With all the hustle & bustle of the holiday season upon us, it’s easy to forget all of the little details and tasks that come along with the festivities. This is just a little checklist to help get you started on your holiday planning.
Read on for the checklist, as well as a selection of some of the many great events happening around Cleveland this holiday season. And be sure to include the North Coast Men’s Chorus Jingle all the Way, Cleveland Jazz Orchestra’s Holly Hofmann—Home for the Holly-days, and the fever Candlelight Concert: Holiday Special featuring "The Nutcracker" and More concerts in your holiday event calendar.
- Add all your holiday activities to a calendar
- Purchase tickets for holiday events & concerts
- Talk to family members and friends to find out who is hosting what, and on which days and times
- Start holiday baking
- Update your holiday card list
- Shop for cards and wrapping paper
- Set your budget for holiday gift spending
- Start your advent calendar, light your menorah candles, or start a countdown to whatever holiday you celebrate
- Make a master gift list
- Start shopping!
- Do any online shopping at least four weeks before you’ll need the gift
- Wrap (and add gift tags to) gifts as you buy them
- Set up your lights and decorations
- Start addressing your holiday cards (or buy labels, do a mail merge, and have them printed)
- Mail your cards
- Get new holiday PJs to stay cozy while you unwrap gifts
- Brainstorm ideas for where your Elf on the Shelf activities, if an elf visits your home during the holiday season
- Finalize holiday menus - be sure to include events you’re hosting, as well as events where you may need to bring a dish or food
- Mail out of town gifts and cards
- Shop for staples, canned goods, and alcohol
- Purchase a few generic gifts, for last minute additions to your gift list
- Deep clean your house
- Buy batteries - especially if you have children, but there will likely be lots of gifts that need them
- Buy all of your fresh ingredients for meals and dishes
- Put together a holiday playlist of songs you and your family can enjoy during the festivities
- Start cooking
- Carve out time to celebrate and relax with family and friends
Cleveland Holiday Events You May Want To Hit Up This Holiday Season
Cleveland.com has put together a very comprehensive list of fun things to do in Cleveland this holiday season, which you can view here. We’ve highlighted some of our favorites below, and added a few more events and activities that we think would be fun to do with your family and friends this holiday season.
North Coast Men’s Chorus presents Jingle All the Way
We’re kicking off holiday festivities at the Maltz Performing Arts Center with the return of the North Coast Men’s Chorus as they present their holiday concert this Dec 10 and 11. This audience favorite is the unofficial start to the holiday season for many Clevelanders, and it’s easy to see why—this high energy performance features a mix of holiday songs, comedy, and dance numbers that will have you laughing and clapping along.
Maltz Performing Arts Center, 1855 Ansel Rd, Cleveland
Dec 10 at 8:00 pm and Dec 11 at 3:00 pm
Purchase tickets here
Cleveland Jazz Orchestra presents flutist Holly Hofmann—Home for the Holly-days
For lovers of jazz and lighter fare, this is one holiday concert you don’t want to miss. Tremendous jazz flutist Holly Hoffman joins the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra for a mix of Christmas offerings, new arrangements of progressive jazz tunes, and favorites from the American Songbook.
Maltz Performing Arts Center, 1855 Ansel Rd, Cleveland
Dec 16 at 7:30 pm
Purchase tickets here
fever Candlelight Concert: Holiday Special featuring "The Nutcracker" and More
A unique and intimate concert experience featuring great music played under the light of 10,000 LED candles. This special holiday performance features the Listeso String Quartet along with a vocalist and pianist, with selections from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, Vivaldi's "Winter" movement from The Four Seasons, and a selection of traditional holiday and classical season selections.
Maltz Performing Arts Center, 1855 Ansel Rd, Cleveland
Dec. 17 at 6:30 pm and 9:00 pm
Purchase tickets here
Breakfasts with Santa at Merwin’s Wharf
Enjoy a family-style breakfast and take pictures with Santa Claus at the Cleveland Metroparks’ restaurant on the Cuyahoga River. Kids 12 and under receive a free gift bag. Tickets, $18-$25. Dine in a private, festively decorated igloo for an additional $100.
1785 Merwin Ave., Cleveland
Weekends through Dec. 18
A Christmas Story House tours (and overnights)
With the new movie “A Christmas Story Christmas” out on HBO Max, it’s a great time to tour A Christmas Story House in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood. While the house and related properties are for sale, the house and museum are still open for tours. Visitors will see original props, costumes and memorabilia from the classic film. Overnight stays are available in the house. Tickets $11 to $15.
3159 W 11th St., Cleveland
Daily
Christkindlmarkt
Experience an outdoor Bavarian Christmas market at the German Central Organization in Parma. You’ll find unique hand-made gifts and exclusive products from local artisans and vendors, as well as German snacks and adult beverages. Christmas-themed entertainment includes performances by local choirs, musicians and dancers. Tickets, $6.
7863 York Rd., Parma
11 a.m.-9 p.m., Dec. 3
Little Italy Holiday Arts + Small Business Fest
If you haven’t been to Little Italy lately, check out the Holiday Art Walk for holiday gift ideas and then choose one of many restaurants for dinner. Free.
Mayfield Road, Cleveland
- 5 to 9 p.m., Dec. 2
- Noon to 9 p.m., Dec. 3
- Noon to 5 p.m., Dec. 4.
78th Street Studios Holiday Shopping
78th Street Studios has expanded its hours for holiday shopping. Four floors of studios are home to more than 100 local makers, artists and more. 78th Street will host its usual monthly “Third Friday” art walk, this time with a holiday theme, from 5 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 16. The Black Friday Shopping Experience will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 25, followed by the Small Business Saturday event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 26. Free.
