‘Tis the season for making festive plans! The holiday season in St. Louis is a wonderful time, full of vibrant lights, festive music, and opportunities for connection and joy!
We made a list (and checked it twice) of all our favorite holiday traditions, shows, and shopping events happening in St. Louis this season.
2025 Christmas Performances & Festive Outings
The holiday season brings an exciting line-up of festive concerts, ballets, and shows to St. Louis, making it easy to schedule a fun outing with family and friends.
- The St. Louis Symphony: Christmas concerts at the St. Louis Symphony are a joyful holiday tradition. This year will feature:
- Home Alone in Concert – The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams’ entire film score live while the hilarious and heartwarming movie Home Alone is projected on a big screen.
- Mercy Holiday Celebration with vocals from Kennedy Holmes – With vocals from Kennedy Holmes this year, a cherished annual tradition at SLSO is back. They will perform favorite seasonal standards and festive holiday classics. Often there’s a visit from Santa too!
- Handel’s Messiah: Joyful Praise – The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus perform Handel’s oratorio, a moving holiday classic.
- The Fabulous Fox: The Fabulous Fox has a bustling holiday lineup from musicals to concerts to ballets. Showing this season:
- NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet – This is a classic Christmas ballet featuring an international cast performing Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, enhanced by breathtaking acrobatics and larger-than-life puppets.
- A Christmas Story, The Musical – Based on the beloved 1983 film, this hilarious musical follows young Ralphie Parker.
- Christmas Together Tour with Cece Winans, Michael W. Smith, and Amy Grant – This is a festive concert event uniting three Christian musicians for an evening of beloved Christmas carols and seasonal songs.
- Brett Eldredge Glow Live – Country music artist Brett Eldredge performs a collection of classic and original holiday songs from his Glow albums, creating a classic, warm, and festive concert experience.
- RAIN – A Beatles Christmas Tribute – For Beatles fans, this show combines the legendary sounds of The Beatles with the spirit of the season, performing holiday favorites alongside the iconic music of the Beatles.
- For King + Country Drummer Boy Christmas -The four-time GRAMMY-winning brothers delivers a spectacular, high-energy sonic journey blending musical mastery, storytelling, and dazzling production centered around the Christmas story.
- Mannheim Steamroller Christmas – Chip Davis’s groundbreaking group presents their signature blend of modern electronic and classical music arrangements of holiday classics, featuring dazzling multimedia effects.
- A Magical Cirque Christmas – A dazzling holiday variety show featuring the world’s most elite cirque performers and gravity-defying acrobatics set to a modern soundtrack of Christmas classics.
- St. Louis Art Museum: The museum often hosts special holiday events, including performances and tours, that can provide a cultural and enriching outing.
- Winter Celebrations – This is a free, annual, two-day, family-friendly festival at the museum that highlights holiday traditions and cultures from around the world through diverse performances and hands-on art activities.
- Festive Fridays – Every Friday from late November through December, the museum offers free concerts, special gallery tours, art-making activities, and a holiday pop-up bar, with free admission to ticketed exhibitions.
- THE POLAR EXPRESS™ train ride: All aboard! Bring the grandkids to the North Pole on a beautifully decorated train featuring character interactions, hot chocolate, cookies, a reading of the classic book, and a visit from Santa Claus.
Local Christmas Shopping near St. Louis
Support local shops and artisans by exploring St. Louis markets and charming traditions from main street festivals to fun pop-up shops.
- St. Charles Christmas Traditions: This free, month-long festival on Historic Main Street brings the holiday spirit of the past to life with costumed characters representing Christmas legends from around the world, carolers, and special activities. Browse the local shops to get locally-sourced gifts from soap to books to clothing for everyone on the Christmas list.
- Laumeier Sculpture Park Holiday Pop-Up Shop: Conveniently located near the Friendship Village Sunset Hills campus, this holiday shopping event features local artisans and makers selling unique, handcrafted goods amidst the park’s festive atmosphere. Stop by December 6th and 13th from 10am-4pm.
- Christmas Night Market On The Hill: A festive night market that closes down a portion of Daggett Avenue on The Hill for an evening of holiday shopping, music, food, drinks, and community merriment. The event is happening Sunday, December 7th, 3pm-7pm.
Dazzling Light Displays: Drive, Stroll, or Ride
St. Louis twinkles in December with millions of lights on display. Here are a few must-see options to add to the Christmas itinerary.
- Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden: Wander through one of our city’s premier holiday light shows, featuring over a million lights, festive projections, and a beautiful atmosphere. The path is about one mile and is designed to be accessible. Pro tip: The Garden offers individuals age 65 and older a $10 discount on all levels of general membership.
- WonderLight’s Christmas: Pack the car with friends and family for a spectacular drive-through light show at World Wide Technology Raceway, where lights are synchronized to Christmas music played through the radio. This is a comfortable and warm display for easy enjoyment.
- Tilles Park Winter Wonderland: This is a classic St. Louis tradition featuring beautiful lights across 75 acres. There are options to experience this display by foot, car, or even by horse-drawn carriage for a truly nostalgic experience.
- Candy Cane Lane: For a quick neighborhood light display, Candy Cane Lane is a St. Louis favorite. Viewers can drive through or take a stroll to see the lights. To make the experience even more special, stop by Ted Drewes just a few minutes down the road.
Joyful Holiday Moments at Friendship Village
As a community member at Friendship Village our residents don’t have to go far to access a calendar filled with holiday cheer.
- The Christmas Train: Each year, our railroaders club sets up a Christmas train display in the Clubhouse lobby. The festive Christmas town scene is always a big hit with the grandkids.
- On-Campus Activities: Our residents enjoy holiday-themed events and activities like creative arts sessions in the studio, Christmas parties, and more.
- Christmas Worship: Our residents love the Christmas services in our beautiful Chapel, led by our dedicated Chaplain.
Experience the Friendship Village Lifestyle! Come let us show you around. Schedule a tour today and enjoy joyful living at Friendship Village.