Start with the dates your family can actually go: Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, and Christmas Eve is Thursday, December 24, 2026. Between them, St. Louis has holiday lights, free museum celebrations, a neighborhood market, and Christmas concerts.
This planner organizes Christmas events in St. Louis by week, with official event links and timing notes. Choose one main outing, then leave room for dinner, travel, and a change of plans.
Quick answer: Early December weekdays offer a useful starting point for a Santa’s Magical Kingdom visit. Its historical attendance guidance favors weekdays outside Christmas week, while December Saturdays bring its largest crowds. Santa photos end December 23; the lights remain open on Christmas Eve.
Dates and event information checked October 22, 2026. All times are local to St. Louis. Check the linked organizer before leaving home.
Which Christmas Events in St. Louis Fit Your Week?
| Your dates | Put these on the calendar | SMK timing note |
| November 26–29 | Thanksgiving lights; Wild Lights opens November 27; SLAM Festive Friday on November 27 | Holiday weekend: allow flexibility rather than expecting an empty entrance |
| November 30–December 6 | Garden Glow on selected nights; SLAM on December 4; The Hill Christmas Night Market on December 6 | Early-season weekdays fit SMK’s quieter-visit guidance |
| December 7–13 | Wild Lights Sensory-Friendly Night on December 7; SLAM Winter Celebrations on December 12–13 | Choose a weekday if avoiding SMK’s busy December Saturdays matters |
| December 14–20 | Published Santa-letter cutoffs on December 15 and 20; SLSO concerts December 18–20 | Keep the concert booking fixed and choose a separate lights night |
| December 21–24 | Final SMK Santa photos through December 23; Christmas Eve lights on December 24 | SMK specifically excludes Christmas week from its usual weekday crowd advantage |
November 26–29: Start With Thanksgiving Weekend
Thanksgiving weekend brings the opening of Wild Lights and a free museum option alongside the season’s ongoing displays. Pick the activity first, then check its particular operating day.
Thursday, November 26: Santa’s Magical Kingdom’s drive-through lights operate on Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving visit guide covers the holiday evening in detail, including how to work the outing around dinner.
Friday, November 27: Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo opens for its 2026 season. The event runs on selected nights through December 30, from 5 to 8:30 p.m., with last entry at 8 p.m. Purchase admission for your chosen date; regular daytime Zoo admission does not cover the evening event.
The Saint Louis Art Museum also begins its Festive Fridays on November 27. The series offers free concerts, tours, and art activities each Friday through December 18. Check the program before choosing an arrival time.
Crowd note: Thanksgiving weekend combines visiting relatives with holiday outings. That makes a flexible schedule sensible, but it does not establish a specific wait time at any attraction.
November 30–December 6: Choose an Early Weeknight
This week gives you several ways to fit an outing around school and work. Keep a weekday evening for lights and use the weekend for an event with a fixed date.
Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden runs on selected nights during its November 14–January 2 season. It’s a walking outing, so check available dates and entry details before buying. A season range does not mean every evening is open.
For downtown St. Louis Christmas activities, Winterfest in Kiener Plaza offers skating and seasonal activities. Its posted regular hours are 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Check activity charges and any holiday exceptions separately.
Friday, December 4: Festive Friday returns at the Art Museum.
Sunday, December 6: The Hill’s Christmas Night Market takes place from 2 to 6 p.m. Despite the event’s name, you can arrive during the afternoon. Keep this as a shopping outing without committing the family to another full attraction afterward.
Crowd note: SMK recommends early-season weekdays for a more relaxed visit. Monday through Thursday gives you options this week; Saturday, December 5, falls within its historically busiest category.
December 7–13: Use the Dates With a Specific Purpose
The standout dates this week serve different needs: a sensory-friendly lights evening and a free family festival indoors.
Monday, December 7: The Zoo’s Wild Lights Sensory-Friendly Night includes sensory maps, quiet areas, and trained staff. Review those supports against your family’s needs before booking. A sensory-friendly evening still includes a holiday light display.
Saturday and Sunday, December 12–13: The Art Museum’s Winter Celebrations festival offers performances and family art activities inspired by holiday traditions around the world. Admission is free, and the organizer says no tickets or reservations are required. Check its program for activity times.
For a separate SMK evening, help your child write or draw a letter before leaving home. Bring it for the North Pole mailbox during the drive. Photograph it at home first if you want a keepsake copy.
Crowd note: December 12 is another Saturday within SMK’s historical peak pattern. Put the museum festival on the weekend and consider a different evening for the lights.
December 14–20: Watch Letter Deadlines and Concert Times
This week has two published Santa-letter order dates and a three-day concert run. Add each deadline to your calendar according to the delivery method you want.
