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Galveston November 11–January 7, 2017
Blend the holiday spirit with a tropical getaway to Galveston’s Moody Gardens as it unveils its annual chilly spectacle. A team of expert ice carvers from Harbin, China, travel to the Texas island each fall to spend more than a month creating sculptures and works of art from two million pounds of ice to fit the year’s theme. This year, expect to see frozen versions of a Rainforest Holiday—including playful monkeys, exotic birds, and flitting butterflies—as you walk through a colorful maze of equatorial delights. Gloves, scarves, and hats are necessary accessories (parkas are provided for all guests) as the space is kept at a bone-chilling 9 degrees Fahrenheit. While it may be a challenge to have a true White Christmas in the Lone Star State, you can at least experience a cold one.
Photo: Kevin Stillman
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Houston November 18–January 14, 2017
’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the zoo, not a creature was stirring—not even the black howler monkeys, sea lions, and kangaroos. Every winter, the Houston Zoo and its more than 6,000 animals get that festive feeling when the park undergoes its annual holiday makeover. During this Houston tradition (closed Christmas Eve and Christmas), staff will flip the switch and illuminate more than 2 million lights—a 15-mile display of eco-friendly LED lighting presented by TXU Energy. Visitors can enjoy festive carols, hot chocolate, and Holly Berry: a 1958 Cadillac with a lightshow set to music. Last year ushered in a new tradition: a 33-foot-tall Christmas tree adorned with colorful decorations—the ideal backdrop for holiday selfies.
Photo: courtesy Houston Zoo
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Goliad December 1–2, 2017
For more than 25 years, this annual weekend festival has ushered in the holiday season with holiday performances, shopping, and the arrival of good ole St. Nick. During the first weekend in December, this tiny town of fewer than 2,000 people doubles in size with visitors from across the United States who have traveled to Goliad to partake in the food, music, and celebration. The celebration has come a long way from its first year in 1983: The lighted parade that was once over in minutes has grown into an hour-long occasion with more than 70 entries. More events have been added over the years, including a living Nativity scene and Presidio La Bahía’s 21st century adaptation of the ancient trade fair. Goliad may be a small town, but for a quarter century, the people have proven that it sure has big Christmas spirit.
Photo: Will van Overbeek
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Anson December 14–16, 2017
For 82 years straight, the residents of Jones County have been kicking up their heels in holiday celebration at the Texas Cowboys’ Christmas Ball in Anson, held this year Dec. 14–16. Modeled after an 1885 dance at the Star Hotel in Anson, the traditional event so inspired country-western musician Michael Martin Murphey that he developed an annual Cowboy Christmas tour, now in its 23rd year, that carries the holiday tradition to performance halls across Texas. This December, Murphey will play six Cowboy Christmas shows in Texas—plus two more in Oklahoma and Colorado—including the Anson ball Dec. 16.
Photo: Kevin Stillman
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