Celebrate the Season: Family-Friendly Holiday Activities in Green Country
A List of Family Friendly things to do this Christmas Season
Intro
Every Christmas Season,
my family makes a holiday bucket list. We like to do a mixture of at-home and out-and-about activities. The Tulsa area has so many fun and family-friendly holiday activities that we can’t get to them all in one year! We change up our list every year so that we can experience all that Green Country has to offer!
I’m rounding up all the options for local family holiday events that I can think of so that you can make your Tulsa holiday outing bucket list, too!
Christmas Light Displays
Notable House Lights
Broken Arrow provides a map of must-see holiday light displays around town. Have the family dress in PJ’s, grab snacks and yummy drinks and cruise around. Have your ooo’s and aaa’s ready!
Rhema
Rhema’s epic display feels like a must-see. As a Broken Arrow native, I may be a bit biased on this one. Going feels nostalgic to me; I’ve walked the Rhema lights nearly every year. The area is very walkable with plenty to see. New walkers may run out of steam before you get back to your car so consider bringing a stroller or wagon. Admission is free! They accept donations and have some awesome concessions for a cost, though, so come prepared to spend money if you or the kids want a snack.
The Gathering Place
Newer to Tulsa, but also epic, is The Gathering Place and their winter festivities. This park is really big and gets busy when they have popular events, so strollers and wagons definitely come in handy for young ones!
Besides the lights at TGP, they have fun events and characters stroll the park. We saw a “snow queen” on stilts once and the kids were fascinated with her stunning costume. In the evenings they place groups of carolers around the park dressed in Christmas Carol era costumes. It creates a magical atmosphere! Sometimes Santa visits The Lodge, so check their events page for days and times when he’ll make his appearances!
Another nice thing about The Gathering Place is that The Lodge is a nice indoor resting place if you need a break from the weather.
Guthrie Green
JollyTown by QuikTrip at the Guthrie Green is a new event (to my knowledge) and it looks amazing! My family is planning to make a visit this year. They have concerts, movies, free hot chocolate, a light display, Santa, a life-sized snow globe, a free craft and a gift shop! So much fun in one spot! And, it’s free!
Muskogee Garden of Lights
Muskogee Parks and Rec puts on a beautiful display at their Garden of Lights Display at Honor Heights Park. Some days have free admission and others have an admission fee, so check their schedule and plan accordingly. They also have hayrides for purchase and a Garden of Lights 5k and Fun Run!
Botanic Garden of Lights
The Tulsa Botanic Garden offers a beautiful and peaceful Christmas light display on their annual Botanic Garden of Lights nights. They play Christmas music to enjoy while you stroll. You can make s’mores at a fire pit, too! The Gardens are large, so come ready to walk a lot! It is technically family-friendly, but in my experience this event may be best as a date night, sans kids. There is an admission fee if you aren’t a member.
Route 66 Christmas Chute
The Sapulpa Chute is small but mighty! This location seems to be growing in popularity and attractions! This one is very fun and family friendly, with brightly colored displays and creative events on certain days! I’ve heard you need to check out Little Taiyaki, a unique Japanese soft serve shop, while you’re there!
Magical Lights Adventure at Tulsa Raceway
Drive through a mile long journey of 900,000 Magical Lights all dancing to everyone’s favorite Christmas songs through your car’s radio. The 20 minute experience takes you through 3 tunnels, one of them as long as 300 feet! They charge per car so it is an affordable option to bring the entire family!
Woolaroc Wonderland of Lights
Woolaroc is a wonderful place to visit any time of the year. Add 750,000 lights and it becomes a Wonderland of Lights! The drive thru the campus is reversed, allowing a unique view of the glimmering lights outlining buildings across Clyde Lake. All the buildings will be open including the animal barn, welcome center, and historic lodge where you can purchase hot cocoa and cookies. You can meet Santa at the museum and even take a wagon ride through the main grounds.
Castle of Muskogee
If you’re up for some medieval fun, head to the Castle of Muskogee. You can take a free ride around the Castleton Village then park and enjoy a train ride, camel rides, tasty treats, and shopping from unique merchants and vendors. You can even see Santa on weekend evenings so be sure to bring the whole family and make some medieval memories!
Fantasy of Lights-Bartlesville
Johnstone Park is transformed into a Christmas spectacular in this Fantasy of Lights with animated exhibitions, synchronized lights, a tunnel, nativity scene and Santa flying in a biplane. Admission is free although donations are greatly appreciated.
Ice Skating
Tulsa Winterfest
Get ready for a thrilling ride at Tulsa Winterfest! This year you can feel the rush as you glide down their recently added 60-foot ice slide. Don’t miss the opportunity to ice-skate outside the BOK center under the gleaming lights or capture the perfect moment with the photo-ops available. There are also igloos for rent where you can stay warm and cozy on those extra cold nights.
WeStreet Ice Center
WeStreet offers ice skating year round but their schedule for a Christmas Winter Wonderland is packed full of activities. Train rides, crafts, visits with Santa and giveaways are only part of what is offered at the most wonderful time of the year!
BA Ice Rink at the Rose District
We try to make it to the BA Ice Rink each year. It’s located off of Main St. under the Farmer’s Market Pavilion at the downtown Rose District.. Be sure to check the schedule because the BA Ice Rink hours can vary.
Bixby’s Winter Wonderland
Bixby’s Winter Wonderland offers ice skating and igloo rentals and a variety of fun games for the whole family! Save some time and print off the required ice skating waiver before you go.
Meet Santa Claus and Santa Pictures
Here is a comprehensive list of all the places you can meet Santa. Be sure to check the schedule as meet and greet times will vary from place to place.