- Tuesday, December 15: SMK’s published recommended cutoff for standard-shipping Santa letters.
- Friday through Sunday, December 18–20: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s Mercy Holiday Celebration at Powell Hall.
- Sunday, December 20: SMK’s published recommended cutoff for express-shipping Santa letters.
Use the Santa letter deadline guide to compare routes, then confirm the method-specific terms on the personalized letter order page. These published dates do not establish delivery for every destination or replace the terms attached to your order.
The SLSO lists morning and evening performances on December 18, afternoon and evening performances on December 19, and an afternoon performance on December 20. Choose the performance before arranging dinner or another activity.
Crowd note: Saturday, December 19, falls within SMK’s busiest historical pattern. Avoid attaching a fixed concert start to an uncertain lights queue on the same evening.
December 21–24: Finish Santa Photos Before Christmas Eve
Santa’s Magical Kingdom lists December 23 as its final Santa-photo date. Its light show continues on December 24, so those two plans need different calendar reminders.
Monday through Wednesday, December 21–23: These are the final listed evenings for Santa photos inside Kringle’s General Store. Confirm the photo-session hours and current package price separately from the light-show hours.
Thursday, December 24: SMK’s posted drive-through hours are 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Keep Christmas Eve simple if you already have dinner, travel, or bedtime traditions planned.
Crowd note: SMK’s weekday attendance guidance makes an explicit exception for Christmas week. Monday or Tuesday this week should not carry a promise of shorter lines.
If your family cannot fit an outing before Christmas Eve, continue with the after-Christmas lights guide. This planner ends December 24.
Fit Your Lights Visit to Your Budget and Evening
For St. Louis Christmas lights, decide whether you want to walk outside or stay in your vehicle. That choice matters when someone tires easily or the forecast changes.
Santa’s Magical Kingdom provides drive-through Christmas lights in Missouri at Eureka, off I-44 at Exit 261. Its published family-vehicle admission includes tax:
- $35 Sunday through Friday
- $40 on Saturdays
- Cash payment at the exit ticket booth
Review the current admission details and directions for your vehicle. A four-person family in an eligible family vehicle pays the carload rate for the drive; photos, refreshments, and other activities require their own budget checks.
The North Pole mailbox, a Santa-photo visit, and a purchased personalized reply are separate experiences. Dropping off your child’s wish list does not place a letter order.
Choose one main outing from the calendar, check its current terms, and leave space around it. That makes a more workable list of things to do for Christmas than stacking several ticketed attractions into one night.
Frequently Asked Questions
What dates does this Christmas event planner cover?
The planner covers November 26 through December 24, 2026. It groups St. Louis holiday outings by week rather than listing every seasonal event.
How do I choose events for one weekend?
Start with your available dates, then choose one main event from that week. Confirm its operating day before adding meals or another stop.
Can visiting relatives use this planner?
Visiting families can use the weekly calendar to narrow their choices. Compare walking needs, travel time, and ticket arrangements before committing everyone to an outing.
When should I book a fixed-date event?
Book after confirming your group’s availability and the event’s terms. Give a scheduled performance priority over flexible activities when arranging the rest of your evening.
Can I combine two Christmas events in one evening?
Two events can work when travel and entry times fit. Leave a buffer between venues, especially when a lights queue could affect a fixed booking.
What should I check before buying tickets?
Confirm the event date, admission category, entry window, and cancellation terms. Check whether extras require separate payment before comparing your family’s total cost.
What if weather changes our plans?
The organizer’s cancellation and ticket policies determine your options. Check official updates before traveling; a change in your plans does not automatically mean a refund.
Does a season date range mean nightly opening?
A season range does not establish nightly opening. Garden Glow and Wild Lights operate on selected nights, so check their calendars for your chosen date.
How do walking and drive-through lights differ?
Walking displays involve an outdoor route on foot; drive-through displays let visitors view lights from a vehicle. Consider mobility and weather when choosing the format.
When should I recheck an event listing?
Recheck the organizer’s listing before payment and on your outing day. Review changed hours, weather notices, and any separately scheduled activities.
How much is SMK family-vehicle admission?
SMK lists $35 Sunday through Friday and $40 Saturday, including tax. The exit booth accepts cash; confirm your vehicle category before applying those prices.
What should I do after choosing an SMK date?
Review SMK’s visit details, then confirm any photo or ride arrangements. Schedule Santa photos by December 23; the lights continue on Christmas Eve.
Choose Your Night at Santa’s Magical Kingdom
Put the lights on a date your family can keep, then add Santa photos only if the schedule fits. Plan your SMK lights visit or call 636-938-5925 to clarify the activities you want before leaving home.
