Holiday Traditions Your Family Will Love
Part of the reason Christmas felt so magical when you were a kid was because of all the special things you did only at that time of year, like sing Christmas carols or help decorate sugar cookies. And once you start celebrating the holidays with family friends, it’s even more special to share your traditions with them and start your own to look forward to all year.
So Much to See and Enjoy
The holiday season is a vibrant and exciting time in Western Mass. Experience the Caroling Season at The Student Prince Café & and The Fort Dining Room at dinner time or book tickets for a holiday show at Springfield Symphony Hall. Visit the Storrowton Tavern for lunch then tour of the museum’s 18th and 19th century decorated buildings. Find unique holiday gifts, collectibles and decorations in the Christmas shop. Traditions are always the theme at the Old Sturbridge Village. Enjoy live music performances, storytelling, sleigh rides, visits with Santa, a nightly tree lighting ceremony, and strolls around the decorated Village Common. Or try the North Pole like never before, as Sonny’s Place in Somers, CT is transformed into Santa’s Place with his candy cane cabin, light shows and storytelling with Mrs. Claus.
Tis the 24th season of Bright Nights at Forest Park in Springfield. New this year, an animated display showcasing the Springfield Thunderbirds AHL team.
The entire family will enjoy the sights along the nearly three-mile drive through Springfield’s enchanted forest. Enjoy the lights by wagon or carriage.
Create lasting memories at The Yankee Candle Village in South Deerfield, a perfect place to celebrate the holiday season. Wander through the world-famous Bavarian Village (watch for “snow” that falls every four minutes), see how candles were made throughout history, and listen to the singing Candle Mountain Boys, and of course, a stop at Santa’s Workshop. All that and more awaits visitors to this family-friendly destination, aptly nicknamed, the “Scenter of the Universe.”
Yearly traditions await at the newly open MGM Springfield casino resort hotel. The six-story, 250-room hotel includes 16 luxury suites, including a Presidential Suite crowned with a chandelier inspired by Dr. Seuss’. Among the resort’s amenities are a full-service spa, an in-house barbershop, and a variety of world-class dining options. The outdoor plaza serves as a winter wonderland, complete with a large skating rink under the holiday lights, hot cocoa, and shopping at the Kringle Emporium inside the historic Armory building.
Holiday in the Park Six Flags New England
New England’s largest holiday celebration returns as Six Flags New England decks the halls in a dazzling display of lights, sights, and sounds for the holiday season. One of the main attractions in the park is a 30-foot tall 3D ornament made up of Christmas lights that guests can walk through. Each area of the park has its own theme like, some like Kidsopolis even smells like Christmas sugar cookies.
You can’t miss the main Six Flags New England Christmas tree which stands at a mammoth 50-feet tall, lit entirely by white lights.
Celebrate the Season Seussian Style! Starting the day after Thanksgiving, the Springfield Museums offers dozens of programs for kids, families and adults–most are free with museum admission!
Annual favorites like the gingerbread competition and exhibit, Culture & Cocktails and the Holiday Gala fundraiser return; and new programs like Gingerbread Saturdays join the fun.