Tulsa Air and Space Museum
You can watch Santa Fly-in by helicopter and spend the day writing a letter to Santa, sipping warm drinks and Polar Express crafts while you wait for the show in the planetarium.
Utica Square
Utica Square is such a beautiful part of Tulsa! After you let Santa know what you want for Christmas, you can visit his house and even sit in his sleigh!
Woodland Hills Mall
Located in the lower level Acorn entrance next to Macy’s. Walk-ups are welcome but you can also reserve a slot to ensure you see Santa.
The Gathering Place
Meet Santa and enjoy stories from Mrs. Claus. You can take free photos in front of the beautiful Christmas Tree.
Broken Arrow Farmers Market
Claus and Paws will offer an opportunity for you to bring your fur-babies to get a photo with Santa. There will also be pet-friendly vendors available as well.
Sensory Sensitive Santa will be available for pictures along with vendors that specialize with children and adults with special needs.
Santa Meet and Greet at the Farmer’s Market
Along with Santa you also have a chance to meet the Grinch on Dec 15!
Downtown Bixby
Get your list ready to share with Santa at beautiful Downtown Bixby.
Bass Pro Shop
Get some shopping done for your outdoor enthusiast and say ‘hello’ to Santa at the same time. Advance reservations are required but you can book an appointment here.
Downtown Jenks
At Christmas at the Commons you can step into Santa’s workshop, meet Santa and make memories!
Jenks Aquarium
Catch a glimpse of Santa underwater, he is diving multiple days so you will have many chances to see him in the Polynesian Reef!
Tulsa Zoo
Start by riding the Polar Express train (weather permitting) from the zoo entrance to the North Pole (H.A. Chapman Event Lodge) then enjoy a full hot breakfast buffet, arts and crafts, an animal chat, story telling, cookie decorating, and a photo op with Santa.
Christmas Performances
Tulsa PAC
Last Year, we were able to attend both the Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol and thoroughly enjoyed them both!
BOK Center
Check out the BOK Center and their upcoming events! 2023 featured “15 days of Rockmas” The BOK center is a large venue that brings in big names.
Often, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra performs their Christmas concert here. (They came Dec 6, 2024, so watch for their tour dates for next Christmas!)
Lindsey Stirling has been to Tulsa in the past; check out her tour plans to see if she’ll come back! Also, Pentatonix is scheduled to perform Dec 19!
You could also look at the BOK’s future events as a gift idea if you have a loved one that enjoys big events!
BA Community Theater
Showing this year is: “It’s a Wonderful Life- A Live Radio Play” that comes to life as a 1940s radio broadcast. An interesting spin on a familiar classic.
Clark Theater’s Penguin Performance
Returning for their 36th year, Clark Theater presents, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!’
Holiday Themed Educational Programs
If you homeschool, you may be used to finding local educational programs. Don’t forget to check out some of your favorite places for their holiday themed events, like Tulsa Zoo’s Breakfast with Santa, or Discovery Lab’s “Cookies and Science.”
Look into a one-time workshop at Arts302 in downtown Broken Arrow to see if they have Christmas, holiday, and winter themed projects you and your kids can participate in! They’ve done a family snowflake challenge and holiday themed books in their books to art series. These look like a great way to satisfy a budding artist in your family without making a mess at home!
Check your favorite TCCL branch for Christmas and holiday themed story-times, crafts, and other events!
At-Home Ideas
Decorate Sugar Cookies
One thing that’s on my family’s holiday bucket list EVERY year is Sugar Cookie Decorating! We use my grandma’s sugar cookie dough recipe if I have time. If we’re short on time I buy the Pillsbury pre-made dough. It’s not as tasty but it’s just as fun and less stressful! We dye our icings different colors. We put the icing into baggies and cut a tiny hole so that we can pipe on our designs!
Some local bakeries like Handmade Market offer cookie decorating kits. Support a local bakery, take away the stress of gathering the ingredients and enjoy some at-home holiday fun!
Some friends of mine put together a cookie decorating party every year and invite friends! It’s a great way to make holiday memories!
The key is to treat this as process art and not stress about the outcome. Enjoy your kids’ creativity, even if it’s messy and less-than-perfect!
Baking
Bust out your family cookbook and bake some tried and true recipes! Or try a new TikTok recipe you saw. With younger kids, I have found that doing some prep before I invite them to help me bake makes the whole process smoother. I pre-measure some of the ingredients and let them pour. That way they don’t get impatient waiting before they get to pour and mix– the best part!
Gingerbread Houses
Whether you grab a kit or bake it yourself, this classic holiday tradition is a great one to add to the bucket list at least every few years! I have a friend that picks a Christmas song as a theme and she and her kids make their Gingerbread house to reflect the lyrics of the song. So fun!
More At Home Ideas
Decorate for Christmas: Remember to give the kids jobs so they feel included!
Wrap presents together
Sing carols with a guitar or piano player, or put on Spotify and sing along!
Get cozy and host a Christmas movie marathon! Don’t forget the popcorn and hot chocolate!
Christmas Crafting
DIY Presents
This one is for those families with crafting skills! Make candles, hot cocoa jars, or corn-pillows (similar to Warmies, but pillow shaped).
For DIY Christmas crafts, you can shop at Hobby Lobby, Joann or Michael’s for your supplies and then set up your own in-home art studio, whether that’s temporary or permanent!
DIY Traditional Crafts
There is nothing more special than being able to look forward to the same traditions each year. You could begin a new tradition like decorating ornaments together, and when your children are grown they will have years of ornaments to share with their family.
Consider a Year-End Donation of Support
