Christmas in Minnesota: 15 Things to Do For the Holidays 2023
Are you planning out the month of December and wondering how to celebrate Christmas in Minnesota?
When winter hits, we’re transformed into a winter wonderland here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and you can bet that we know how to celebrate the holidays.
I’ve lived almost my entire life in Minnesota and have found some pretty amazing festivals, markets, and more to celebrate the season.
In this post, I’ll share with you some of those amazing activities, so you can enjoy the holiday season too this year.
Best Things to Do For Christmas in Minnesota
Below you’ll find some of the very best ways to get in the Christmas spirit in Minnesota this winter. It includes some of the most popular things to do, as well as some of my favorites!
1. Shop Around at a Christmas Market
One of the best places to check some gifts off of your list and finish up your holiday shopping is the Christmas markets that you’ll find scattered all over the state in November and December.
One of the most popular is the European Christmas Market at the Union Depot, where you’ll find local vendors selling goods in traditional wooden stalls, just like they do overseas.
The Minnesota Christmas Market is a pop-up market that is found on select days in different locations.
Aside from these larger ones, there are dozens of other markets all over the state, so be sure to check locally to see if there’s one near you!
2. View Local Christmas Light Displays
One of my favorite parts of Christmas is driving around and finding fun holiday light displays to look at.
From large gatherings to private homes putting on a show, there are all sorts of different Christmas light displays to enjoy.
A few of the most popular include Bentleyville in Duluth, GLOW Holiday Festival in Saint Paul, and Holidazzle in Minneapolis.
Growing up, my family would find all of the holiday light displays close to home and put them together on a map.
Then, we would make some cookies and hot cocoa, hop in the car, and enjoy our treats while we listened to holiday tunes and admired the lights. It’s such a fun family tradition.
3. Take a Ride on a Holiday Train
This unique way to celebrate the holidays in Minnesota is something that can only be done in a few places.
In Duluth, you can hop on the Christmas City Express and take a train ride along Lake Superior.
While on the train, you can enjoy hot cocoa, cookies, and holiday music as you admire the views out the windows.
Another fun activity is to watch out for when the Canadian Pacific Railway rolls into town with its holiday train.
While you don’t actually get to ride the CPR, there is live music and fun holiday celebrations to take part in before the train departs for its next location.
4. Pick Your Own Christmas Tree
One of my all-time favorite holiday traditions growing up was getting to pick out our own Christmas tree and bring it home.
If you want to start this tradition with your own family, there are so many local tree farms around Minnesota to check out.
You can even find locally grown Christmas trees being sold in parking lots throughout December in Minnesota or at farmers’ markets.
But for the full experience, head to the farm, cut your own down, and enjoy the smell of the outdoors in your home.
5. Watch a Holiday Show at a Theater
I’m a big theater fan and love to watch Broadway shows. So when it comes to Christmas, it’s no different!
You can find all sorts of holiday shows taking place at theaters around the state.
A Christmas Carol plays every year at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, and you’ll also almost always find How the Grinch Stole Christmas at The Children’s Theatre.
Duluth also often has holiday shows going on at The Duluth Playhouse. Last year I went and saw A Charlie Brown Christmas in Duluth!
6. Wander Through Ice Castles
If you’re searching for a unique activity to do in Minnesota in December, check out Ice Castles in New Brighton.
With all sorts of slides, caverns, and sculptures made entirely of ice, this will seem like the most Minnesotan holiday activity you’ll see all season long.
The Ice Castles are only open during very select times in the winter, so be sure to check out their website before going to make sure they’re open!
7. Visit the Holidazzle Village
What was once a popular holiday parade in the Twin Cities has turned into one of the most fun holiday villages around!
Holidazzle is hosted each year in Loring Park and is the perfect place to bring the family for an evening filled with fun holiday celebrations for Christmas in Minneapolis.
The entire park is covered with lights and there are all sorts of activities going on to check out.
My favorite thing to do is wander through the market since there are tons of local vendors selling their handmade goods. It’s also really fun to watch the fireworks at the end of the night.
And because the entire event is free, it makes it a really easy way to spend a weekend celebrating Christmas in Minnesota.
8. Tour the Stunning Glensheen Mansion
Nestled along the shoreline of Lake Superior just outside of Duluth is the beautiful Glensheen Mansion.
During the winter months, the Glensheen Mansion is transformed into a stunning display of holiday lights for guests to walk through.
The outdoor display of lights is free, but you can also purchase a ticket to explore the inside of the mansion, which is also decked out in holiday decor.
Inside, you’ll find rooms covered in twinkling lights, a Christmas tree in every corner, and the smell of fresh pine in the air. It’s truly magical.
9. Walk Through Bentleyville Tour of Lights
If you’re in Duluth during winter and are looking for another way to enjoy the stunning holiday lights, then you have to pay a visit to the Bentleyville Tour of Lights.
This is Minnesota’s largest light display, and it’s a must-see for everyone! Bundle up for the cold winter weather, gather the family, and enjoy the amazing lights.
It’s located in Bayfront Festival Park on Lake Superior, and there are over 5 million holiday lights that make up this incredible display of holiday cheer.
Walk through the lights, meet Santa Claus, indulge in cookies and cocoa, snap pictures with reindeer, and enjoy time by a bonfire– all for just a voluntary donation.
10. Visit Santa at the Local Malls
If you have kiddos who want to meet Santa, there are plenty of malls around Minnesota that offer times to visit him.
A few in the Twin Cities that typically have Santa Claus visit them include the Mall of America, Eden Prairie Center, Northtown Mall, Rosedale Center, and Southdale Center.
The Miller Hill Mall in Duluth also sometimes has Santa in the winter, and the Apache Mall in Rochester also hosts him in December.
11. Participate in the 12 Bars of Christmas Bar Crawl
For the adults out there looking to have a little holiday fun, check out Minneapolis’ 12 Bars of Christmas Bar Crawl!
This is a family fun Minnesota Christmas event where you can pull out those ugly sweaters, Christmas onesies, and Santa hats to wander through the streets of Downtown Minneapolis.
You’ll make a stop at multiple different bars, try different drinks at each, and then move on to the next.
It’s a fun way to gather a group of friends and spend some time together in a non-traditional way this Christmas!
12. See the Mall of America Decorated for the Holidays
I’m usually someone who skips the Mall of America because I just find it to be too busy for me to enjoy.
But around the holidays in Minnesota, I make an exception, because the mall is just so beautifully decorated that it’s worth going in to check out.
So if you have some last-minute Christmas shopping to do, head into the Mall of America and admire the beautiful decorations while you grab those gifts.
13. Stroll Through the GLOW Holiday Festival
Another great festival to attend this December in Minnesota is the GLOW Holiday Festival, which is hosted at CHS Field in Saint Paul.
Stroll through thousands of lights, make a s’more at the bonfires, and take the kiddos to meet Santa.
There are so many family fun activities at GLOW, and because it’s a pretty new festival, it just keeps getting better with each year that passes.
My favorite part is the Reindeer Run, which is a lit-up maze that you have to find your way through. It’s so fun!
14. Attend a Tree Lighting Ceremony
I grew up always wanting to go to a tree lighting ceremony, and I wasn’t able to go to one until just a few years ago!
It was such a fun experience and is such a great way to ring in the holiday season after Thanksgiving has passed.
Many cities, and even small towns, host tree-lighting ceremonies in the days following Thanksgiving.
One of the most popular is held at the Union Depot in St. Paul, where you can watch the massive tree come to life with hundreds of brightly colored lights.
15. Visit the Union Depot’s Hub for the Holidays
I’ve mentioned the Union Depot a few times in this post, and that’s because they become the Hub for the Holidays in December!
Visiting the Union Depot around the holidays is a great way to find something to do for Christmas in Minnesota.
From their European Christmas Markets to the tree lighting ceremony to their movie night and North Pole Express, there is so much to do.
What is the Weather Like on Christmas in Minnesota?
We all know that Minnesota’s weather in the winter can be quite unpredictable, and that can be true on Christmas too.
On a normal year, we usually have some snow and it’s cold on Christmas, but this can change from year to year.
Average temperatures in December are around 25 to 35 degrees F, and it can often snow quite a bit.
Although there have also been times in December in Minnesota when it doesn’t snow until later in the year, so again, our weather can be very unpredictable.
What is Christmas Like in Minnesota?
As you can imagine, with all of our snow, Minnesota turns into a true winter wonderland during the month of December.
It’s magical, and with all of the fun Minnesota Christmas events and festivals going on, the holidays are something special!
Minnesotans know how to embrace our cold weather and have a blast celebrating the holidays before we ring in the New Year.
What is the Most Christmassy Town in Minnesota?
There are many small towns in Minnesota that come off as Christmassy around the holidays thanks to their decorations.
A few of my favorites include Park Rapids, Stillwater, Winona, Duluth, Grand Rapids (my hometown!), and Bemidji.
Each of these has Main Streets that they decorate, holiday festivals, light shows, a giant tree in the center of town, or other fun holiday events.
FAQs
Nearly every year Minneapolis has a White Christmas. In my entire life, I don’t remember a brown Christmas here.
Minneapolis doesn’t often have brown Christmas’ because we typically see snow starting in November or early December.
Yes, it does often snow on or around the holidays in Minnesota. We almost always have a White Christmas!
It can get pretty cold in Minnesota in December. Temperatures range from around 25 to 35 degrees F.
Wrap-Up: Minnesota at Christmas
If you’re looking for some of the best things to do in Christmas in Minnesota, you’re in luck, because there are so many great activities.
From exploring holiday markets to wandering through light displays, holiday festivals can bring the entire family together.
I’ve loved getting to spend all of my Christmas’ in my home state of Minnesota, and I hope you’ll find some great fun here too!
