Sure, it’s going to be good weather and you’re not going to see any ice or snow unless you stick your head in a freezer, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have any winter holiday fun in Los Angeles. This city, after all, is a major tourist destination and has a huge number of people who would love to live it up winter style. So you’ll find plenty of fun things to do here. You just have to expand your idea of what makes up winter holiday fun a bit, that’s all.
So what if your snowballs will be made of confetti? They’ll still be really annoying if you get them down somebody’s shirt. I mean, do you know how much work it is to get confetti out of your clothes?
Holiday Christmas Parade
The Hollywood Christmas Parade is part of the journey of LA Christmas. It’s been going for almost as many years as Nicolas Cage has made movies (and it’s a lot less hit and miss). There’s floats, balloons, bands and celebrities.
Even better, because the route has been shaped as a U you can go check it out twice, and make sure that you get to see everything and both sides.
Note that the curbside seating is free. You can also get a grandstand seat in which case what you pay for your ticket will end up going to Toys for Tots – so you’re not just seeing a parade, you’re also helping out some children. What can be more Christmassy than that?
When? November 26th
Los Angeles Harbor Holiday Afloat Parade
One parade not enough? Then go check out the floating one as well! There will be sailboats, harbor crafts, float and a whole lot more. This one has been going for over fifty years and it has been getting better all the time.
Did you know you can get tickets for 15$ US for watching it from the Battleship Iowa? Well, in case you didn’t, obviously now you do. So get together with the family and watch the whole parade float on by (sorry, bad pun). There will also be hot chocolate, a Santa and more.
That too steep for you? Then check out the schedule because there are plenty of places you can see it for free.
When? 2nd of December
Angel City Chorale Holiday Concert and Sing Along
Do you like choirs? Do you like Christmas Carols? Do you like it when the guy next to you is hollering along with both? Then you have to go check out the Chorale Holiday Concert and Sing Along. A brilliant opportunity to listen to some of the best singers in the city be drowned out by the crowds. Now if that isn’t Christmas, I don’t know what is.
The even till take place at the Immanuel Presbyterian church. They’ll be singing a whole range of different songs, from classical to pop and from world to contemporary. Of course, there is also gospel. So go on, bellow out the color of Rudolf’s nose!
When? Saturday December 2nd and Sunday December 3rd
A John Waters Christmas
Too much good cheer? Need a bit more smut and perversity in your month? Then go check out John Water Christmas. This is an awesome opportunity to get into true crime horror stories and monologue-style comedy.
And for us that’s just as much a part of Christmas as the man in the Coca cola color suit. So go on, you know you want to. Because when does horror not translate into Christmas cheer?
Go on. Find out what is naught and what is nice.
When? 3rd of December
Just because there is no snow and you don’t need a jacket doesn’t mean you can’t have any Christmas lights! And if there are going be Christmas lights then obviously somebody has to light them. Now, most days that will just be the janitor. But on the first day, you’ve got the lighting ceremony. And that’s a lot of fun.
The ceremony takes place near Brighton way. But of course you don’t actually have to go all the way down there as there are lights along the whole street. Even better, Mr. and Mrs. Clause will both be on the street. So you can go say hi to both. You’ll find Mr. At the Paley Center, while Mrs. Can be found on the trolley tour.
When? December 16th
Santa Monica Pub Crawl
One of the most Christmasy things you can do this year is go on a pub crawl. Yes, you did read that right. It will cost you 15 US to get in (20 at the door) but the good news is that the money you spend goes to Westside Food Bank, which means that because you drink other people will get to have a good Christmas meal (or at least not starve).
Evne better, you get to participate in in the pub crawl itself which consist of four groups going about the same thing in different orders. You’ll get food, you’ll get fun, you’ll get to see some of the city’s nice places – and you’ll get to act like an ass in all of them!
Where will you go? Well, the list include Tacoteca, Cabo Cantina, Ye Olde King's Head, Plan Check and more. There is scavenger hunt, you get to drive on the Big Blue Bus for a discount and – of course – there’s the silly hats.
When? December 16th
Snow Los Angeles
You knew it was going to happen. There had to be snow somewhere on the list. Over at the tubing park IN Elysian Park they’ve created 10,000 square feet of synthetic snow to let you go tubing and look at fake icicles.
Note that you are still in LA, so don’t expect this to be some kind of cross the Antartic kind of thing, but hey. If you need the white stuff for a few hours, then why not go here? Cheaper than your dealer!
When? November 17th till December 17th
Last words
So there you have it, some great opportunities and ideas for the Christmas you deserve. And all of it can be experienced without whipping out the winter coats. What’s not to love? Even better, you might see some famous people. At a distance. While they laugh at your for doing such plebe things.
Yeah, it might be Christmas but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still Los Angeles. The city of fake people and those who are willing to climb over the backs of their betters to get anywhere in life.
Merry Christmas everybody!