Celebrate the Holidays A-Z

A: Angel

At Stone Mountain Christmas, watch Angelina the Snow Angel’s Christmas Parade, the new festive Christmas Lasershow, Santa lighting the Enchanted Tree, travel through the Musical Frosted Forest and more. Through Jan. 3.

B: Botanical

Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Alston Overlook includes the fantastically decorated and running Holiday Model Trains for a cute Christmas display with landscaped mountains, a lake, bridges, Santa and more. Through Jan. 16.

C: A Christmas Carol

This year, several metro Atlanta theaters are performing this classic story about miserly Ebenezer Scrooge learning the error of his ways on Christmas Eve.

• Alliance Theatre’s A Christmas Carol: The Live Radio Play at Summerhill’s Georgia State University Stadium. Dec. 4-23.
• A Christmas Carol at Aurora Theatre. Dec. 16-23.
• A Christmas Carol at Elm Street Cultural Arts Village. Dec. 18-24.

D: Dance

Catch the Hope for a Holiday Show at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. Roam the beautiful grounds and enjoy the night sky as you watch this dance following a producer in search of magic, heart and hope to create a holiday show. Dec. 17 and 19-20.

Lanier Islands

E: Elf

Get the PJ party started with Santa’s Elves at Lanier Islands. The Elf PJ Story Time Package features an elf reading a Christmas story and giving out a special ornament. The next morning, enjoy a breakfast buffet and visit with Santa. Dec. 4-5, 11-12, 18-23. Or purchase a Virtual Elf Tuck-In Package for a special story read-along, available from Nov. 28-Dec. 22.

F: Fernbank’s Winter Wonderland

This special event at Fernbank Museum of Natural History showcases celebrations from around the world with trees and displays representing Christmas, Hanukkah and other cultures. Through Jan. 8.

G: Gifts

In Gift of the Magi 2.0 at Marietta’s New Theatre in the Square, Jim, an Atlanta streetcar driver struggling in the Atlanta Transit Strike of 1950, goes to great lengths to buy a Christmas gift for his wife, unaware that she is also making sacrifices to afford a gift for him. Dec. 3-13.

H: Hanukkah

This year, Hanukkah begins on Dec. 10.

• Celebrations in Light: Hanukkah at Children’s Museum of Atlanta. Dec. 5-6.
• Menorah Lighting at Avalon. Dec. 10.
• Drive-in Menorah Lighting at Logan Farm Park. Dec. 10.

I: Ice

Head to Lawrenceville’s Merry Little Christmas Experience & Fireworks Show to see a holiday ice sculpture, visit with Santa, hear live Christmas music, shop on the square, watch a classic holiday movie at the drive-in, and view the dazzling fireworks show. Dec. 12.

J: Joy

Enjoy a joyful, virtual holiday concert each day from the Atlanta Concert Band with 25 Days of Christmas. Watch a new piece of holiday music on YouTube, Facebook or Twitter. Dec. 1-25.

K: Kris Kringle

Live from the North Pole, enjoy a virtual visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus from JingleRing. This experience is entirely customizable for your family, and you’ll receive a free activity book with your booking. Storytime with Santa, Storytime with Mrs. Claus and a personalized pre-recorded message from Santa are also available.

Center for Puppetry Arts

L: Love

Based on a Hans Christian Andersen short story, watch the puppet performance of Stan the Lovesick Snowman at Center for Puppetry Arts. A dog tells Stan about a warm stove inside his house, causing Stan to fall in love with the stove. Includes a create-a-puppet workshop and museum admission to see puppets from the Center’s production of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” characters from “Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas” and more. Nov. 24-Jan. 3.

M: Movie Magic

Travel to Nashville to celebrate the holidays with A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland. Enjoy the immersive “I Love Christmas Movies” experience featuring iconic Christmas movies, such as “The Polar Express,” “A Christmas Story,” “Elf” and more. You can also go ice tubing or ice skating, decorate gingerbread, enjoy carriage rides, see lights and decorations and more. Through Jan. 3.

