We love Christmas time! It is the time of the year that I fell in love with my lovely husband. In fact, our first date included a visit to the Zilker Christmas tree of lights. It was the first time I had ever seen it and it was memorizing….so was the car coming at us on the wrong side of Hwy 71…LOL! Years later, I was blessed to watch my husband spin our daughter around under the lights of the Zilker tree and it became one of my favorite Christmas memories. Visiting Zilker Trail of Lights that year also began a family Christmas tradition until the crowds grew to the point of it not being enjoyable for us anymore. At 5’2″ it makes it hard to see the lights when your walking shoulder to shoulder in a crowd.
Here are some of our Christmas traditions as well as some new ones we’d like to check out. Maybe your new favorite or classic made the list!
1. PEC lights in Johnson City
I love this tradition! We always start at PEC, then we tour the childhood home of Lyndon B. Johnson followed by visiting the Johnson City Courthouse to see the lights, play on the lawn and check out the Christmas crafts that are sold inside the Courthouse. We end our night with hot chocolate and cookies benefiting fallen Linemen and visiting Mr. and Mrs. Claus at the City Memorial Park. This tradition is still going strong!
2. Ballet MAGNIFICAT
As a former dancer I have always been in love with the ballet. We have attended various versions of The Nutcracker over the years, but this year we are really excited to see this amazing Christian Ballet Company perform at The Life Austin Amphitheater.
3. Main St. Bethlehem
With all the hustle and bustle of the season I try to find ways to emphasize or remind myself what the true meaning of Christmas is. We attended Main St. Bethlehem, in Burnet, TX, for the first time last year and it was an unforgettable experience for the whole family. It is an interactive experience of the birth of Jesus Christ. You move through it at your own pace and it really helps you to connect to the story in a new way with a deeper sense of understanding. My kids loved seeing the camel, soldiers, and talking to the tax collector…lol! Prepare for a line and arrive early.
4. Walkway of Lights
Two million lights on more than 130 sculptures illuminate Lakeside Park in Marble Falls, TX. We began visiting this trail of lights once the Zilker Park Trail became crowded. It is a wonderful way to visit lights with the whole family of all ages and the trail is wheelchair and stroller accessible! We love meeting friends for dinner in the area and then hitting the trail.
Now every Christmas season is only so long and I don’t know about you, but we can never seem to fit in all that we want to enjoy (a blessing and a curse 😂).
Here are a few new experiences we would like to explore this year.
1. Mozarts Cafe
2. The Polar Express Train Ride
3. White Christmas Gingerbread Village at the Four Seasons
4. Mayfield Family Lights
5. Ice Skating
6. Christmas and Cuddles Dinner in Spicewood, TX
We would love to hear from you! Share your Christmas traditions with us and lets be the Light of the Season!