Dallas Christmas Festivities and Holiday Shopping

Are you a Dallas-ite looking for something fun to do to celebrate the Holiday Season that your whole family will enjoy? Look no further because here you will find several local events and festivities in and around Dallas to attend to put yourself in the Christmas spirit!

Canton in the City, held in Grapevine, will be hosting an indoor flea market. The holiday gift market and show will feature more than 75 vendors from across the country and live entertainment by God's Country Kids. They are open Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm at the Grapevine Convention Center, 1209 S. Main St. Meals are available for purchase throughout the shows. Admission is $3 for adults, $1 for children ages 12-18, and free for children under 12. $1 adult discount coupons are available online at www.cantoninthecity.com. Canton in the City donates a portion of proceeds from every show to any non-profit organization that enrolls on their website. Prospective vendors can build an advance customer base by creating their own flyers and attaching the $1 website coupon to hand out to friends and potential customers.

Prairie Lights Ariblown World Theme park (a three-mile drive through seasonal display) features large holiday balloon lawn decorations. There are more than 700 glowing inflatable characters standing 12 feet tall and more than 500,000 lights. This Grand Prairie attraction has different themed areas and giant snow globes. A full cast of characters including Santa, elves, snowmen, reindeer, and cartoon characters are all part of the magic. Football nuts will cheer over lifesize inflatable Dallas Cowboys playing the Washington Redskins. Also featured are a holiday village with refereshments, pictures with Santa and a gift shop. Open November 26 through January 1 from 5:30 to 10:30 pm at Lynn Creek Park, 5700 Lake Ridge Parkway in Grand Prairie at Joe Pool Lake, they can be reached at 972.237.4569. Cost is $10 per car Mondays through Thursdays, $12 Fridays through Sundays.

The Arboretum is always a great place to spend a Holiday evening. Challenge yourself to the Christmas tree maze or just take some time of solitude in the gardens. Beginning November 26 through December 31, a 500-piece Semyan Christmas Collection of holiday figurines and decorative pieces at the DeGolyer Home will be presented as well as a Christmas tree maze made up of more than 100 trees! Four Family Fun Sundays will hold special events which will offer horse-drawn carriage rides (noon to 4 pm), choir singers and visits with Frosty the Snowman, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus. If you've never petted a live reindeer, now's your chance! Afternoon tea is also served Monday through Wednesdays at the Alex Camp House for $30.95 per person. Regular hours are daily from 9 am to 5 pm. Located at 8525 Garland Road, they can be reached at 214.515.6500. Cost is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $5 for children, $5 for parking. Carriage rides are $5 and photos with Santa are $13.

And, if you want to get back to the real meaning of Christmas, why not have an Old-fashioned holiday? Have a Victorian-themed Christmas at McKinney's DIckens of a Christmas. WIth all things old-fashioned, you will enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides, strolling carolers in Victorian attire, puppet shows and visits with Santa. Many downtown stores, art galleries and restaurants will be open during the affiar. Open November 27 noon to 5 pm and located on and aroud McKinney's historic downtown square, this is a sure hit for your family. And who can beat free admission?

These are just a few of the festivities around Dallas you can partake of during this wonderful Holiday Season!