Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
There's no better way to celebrate the happiest time of the year than by getting out of the house and enjoying some classic holiday traditions with your family. In Utah, that may mean skiing, seeing the lights, attending a play or any number of fun activities.
If you need ideas, here's a list of some of the most beloved Utah holiday traditions you'll want to add to your December calendar. As an added bonus, many of them are free!
Go ice skating at the Gallivan Center
Cue the Charlie Brown Christmas music! Ice skating is the quintessential Christmastime activity and the best place to do some festive skating is the Gallivan Center downtown. From mid-November to the end of February, the plaza transforms into a family-friendly skating rink that's decked out with lights.
The rink is open to the public from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays, though the hours may vary on holidays. Your admission fee includes either a hockey or figure skate rental, but you can save a little money if you bring your own. Concessions are also available if all that skating works up an appetite.
For more information, visit the Gallivan Center website.
Stroll through Gardner Village
Gardner Village is one of those places you need to visit if you want to be fully immersed in the Christmas spirit. With everything decked out for the holidays and a calendar of fun events for the whole family to enjoy, you should definitely add this to your Christmas bucket list.
This year, the village has elf displays and an elf scavenger hunt for the little ones to enjoy as you're walking around. Don't forget to wear your ugliest holiday sweater and stop by Chocolate Covered Wagon for some free hot cocoa!
Enjoy The Grand America Hotel's Window Stroll
Speaking of scavenger hunts, here's another one your kids — and you — will love. Help Jaqueline Frost find her lost kitten Snowball in The Grand America Hotel's holiday Window Stroll and you'll be entered into a drawing for a one-night stay at The Grand America Hotel.
To participate, you'll scan the QR code at each window and then take a 14-question quiz. The activity goes through January 1, so head downtown before then!
Visit Ogden's Christmas Village
Many towns and cities have their own Christmas traditions and displays, but Ogden's Christmas Village stands out as one of the very best in Utah. Now through Jan. 1, don't miss your chance to see the beautiful and charming miniature Christmas houses and displays in Ogden's downtown area. The lights are on between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
Best of all, the Christmas Village is free for all visitors and includes visits from Santa Claus, free train rides and a fireworks show. Preschoolers can even enjoy guided tours from Mrs. Claus between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.
Find out more on Ogden City's website.
See the lights at Temple Square
As you may know, the Salt Lake Temple is undergoing major renovations — but there's still plenty to see on Temple Square! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a map of open areas where you can enjoy the lights and maintain your annual tradition. Lights are on from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. and from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. daily until Jan. 1.
If you want to beat the crowds, try going in the morning.
Aside from Temple Square, you can also catch other impressive light displays at Thanksgiving Point's Luminaria and Hogle Zoo's annual ZooLights celebration.
Attend a Christmas concert or performance
One of the best parts of the holiday season is the music you've likely come to love since you were a kid. Downtown Salt Lake and surrounding areas offer plenty of opportunities to get into the Christmas spirit with concerts, plays and performances.
Catch the classic "A Christmas Carol" or "Elf The Musical" at Hale Center Theatre in Sandy. The annual "Christmas Carol" runs through December 27, while "Elf" extends through January 6. Hurry and purchase tickets, there are very few left!
Enjoy Ballet West's performance of "The Nutcracker" through December 27. The performance takes place at Capitol Theatre downtown, so take in the Christmas lights on Main Street and take a stroll through City Creek before the show.
For more ideas, Now Playing Utah has a full list of upcoming holiday shows and performances.
Don't forget to do some shopping!
Of course, no tradition is more long-standing than some good old-fashioned holiday shopping. Visiting brick-and-more stores that are decked out for the season may be a fun way to sprinkle some holiday cheer into your week. But if you prefer to stay out of the cold, you can wrap up in a warm blanket by the tree and do some online shopping instead.
And if you're looking for the perfect holiday gift, Minky Couture has got you covered. For the best blanket — and best present — ever, shop online at softminkyblankets.com or visit a Minky Couture store near you.
