The season of oversized lawn inflatables, twinkling lights, and the unmistakable aroma of cookies is upon us! Whether you're filling up on holiday cheer with friends and family, mingling at festive events, or flexing your volunteer muscles, there’s plenty of fun to be had throughout the region. So, grab your scarf and Santa hat, and get ready to sleigh the season in style!

Indian Rock Tree Farm

TREK FOR YOUR TREE 

Nothing feels more festive than cutting down a Christmas tree at a family-owned farm in the foothills. A bit off the beaten track, Little Bear Tree Farm (littlebeartreefarm.com) in Alta offers something for everyone. In addition to finding the tree of your dreams, you can feed trout in a creek, get up close with friendly farm animals, sip hot cocoa around the bonfire, and shop for holiday décor in the gift shop. Or visit one of the many scenic tree farms nestled in Apple Hill (applehill.com/grower-cat/christmas-trees), including our favorite: Indian Rock Tree Farm (indianrocktreefarm.com)! Just don’t depart without savoring a fresh-out-of-the-fryer apple cider donut from Rainbow Orchards.

Christmas Tree Lighting at the El Dorado Hills Town Center

ILLUMINATE THE HOLIDAYS 

Kick off the Christmas season with a good old-fashioned tree-lighting ceremony. Get your fill of twinkling trees, caroling choirs, candy canes, and Santa sightings in Downtown Roseville on December 5 (roseville.ca.us/residents/city_events), Historic Folsom on December 6 (historicfolsom.org/events-schedule), or the El Dorado Hills Town Center (edhtowncenter.com/upcoming-events) and Rocklin (web.rocklinchamber.com/events), both on December 7.

Palladio Menorah Lighting

LET THERE BE LIGHT—AND LATKES

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is the eight-day Jewish celebration that includes lighting the menorah, a sacred candelabra. Enjoy traditional music and nosh on tasty treats at El Dorado Hills Town Center’s menorah-lighting ceremony on December 26 (edhtowncenter.com/upcoming-events). Or celebrate the first night of Hanukkah by attending the ceremony at Folsom’s Palladio on December 25 (gopalladio.com). You might even get to spin the dreidel!

SHOP (LOCAL) ‘TIL YOU DROP

Handcrafted gifts are always a win—especially when you can shop for them while munching on kettle corn. Find unique, handmade holiday gifts, and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season at Historic Folsom’s annual Christmas Arts & Crafts Fair on December 8 (historicfolsom.org/events-schedule). Or head to Auburn’s Old Town Christmas on December 14 and 21, where the charm of the past meets the presents of the present (oldtownauburnca.com/events/old-town-christmas).

Placer Theatre Ballet: The Nutcracker

RAISE THE CURTAIN

Embrace the spirit of the season by attending a holiday show. The Harris Center in Folsom (harriscenter.net) offers an eclectic lineup of Christmas concerts (The Nutcracker, Holiday Cheer, A Master Singers Christmas, Holiday Celebration, and more), while Folsom’s Sutter Street Theatre (sutterstreettheatre.com) warms hearts with A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas and Placerville’s Imagination Theater (itplacerville.org) brings a beloved classic movie to the stage with Miracle on 34th Street. Up in Auburn, Placer Theatre Ballet is putting on a can’t-miss, magical performance of The Nutcracker (placertheatreballet.org).

Santa Hustle

DO GOOD, FEEL GOOD

There are many wonderful ways to give back during the holiday season, including donating to local food banks and toy drives. And on December 15, Christmas cheer meets cardio at the Santa Hustle in Roseville (santahustle.com/roseville). Dress up in your holiday best and run (or walk) through downtown, refueling at cookie stations along the way. Whether you’re dashing through the half marathon, 5K, or Kids’ Dash, you’ll be spreading joy—and raising funds for Stand Up Placer, an organization that supports victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.

Folsom Ice Rink

LACE UP & HIT THE ICE 

Glide into winter fun by visiting a local ice rink, such as Skatetown Ice Arena (skatetown.biz) in Roseville or Folsom’s seasonal outdoor rink (folsomicerink.com). Whether you're skating gracefully, doing your best penguin impression, or just sipping hot cocoa on the sidelines, a trip to the ice rink is the perfect way for friends and families to share some laughs and make memories together. 

Magical Christmas Train

TAKE A MAGICAL TRAIN RIDE

Hot chocolate? Check. A train ride to the North Pole? Double check. Santa? You bet! The Polar Express departs from the California State Railroad Museum through December 22, so put on your coziest pajamas, climb aboard, and let the holiday magic unfold. Once the train reaches its destination, Santa will greet passengers and pass out gifts (californiarailroad.museum). In Folsom, Santa’s Whistlestop Adventure is back with motorcar rides and refreshments with Santa (psvrr.org/ride/santas-whistlestop-adventure). And in West Sacramento, step aboard the Magical Christmas Train (riverfoxtrain.com/experiences/magical-christmas-train) for an enchanting, hour-long winter wonderland ride—complete with hot cocoa, cookies, and a meet-and-greet with Santa and his elves (who will be on board guiding passengers in holiday sing-a-longs, elfish games, and festive activities). 

Sylvia Besana Hoiiday Parade

PARADE YOUR HOLIDAY SPIRIT

What better way to get in the holiday spirit than a hometown parade featuring festive floats, fancy horses, and local dance teams and marching bands? On December 7, Roseville hosts the 63rd annual Sylvia Besana Holiday Parade, the city’s longest-running tradition (sylviabesanaparade.org). And on December 8, Placerville hosts its 46th annual Hangtown Christmas Parade (hangtownchristmasparade.com).

Holiday in the Hills

SIP, SHOP, CELEBRATE

Meander along the Placer Wine Trail on December 7 and 8 during the annual Holidays in the Hills tour (placerwine.com/plan-your-visit/events/holidays-in-the-hills). Wineries in Auburn, Granite Bay, Lincoln, Loomis, Newcastle, and Rocklin will offer wine tastings, gourmet nibbles, food trucks, live music, and more. The wineries will also be collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots. It’s the classiest way to toast the season. (This event is for those 21 and over only.) 

by Jennifer Maragoni
Holidays in the Hills Tour photo by Heirloom Photography. Santa Hustle photo by Lisa Zeng Photography. Placer Theatre Ballet-The Nutcracker photo by Tony Nguyen Photography. Magical Christmas Train photo by Brendan McGuigan. Other photos courtesy of their respective companies or organizations.