N: The Nutcracker

No holiday is complete without this classic ballet following Clara’s adventures in a magical world.

• Gwinnett Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker at Infinite Energy Center. Dec. 4-20.
• The Nutcracker at Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance. Through Dec. 6.
• Atlanta Dance Theatre’s The Nutcracker at Roswell Cultural Arts Center. Dec. 11-13.
• The Georgia Ballet’s The Nutcracker Drive-In Experience at Aviation History and Technology Center. Dec. 11-13.
• Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker 2020 Experience. Through Dec. 27.

O: Ornaments

Shop for ornaments, nutcrackers, household décor, arts and crafts and more at the Christmas in Cumming Arts and Crafts Show at Cumming Fairgrounds. There will be more than 100 booths, and enjoy Christmas activities throughout the grounds. Dec. 11-12.

P: The Polar Express

Come dressed in your pajamas to watch a delightful screening of “The Polar Express” at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History’s All Aboard for Holiday Fun. Listen to the story prior to the movie, and explore real-life, historic locomotives. Dec. 12.

Q: Queen

Watch the beautiful Ice Queen skate and perform at Holidays on The Roof at Ponce City Market on Sat.-Sun. Enjoy ice skating, go mini golfing, rent an igloo, and adults can taste festive drinks. Skaters must be 5 or older. Nov. 27-Jan 10.

Pettit Creek Farms

R: Reindeer

Stop by A Country Christmas at Pettit Creek Farms to take a drive or hayride through lights, take photos with Santa and his reindeer on select days, visit the petting zoo and more. Nov. 26-Dec. 30.

S: Santa’s Wonderland

This special event at local Bass Pro Shops includes a picture with Santa, holiday crafts, aquariums and wildlife displays, shopping and more. Through Dec. 24.

T: Tea

Treat yourself to tea and holiday sweets at The St. Regis Atlanta’s Tea with Santa set to live music. The magical tea ritual will end with a special visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, and a mischievous hotel elf will also pop up during the experience. Nov. 27-29, Dec. 3-6 and 10-24.

U: Unity

Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration honoring African American heritage and culture that was created in 1966. The seven principles honored during Kwanzaa are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. Celebrate Kwanzaa at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta with festive stories, songs and activities. Dec. 26-27.

V: Virtual

Thanks to technology, you can still enjoy some of your favorite holiday celebrations. Watch the excitement of past Children’s Christmas Parades with “A Look Back at 40 Years of the Children’s Christmas Parade” on WSB-TV. Dec. 6.

W: It’s a Wonderful Life

Watch these adaptations of the classic Christmas movie following the story of George Bailey.

• It’s a Wonderful Life Radio Play at ACT1 Theater Mainstage. Dec. 4-20.
• This Wonderful Life presented by Aurora Theatre. Dec. 17-Jan. 1.

X: X Marks the Spot

Test your sleuthing skills at the self-guided Holiday Hunt at Oakland Cemetery. Choose from three different difficulties and follow clues to solve riddles as a family, and you’ll also be entered into a weekly prize drawing. Through Jan. 3.

Y: Yuletide Carols

Listen to gorgeous holiday carols to enjoy the spirit of the season.

• Carols by Candlelight presented by First Baptist Church of Marietta. Dec. 6.
• Christmas Festival Concert presented by Roswell United Methodist Church. Dec. 11 and 13.
• The Annual Christmas Festival Concerts at Gainesville First United Methodist Church. Dec. 13.

Z: Zip Around Town

Head to cities all over metro Atlanta to find festive decorations are all around you. See 20 gorgeously decorated trees at Acworth’s Festival of Trees; look for Santa in Marietta Square; view life-sized nutcrackers in Alpharetta; take in holiday lights with Norcross’ carriage rides; and head to Kennesaw to see the beautiful contest entries in Holiday Art Walk and Holiday Trees.