San Jose, CA, hosts many family-friendly Christmas events! From Christmas in the Park to Winter Wonderland, San Jose Christmas events run the gamut from holiday tradition to thrill-seeking, so every young holiday reveler will find something to enjoy.
Much of the downtown San Jose holiday scene centers around Plaza de César Chávez. This means you can simply park your car and walk to numerous exciting attractions. Updated for 2025!
San Jose Christmas Events in 2025
Christmas in the Park San Jose 2025
Plaza de César Chávez transforms into a forest of holiday delights for one of the grandest San Jose Christmas events—Christmas in the Park! Acres of Christmas trees are decorated by local schools, community groups, and businesses.
Traditionally, there are over 40 animated exhibits, glittering lights, and the 60-foot Community Giving Tree, adding joy for visitors of all ages. Get a photo with Santa before heading off to enjoy carnival rides, or share a delicious cup of Snowman hot chocolate!
Christmas in the Park has been a San Jose holiday tradition for over 40 years. It is free of charge.
Christmas in the Park includes weekend music on the Jingle Bell stage, a 65-foot-tall walk-through Christmas tree, and Blinky’s Tavern—an inflatable beer and wine garden! There is also an Enchanted Forest of Trees filled with community-decorated trees.
If crowds aren’t your thing, don’t worry! There’s a Drive-Thru Christmas in the Park. Blinky’s Drive-Thru was born during the height of the pandemic; the newest of the San Jose Christmas events debuted as an alternative to Christmas in the Park in 2020.
Enjoy this spectacular light show programmed to music while navigating the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. Admission per car is $40.00.
Christmas in the Park Downtown opens on November 28, 2025, and runs through January 2026. Blinky’s Drive-Thru Christmas in the Park will open on November 21 and run from November 22, 23, 28, December 24, 25, and 31, 2025.
Winter Wonderland
There are other attractions to take in around Plaza de César Chávez during the holidays; here’s a brief guide to San Jose Christmas events downtown:
Winter Wonderland is a fun carnival next to Christmas in the Park along Paseo de San Antonio.
Enjoy glimpses of Christmas in the Park from atop the giant Ferris wheel. Play classic carnival games. Dodge in and out of fun houses and enjoy treats like cotton candy, churros, and kettle corn.
Be sure to avoid having a meltdown when it’s time to go home! Santa is granting visits in the area, after all, and he does have his eye on you!
Winter Wonderland is open from November 28, 2025, through January 4, 2026.
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Downtown Ice
Ice skating under the lights between the San Jose Museum of Art and the Signia San Jose by Hilton is a much-loved holiday tradition. Downtown Ice, San Jose’s traditional ice rink in the Circle of Palms runs November 26, 2025 – January 19, 2026.
Santa Run
The Santa Run Silicon Valley is a family-friendly 5K Run/Walk benefiting Christmas in the Park and Downtown Ice. This year’s event is on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at 3PM.
Most entrants dress up as their favorite holiday character or tradition: Santa, Mrs. Claus, the Grinch, reindeer, elves, dreidel, menorah, ornaments, tree, presents—the ideas are endless!
Spend more time in the city. Here are the Top 25 Things to do in San Jose with Kids.
San Jose Nutcracker
The San Jose Ballet‘s production of The Nutcracker is one of the longest-running San Jose Christmas events. The San Jose Dance Theatre returns to the stage with its 60th Jubilee Anniversary of the original San Jose Nutcracker.
The anniversary will be celebrated with special themed performances — from a festive Ugly Sweater & Sparkles Matinee to Tutus & Tiaras Sugar Plum Dress-Up Day, Family Pride Night, and Storybook Sunday. Each show offers a unique twist on the timeless classic you love.
The Nutcracker runs from December 13-14 and 20-21, 2025, at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.
Once Upon a Nutcracker offers excerpts of the production on December 12, 2025, at 10:30 AM. This shorter show is perfect for young children.
Find more Christmas events around Northern California.
Winchester Mystery House
During the holidays, Sarah Winchester’s fabulous 160-room Victorian mansion transforms into a winter carnival of the unusual. The 7th Annual Yuletide Oddities Market gathers the strange, the spectral, and the splendid every Saturday from November 29 through December 27, 2025.
The market includes a rotating lineup of unique and unusual purveyors selling one-of-a-kind, handmade gifts and curiosities—from bones, bugs, taxidermy, and dark art to strange home décor, fine jewelry, antiques, relics, apparel, bath, beauty, and more. This is holiday magic with a dark sparkle—an experience found nowhere else.
Visitors can also enjoy mansion tours, a visit from the infamous Krampus, the spine-tingling Lovecraft Carolers, and Santa’s twisted Sideshow.
Find more Christmas events near you! Trekaroo has guides for dozens of cities across the country.
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My family has been traveling since our kids were very small. Many have thought we were crazy for hopping on planes with little kids. My response to that is, “There’s a handle on the infant carrier, so you can take them with you!”
I wanted to tell travel stories because one of my children is on the autism spectrum, and I wanted to show other families that a diagnosis like that did not necessarily mean a life of being homebound.I’m proud to report that my son has a passport full of stamps; it just took a little extra preparation to get him into the world.
I received my degree in Journalism from San Francisco State University in 1990. I have a vast writing background that includes newspaper reporting, web content for high-tech companies, and feature writing.
I have frequently collaborated and contributed to other family travel blogs, including the Hilton Hotel blogs, Hilton MomVoyage, and Hilton Suggests.Visit California named me a Digital Feature Entry Winner for my story titled, “Silicon Valley Tour – Adventures for Geeks of all Ages.”I am also the leader of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of Travel Massive, a travel community connecting thousands of tourism professionals, travel media, creators, and startups from around the world.
I live in Mountain View, CA, with my husband and son. I also have a daughter, who is in college. While we currently don’t have any pets, we will soon adopt a golden retriever through a rescue organization. My favorite things (besides travel) are spy novels, hanging out at the San Francisco Presidio, Greek food, wandering through bookstores, plants, and my greenhouse.
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