As soon as the cold weather arrives, our thoughts naturally turn to the holiday season! We prepare for it for weeks if not months. Here is your master guide to the holidays!

The following organizations providing holiday activities have elected to be featured on this page:

Sweet Creations: Gingerbread Exhibit at George Eastman House Largest ever display! Rochester, NY Directions	Gingerbread houses! The popular holiday tradition returns to George Eastman House for its 17th year, featuring more than 70 clever confections throughout the museum and historic house, which is elaborately decorated for the holidays. "Sweet Creations: Gingerbread House Exhibition" is on view now through Dec. 12, with the houses for sale via silent auction. Remember: KIDS 12 and under always get in FREE (with paid adult) to Eastman House!
Geva Theatre Center Rochester, NY Location and Hours	Celebrate Charles Dickens’ 200th Birthday with Rochester’s favorite family holiday tradition, Geva Theatre Center's A Christmas Carol! On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by a series of ghosts who remind him who he was and what he might yet become. He learns the true meaning of the season and that it’s never too late to make a new start. The famous tale of redemption for the most despised man in London will awaken your heart and rekindle your spirit in this critically acclaimed adaptation. Kids get half-priced tickets! Call 232-GEVA for details. Click here for the KOA review of A Christmas Carol!
Yuletide in the Country Tour at Genesee Country Village Mumford, NY Directions	Nothing conjures the holiday spirit like a trip back in time for a glimpse of holiday traditions of old! The historic village will be aglow with festively decorated homes for its traditional Yuletide in the Country the first three weekends in December. Enjoy reenactments of Yuletides past in each of the buildings featured on the tour, and much more.

FREE holiday events in greater Rochester

You think you can't get anything free anymore? Nonsense! Here are a bunch of free events (listed day by day) coming up in greater Rochester.

Chanukah

Hanukkah begins in the evening of Saturday, December 8, 2012, and ends in the evening of Sunday, December 16, 2012. Click here for upcoming Chanukah activities!

Lightbulb Day

Lightbulb Day is celebrated on the Winter Solstice, on or about December 21. Click here to find out what it is!

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is celebrated December 26-January 1 each year. Click here for upcoming Kwanzaa activities!

Christmas

We have subdivided this list into categories below, but to see one easy list of ALL upcoming Christmas activities, click here!

Holiday Light Displays in our area! (We compiled this in 2011, and although the displays are usually the same from year to year, please let us know if you have suggestions for 2012 or notice discrepancies.)

Christmas Tree Farms

Do you cut your own Christmas tree? Here's our big list of farms where you can cut your own Christmas tree in greater Rochester.

Breakfast with Santa

There are lots of Breakfasts with Santa (and sometimes, Breakfast with the Grinch!). Get your tickets early, because these tend to sell out. Click here for Holiday Breakfasts.

Holiday concerts, shows, and other performances

There are lots of special concerts and shows... and some of them are free! Click here for the entire Holiday Performance list.

Concerts

Theater

History

The Nutcracker

The Messiah

 © 2012, KidsOutAndAbout.com

And now for a list of all December Holiday events: