LOCAL Houston | The City Guide DECEMBER 2015 | Page 43

1. Thru January 10 (including Christmas Eve and Day and New Year’s Eve and
Day), Magical Winter Lights is an outdoor event at Sam Houston Race
Park where guests will experience larger-than-life remakes of well-known landmarks and landscapes from around the world with fascinating themed sections
including magical, Europe, America, Asia, Australia, Africa and Dinosaur Land.
Parking is $10 (cash only); Adults $27, Children 4–12 $16 and under-4 free.
Monday–Thursday 5–10pm | Friday & Saturday 1–11pm | Sunday 1–10pm
www.magicalwinterlights.com.

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2. Hometown Christmas Festivities take place on Friday, December 4,
and Saturday, December 5, when The City of Pearland Parks and Recreation
Department kicks off the season with their annual tree-lighting ceremony. Watch
as the Town Center lights up with holiday cheer and enjoy activities including
horse and carriage rides sponsored by the University of Houston Clear Lake Pearland Campus. Danny Ray and The Acoustic Production will provide live holiday music, while the H-E-B Winter Wonderland will have two snow play areas
and snow tubing hills. And of course, a visit from Santa Claus. Admission is free
and open to the public. www.pearlandparks.com
3. Elves & More (founded in 2002) is now CYCLE, with the same mission of
improving literacy in grades K–3 in Title One schools in the Greater Houston
area by rewarding students for achieving their literacy goals. CYCLE continues
the expanded mission by rewarding children with a bicycle once they have
reached their reading goals. Approximately 9,000 bikes will be built by volunteers at NRG December 3–12. To volunteer and help build bikes or to donate,
visit www.CYCLEhouston.org.

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4. The Container Store Houston locations are collecting new, unwrapped
books, small toys and games, toiletries, gift cards and stocking stuffers in collection bins at The Galleria, North Houston and The Woodlands locations thru
December 15 for young patients who are spending the holidays away from
home at Texas Children’s Hospital. The nationwide community giving program,
Holiday Hugs, culminates with employees delivering the gifts to Texas
Children’s the week of December 20. www.standfor.containerstore.com/holiday-hugs

5. Sugar Land’s famous Skeeters host their 2nd Annual Holiday Lights located just 20 minutes south of Houston at Constellation
Field. With eight new themes and over 2.5million lights, this event runs through January 3. Enjoy a night filled with holiday lights, Santa,
shopping with local vendors and food. Sunday–Thursday 6–9pm | Friday–Saturday 6–10pm. $14, www.sugarlandholidaylights.com.
6. From #ELFIESELFIES WITH SANTA (beginning December 19 at 11am) to Meeting Santa’s reindeer
(December 20, starting at 1pm) where one of Kris Kringle’s reindeer stops by to see the kids with the man in the
red hat himself – The Children’s Museum has all your holiday moments covered! On Christmas Eve starting at
11am, there’s milk and cookies with Santa. At 1pm the cookie decorating fun begins. They’ve even g