, they hold every year. I was so excited to feel that German Christmas spirit again, drink glühwein out of a traditional mug and eat some yummy German food, I was happy to cue up and fight the windy conditions. Then the market moved to Civic Center Park, right in front of the State Capital building. The area is much more spacious, however the cue lines are still long and the areas in front of the stalls get crowded. This location is where the main pulse of Downtown Denver is located. Good luck finding free or street parking, but there are many garages and paid lots on all sides of the giant park.
There were traditional brats, schnitzel, potato pancakes and then the not as traditional crepes and Greek food. There were plenty of stalls to get pretzels, bakery goods, cheese and sweet treats and separate lines to buy beer (bier in German) and glühwein, a warm spiced red wine that is enjoyed on the go, in the tent with lots of Oktoberfest style seating or by securing a small stand-up table that are in popular demand. We even saw two barmaids, dressed up in traditional dirndls, pouring shots from a board hanging around their necks.
The market has souvenir style gifts and stalls that have more traditional offerings. There are lots of editable treats that are great to have around the house during the holidays or make interesting hostess gifts when invited to parties. My favorite stall has wooden ornaments, toys, nutcrackers, smokers and carved houses. These are all the rage in the European Markets and I love to pick up a new nutcracker or smoker. There are stalls that sell glass blown ornaments and hand painted decorations and even clothing and textiles.
Front Range Christmas Attractions
St. Nick’s Christmas Store
The St. Nick’s Store in Littleton is a tradition that my daughter and I have been going to since we moved and is simple, yet fun! This seemingly small store, opens into 22 decorated rooms featuring themed trees, ornaments and other Christmas decorations. Then in the basement, they have wreaths, lights, Christmas trees and anything you could possibly need to decorate them (skirts, lights, toppers, etc.) in all colors and themes. Once we walked across the modestly decorated porch, we opened the door to a Christmas Wonderland!
We spent the most time in rooms with aqua and pastel-colored ornaments, sea animals, as well as pet ornaments. I love traditional European glass blown ornaments and Old-World ornaments that remind me of my years living in Germany and all the beautiful Christmas Markets I got to explore during my Christmas Seasons living abroad. They have aronaments of every type of sport, profession, hobby and family makeup (including pets) that can all be personalized in beautiful handwriting. We also found out that the St. Nick Store has a big Halloween ornament event and plan to check it out each year in early October, but then forget until after the spooky season is over. Parking is all around the store with a small lot in the front, ample parallel parking across the road and even more in the back of the building.
The North Pole- Santa’s Workshop
The North Pole- Santa’s Workshop is a vintage amusement park at the foot of Pikes Peak in the Manitou Springs/Colorado Springs area. The spirit of Christmas in Colorado lives all year-long here, but becomes a huge tourist attraction in November and December and tickets sell out each year. In 1955, 25 acres were bought and designed by a former Walt Disney artist. The village started with 12 alpine buildings including a home for Santa and Mrs. Clause, 3 workshops, a blacksmith shop, reindeer barn, Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard and a souvenir shop. Over the years, the North Pole has expanded, but the Christmas Spirit has held on strong for over 65 years.
This mountain park is 7,500 feet above sea level, so outdoor shoes and lots of layers are encouraged when visiting. The park has over two dozen vintage rides for children to enjoy inside Santa’s Village, watch a show staring Elmer the Elf or see a glass blower create custom ornaments. Eat sweet treats, visit with Santa and tell him your list or shop in the 7 vintage shops. Santa’s workshop can be visited in the summer and fall seasons as well, but if you are planning to visit during peak time, be sure you have a reservation.
Winter Wonderlights in Loveland, Colorado
Winter Wonderlights comes each year to the Chapungu Sculpture Park in Loveland in Northern Colorado off I25 (about an hour north of Denver). The free nightly shows, that run 30 minutes continuously from 5:00-9:00 pm with selfie stations and photo-ops spots. There are also live nights scheduled each year featuring ice sculpture demonstrations, live reindeer, holiday performances and vendors to provide unique ornaments and gifts. The park is located near the Promenade Shops, which makes it easy to grab dinner or get your Christmas shopping done. There is an ice skating rick available at the Main Plaza and well-behaved, leashed dogs are allow to attend the Holiday festivities too (as long as they stay away from the reindeer exhibit). This is another great Christmas in Colorado experience.
Georgetown Christmas Market
Georgetown is located just an hour west of Denver off I70, traveling towards the mountain towns in a cute, historic community that has a great festival to celebrate Christmas in Colorado. The 64th annual celebration of the Yuletide Season will be held the first two weekends in December. The town comes to light with Victorian decorations, an outdoor European Marketplace, Alpine Biergarten at Rue de Noël and a new feature called Christmas Alley. Enjoy appearences by Saint Nicholas, daily Santa Lucia Children’s Procession at noon and museum tours to enjoy the decorations and history of the town.
This historic event will transport you back 100 years with carolers in Victorian costumes, festive dancers and children’s performances during the weekend events. Get your Christmas shopping done with some unique shops featuring ornaments, art and home decor, Colorado wines, jewelry and antiques. Christmas Market Museum Tours offer hosted tours of Hamill House, Hotel de Paris, Alpine Hos #2, Energy Museum and the Old School building. Guests are encouraged to stroll the properties and local restaurants to enjoy the decorations of the season.
Polar Express Train Experience
We did not book a Polar Express train experience this year and I am a little bit disappointed I didn’t jump on it sooner. We were disappointed, going down to the Royal Gorge Polar Express train, at least Ken & I were. It was cheesy, had a minimal light show that was supposed to look like the “North Pole” and an elf that was our waitress that took her role a little too seriously. However, Cassidy loved it at the time, but just a few years later I think she’s crossing over, becoming too mature for the experience. There are a few other options I’ve heard better reviews about at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden and Americas Railroad Polar Express experience in Durango, Colorado.
Ice Castles for Christmas in Colorado
Ice Castles is described as an “awe-inspiring, winter phenomenon that brings fairy tales to life.” There are ice sculptures, ice slides, caverns & archways, crawl tunnels and a polar pub to warm up from the inside out. Layers are the first step to staying warm and adding ski pants on top of 3+ layers, if needed on a cold night. Ice Castles are located in Cripple Creek and Eagle Colorado during the 2024 year and bound to be colder than ever. There is even a warning on the website that some features of the event are weather dependant and subject to closure. Don’t make the mistake I did the first year, not all cute unicorn boots for kids are water-poof. Cassidy’s 4 year old toes were wet and frozen and even my husband did an Irish goodbye to be found the in car with the heat on blast.
Final Thought about Christmas in Colorado
You don’t have to be a skier or snowboarder to enjoy Christmas in Colorado. The season comes marching in as we’re still eating Halloween candy. Each year I like to add additional things to our advent season, but then also need to consider my kids ages and that my youngest is turning 10! They all love certain traditions we’ve done every year, seeing lights displays, enjoying glühwein and festive treats and the beloved Advent calendar. We can’t do everything, as my husband reminds me, if it were up to me we’d sure try! Colorado is a great place to spend the Christmas Season, especially if you create a traditional, cozy environment in the snow blanked mountain landscape.
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