Meet Santa’s Reindeer at Murdoch’s
Santa is all over the place at this time of year, but his reindeer make far fewer appearances. But you can see them at Murdoch’s Home & Ranch Supply locations across Colorado throughout December. Before or after visiting the team, be sure to write a letter to Santa, color festive holiday activity sheets and learn how to make reindeer snacks. Don’t forget your cameras! You’ll find a full schedule of dates and visiting hours at murdochs.com/news/reindeer.
Noel Northglenn
Join Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves for an evening of fun when Santa comes to Northglenn on Dec. 6 to kick off the city’s holiday celebration. Noel Northglenn runs from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Northglenn Recreation Center (1 E. Memorial Parkway) and will be filled with both “fan favorites” and fun ways to celebrate the season. Visit with Santa Claus and either take pictures on your own phone/camera for free or purchase one for $5 taken by the onsite pro. Other activities include kids crafts, carriage rides and an indoor snowball fight. northglenn.org/event_detail_T24_R25.php
Olde Golden Christmas Candlelight Walk
Olde Golden Christmas continues its tradition of a candlelight walk on Dec. 6, with hundreds of locals and visitors caroling their way down Washington Avenue to Parfet Park, candles in hand. If you want to participate, gather by the stage near the Golden Visitors Center (10th and Washington) at 5 p.m. for the pre-walk holiday show with caroling, music and pictures with Santa. The walk itself starts promptly at 6:30 p.m. from the Foothill Arts Center (15th and Washington). During the walk, you can listen and sing along with holiday songs. Then, at the end, the “switch” will be flipped on for Golden’s lights along Clear Creek and throughout downtown. Bring a candle or glowstick. visitgolden.com/olde-golden-holidays/candlelightwalk/
Ticket discount
Feld Entertainment is bringing three popular family-friendly shows to the Mile High City at Ball Arena. Disney On Ice’s “Magic in the Stars” skates around from Dec. 6 to 8; Monster Jam stops by Feb. 7-9, 2025; and Monster Energy AMA Supercross races into town on May 3, 2025. Through Dec. 8, save up to 35 percent on tickets to any of the three shows online with promo code G7VE35. The discount applies to select performances and tickets, with a limit of eight tickets per transaction. feldentertainment.com
Koelbel Library used book sale
Come in from the cold for some hot deals on cool reads at the Used Book Sale at Koelbel Library (5955 S. Holly St. in Centennial) on Dec. 7 and 8. Shop an exclusive selection of holiday, children’s and collectible books to find the perfect gift for everyone on your nice list. Books are in tip-top condition and will be sold at reasonable prices. Hours are Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. arapahoelibraries.org
Schweiger Ranch Austrian Christmas
Schweiger Ranch (10822 Havana St. in Lone Tree) is pulling out all the stops for its annual authentic Schweiger Ranch Austrian Christmas on Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bring the family to see Santa and his reindeer, enjoy Austrian food and beverages and other activities such as a horse-drawn carriage ride. Stop by the Christkindl Market for gifts that will add a local handcrafted touch to your giving. This free festival is sure to whisk you back 145 years into the past, when the Schweiger brothers moved to Colorado from Austria and settled their homestead. schweigerranch.org/austrianchristmas
Centennial Jingle Jam
The holiday cheer starts at Centennial Center Park (13050 E. Peakview Ave.) on Dec. 7 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Amphitheater with the Centennial Jingle Jam. The annual holiday concert features songs from local school choirs and dance performances. Enjoy a visit with Santa, free cookies and hot chocolate and loads of holiday cheer. centennialco.gov/Calendar/Centennial-Jingle-Jam-2024
Visit the Village
The Arapahoe County Fairgrounds and Event Center (25690 E. Quincy Ave. in Aurora) is the site of Visit the Village on Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Holiday revelers of all ages can spend the day strolling through a Village Marketplace with local craft and artisan vendors, enjoy make-and-take crafts, meet with Santa, take horse-drawn carriage rides and participate in lots of children’s activities (including holiday games and a petting zoo). Plus, holiday treats and beverages will be available for purchase. Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased onsite. Children 2 and under are admitted for free. However, one member per family can get in for free by donating a new, unwrapped gift for any age. arapahoecountyeventcenter.com/visitthevillage
DCPAccess tickets
Among the Denver Center for Performing Arts’ discount programs, the most popular is its DCPAccess. The much-loved program provides access to its shows — even the occasional Broadway production — at up to 75 percent off. Tickets are available a few times a year — with the next on-sale date scheduled for Dec. 11 at noon. Most tickets are just $11.50 ($10 plus $1.50 fee), but it varies by show. The number of shows available for sale changes each time and there is a four ticket limit for each. Tickets often sell out within the same day, so be sure to plan accordingly. denvercenter.org/dcpa-access-sale/
Holiday Ice Shows in Centennial
Ice is nice, especially when it’s a beautiful Holiday Ice Show and the price (free) is right. Figure skaters present three shows at South Suburban Sports Complex and Family Sports Center. Skaters perform to traditional holiday music and Santa makes an appearance at the finale. Admission is free. The hour-long shows are at South Suburban Sports Complex (6580 S. Vine St. in Centennial) on Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. and Dec. 14 at 3:15 p.m. Then, at Family Sports Center (6901 S. Peoria St. in Centennial) on Dec. 15 at 3:15 p.m. ssprd.org/News-And-Events/Post/20391
TubaChristmas 2024
Hundreds of tubas, euphoniums and other low-register brass instruments spread holiday cheer on Dec. 15 at the Denver Center Performing Arts Complex Sculpture Park. The holiday music is in the air from 11 a.m. to noon. It’s all part of TubaChristmas 2024, a nationwide series of free concerts performed by local, volunteer musicians. The orchestra assembles only hours before show time to rehearse its “heavy metal” tunes. tubachristmas.com
Colorado Lottery
To celebrate a new line of holiday-themed scratch games ($1, $2, $5, $10 and $20 tickets), the Colorado Lottery is giving away a chance to win big. From Dec. 2 to 23, get a free $5 Winter Winnings scratch ticket with the purchase of three $5 Winter Winnings scratch tickets (packs excluded). The giveaway is only available at one of the four Colorado Lottery Claim Centers: Lakewood, Fort Collins, Grand Junction and Pueblo. Offices are open Monday to Friday. Bonus tickets are available while supplies last. coloradolottery.com/en/events/527/
Comfort Dental
Many people fear the dentist not because of pain, but because of the expense. Comfort Dental is giving a generous gift to those who otherwise cannot afford care. On Dec. 23, the dental network is hosting its annual Care Day with free services from 7:30 a.m. to noon. Patients are assisted first-come, first-served, so plan accordingly. Choose from a variety of basic dental services, from a cleaning to an extraction. More serious issues are handled individually at the staff’s discretion. There are dozens of locations throughout Colorado. comfortdental.com/care-day
Downtown Denver New Year’s Eve fireworks
Downtown Denver is the place to be for two spectacular fireworks shows, one for those such as families seeking an earlier evening at 9 p.m. and a second, identical extravaganza at midnight on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31. Both run about 8 minutes. Best viewing is the mile-long 16th Street Mall, which is lined with outdoor cafes equipped with heat lamps for those who prefer to people watch in comfort. winterindenver.com/nye
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