78th Street Studios, 1305 W. 80th St., Cleveland
Disney on Ice presents Frozen and Encanto
Featuring world-class ice skating, thrilling aerial acrobatics and some of your favorite Disney songs, this show features characters and stories from “Frozen” and “Encanto.” Expect cameo appearances by Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald and Goofy, too. Tickets start at $20.
1 Center Court, Cleveland
Jan. 6-15
Holiday CircleFest
University Circle’s 28th and final Holiday CircleFest celebration features ice skating, ice carvers, an outdoor holiday market, horse-drawn carriage rides, food trucks and appearances by Mr. Jingeling, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. The neighborhood’s cultural institutions will offer holiday-related exhibits, activities, performances and shopping, too. Free.
University Circle, Cleveland
12-7 p.m., Dec. 4
Magic of Lights at Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds
This dazzling drive-through experience returns once again, this time with the theme “Prehistoric Christmas” as life-sized displays of dinosaurs fill the county fairgrounds. Tickets, $23-$35 per carload.
19201 Bagley Rd., Middleburg Heights
5:30-10 p.m. through Jan. 1
magicoflights.com/events/northeastohio
Ugly Sweater Bar Crawl
Put on your most hideous holiday sweater for a bar hop through the Warehouse District. You’ll enjoy holiday-themed drinks, discounts on food and beer, live DJs and an ugly sweater contest. The crawl includes stops at Barley House, Ivy Nightclub, Rumor Nightclub, Velvet Dog’s rooftop and Dive Bar. Tickets, $15-$30
3-10 p.m., Dec. 17
WinterLand
Formerly known as WinterFest, downtown Cleveland’s annual holiday celebration begins on Nov. 26 with a lighting ceremony, fireworks and ice skating on Public Square. The festivities continue throughout the season with appearances by Mr. and Mrs. Kringle, holiday-themed pop-up bars, shopping events, city tours, carolers and more.
Public Square, Cleveland
Holiday lighting ceremony, Nov. 26 at 4-6 p.m.
Holiday Lights at Nela Park
This annual display of over 500,00 LED lights has been a Cleveland tradition for over 90 years. Held by GE Lighting at their Nela Park Headquarters on Noble Road in East Cleveland, this free display features 11 different holiday vignettes and a replica of the National Christmas Tree. Visit any time now through January 2nd, 2023.
Nela Park, at Noble and Terrace roads
East Cleveland
Free, now through Jan. 2
https://case.edu/ech/articles/n/nela-park
Twinkle in the 216 at Cleveland Botanical Garden
This event celebrates the historic character of Cleveland’s neighborhoods as they sparkle and shine. Expect festive plants, trees, decorations, events, a gingerbread house competition and much more. Members free. Non-members $19/adult, $13/child, 2 and under free..
11030 East Blvd, Cleveland
Now through December 31
Celebrate winter at Cleveland Public Library
Starting Saturday, Nov. 26, the Main Library Campus in Downtown Cleveland and neighborhood libraries will transform into a WinterLand complete with reindeer, holiday-themed stories and crafts. Free.
Various library locations
Nov. 26 through Dec. 22
cpl.org/winterland-at-cleveland-public-library
Track Mr. Jingeling
Mr. Jingeling has a busy schedule this year. You can find him this week at the Downtown Cleveland Lighting Ceremony at Public Square on Nov. 26 from 4 to 6 p.m. Additional appearances include:
- Dec. 4: West Side Market, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
- Dec. 4: Holiday CircleFest, The Rink at University Circle, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
- Dec. 7: HofbrauHaus Cleveland, 7 p.m.
- Dec. 8-11 Cleveland Orchestra Holiday Concerts, meet and greet in Grand Foyer
- Dec. 10: Rudy’s Strudel, Parma, 11 to 12:30 pm.
Rock the Halls at House of Blues
Rock The Halls at the House of Blues in Cleveland is a female-fronted fundraiser to benefit reproductive freedom with all proceeds split between Pro-Choice Ohio & Preterm Cleveland. Artists include Envoi, Hello Luna, TRUSS, Grumpy Plum, Detention, Lilieae, Mr. Princess, Solon. Tickets $15.
308 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland
5 p.m., Dec. 9
Kringle’s Inventionasium Experience
Journey to Mr. Kringle’s secret toy lab where you’ll invent your own, unique toy to present to Santa himself. You’ll travel through secret tunnels and passageways on your way to the toy design studio and workshop. The magical, interactive experience, held at Tower City Center, culminates in a private visit with Mr. Kringle. Tickets start at $34.
230 W. Huron Rd., Cleveland
Now through Dec. 24
mrkringle.com/kringles-inventionasium
Tower City Center Holiday Events
Bruce the Spruce, the talking holiday tree, returns to the downtown shopping center for the holiday season. Among the many holiday events planned for Tower City is the Cleveland Police Department’s Free Holiday Party for Kids on Dec. 4 from noon to 4 p.m. Activities include face painting, magicians, games, the K-9 unit and the mounted unit. For a complete list of holiday events, visit towercitycenter.com.
12 to 4 p.m., Dec. 4
230 W. Huron Rd., Cleveland
Cleveland Play House’s Festival of Trees
Dress up in your holiday best and head to Playhouse Square’s Allen Theatre to take your own Christmas card portraits in front of the many trees decorated by local designers and artists that adorn the ornate lobby. The event features a special appearance by Santa Claus on Dec. 10 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free.
1407 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
Dec. 3-22
Menorah Lighting at Pinecrest
Join Temple Emanu El in Central Park at Pinecrest for a Menorah Lighting. Enjoy free Duck Donuts afterward. Free.
200 Park Avenue, Orange Village
- 6:45 p.m., Dec. 19
- 5:30 p.m., Dec. 20, 21, 22
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