Guide to Holiday and Christmas Activities for Chicago Families

Christmas or Xmas, Hanukkah or Chanukah, there are plenty of ways for families to enjoy the season around Chicago.

Find fun holiday events, Christmas activities in Chicago, including Christmas lights, Hanukkah celebrations, polar express and Christmas trains, Santa visits, and more seasonal fun in our awesome Chicago Holidays Guide

Holiday Activities for Chicago Kids
Breakfast with Santa at Drury Lane
Where to Have Breakfast with Santa in Chicago This Holiday Season
Lightscape at Chicago Botanic Garden. Photo courtesy of the event.
The Chicago Must-Do Christmas Events to Book Now Before They Sell Out
The Annual Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
25 Must-Do Christmas Events and Holiday Activities in Chicago for Kids
Cut your own tree this year at one of these Christmas tree farms near Chicago. Photo courtesy of Comstock Images
Top Christmas Tree Farms Near Chicago
Here's our list of the best Chicago neighborhoods to see holiday lights. Photo courtesy of the Larsen Christmas Lights Show
Best Neighborhood Christmas Light Displays and Holiday Lights in Chicago
Visit Santa at the Midwestern Christmas town of Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Photo courtesy of cedarburgfestival.org
The Best Christmas Towns in the Midwest

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Those eight crazy nights are approaching and we’ve got everything you need to celebrate Hanukkah with your family. Photo courtesy Cottonbro Studios
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Christmas jokes for kids make the season a bit jollier all around!
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The Furoshiki method is a practical way to wrap gifts using pieces of cloth. Photo courtesy of Invaluable
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Latest Christmas/Hanukkah News

See how the village of Port Jefferson magically turns back time to the Dicken's Era. Photo courtesy of the festival's Facebook page
21 Free Holiday and Christmas Events on Long Island for Kids in 2025
Enjoy the holidays without breaking the bank at these LI events.
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Fifth Street in Ronkonkoma is aglow with Christmas lights during the holidays.
Best Neighborhood Christmas Light Displays and 2025 Holiday Lights on Long Island
Check out these LI homes that are decked out for the holidays.
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Armed with our giant list of Christmas crafts, you'll keep kids busy until the New Year!
101 Fun Christmas Crafts and Games for Kids to Do at Home
Keep kids busy until it's time to tear into stockings!
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Mr. and Mrs. Claus have a great photo-op with a little red truck at Santa's Christmas Tree Farm in Cutchogue. Photo by Jennifer Voit
Where to Take Santa Pictures on Long Island in 2025
Here's where to pose for photos with Santa on LI this holiday season.
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Give them something to be excited about when it's time to open stockings!
25 Cool Stocking Stuffers for Kids for $10 or Less
No coal this Christmas, just cool gifts under ten bucks.
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Uh-oh! The elf tangled up your tree lights! Photo by Mark Baylor, courtesy of Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
  VIDEO
50 Best Elf on the Shelf Ideas for 2025: Easy & Funny Ideas to Delight Kids
Simple but hilarious Elf on the Shelf shenanigans that will delight your kids.
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