Are you making your list and checking it twice for Holidays Things to Do Tomatoes? Well, I’m here to help. Los Angeles is brimming with wonderful and magical holiday events to make your Tomato heart sing with happiness, but it can be overwhelming so here are a few of my holiday favorites from the marionette version of the Nutcracker to ice skating in Pershing Square. I hope you can enjoy them all!

Till Dec. 29.  Bob Baker’s Nutcracker

The Bob Baker Marionette Theatre, the oldest puppet theatre in the U.S., has been a Theatre Wonderland and made its home in Los Angeles for over 50 +years. Yahoo! “Bob Bakers Nutcracker”, with 100-plus handmade colorful puppets where fantasy and artistry create a masterful wizardry of strings, will still delight and spark the imagination of audiences as they always have, Tomatoes. 

This twist on the ballet classic is a long and cherished Los Angeles holiday tradition that lives on at the Pasadena Playhouse. Bob Baker’s Nutcracker  is perfect for your kids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews, any of the children in your life, Tomatoes. So, don’t hesitate to get your tickets now. The children and adults in your life will adore it and kiddoes under 2 are FREE. The Bob Baker Marionette Theatre is timeless and its profound artistry and craft lives where the imagination dwells and I’m filled with joy and pride that they make their home here in LA and are here to stay, Tomatoes.

Dec 15.  Hanukkah Festival

Celebrate the Jewish festival of lights, while enjoying music, dance, storytelling, art making, and tasty treats! It’s definitely a family & friends affair, Tomatoes. While you are there, you must take advantage of the Skirball’s current exhibitions; “Through a Different Lens” and “The American Dream” or the Hanukkah lamps on display in “Visions and Values.”

Celebrate the Jewish festival of light, while enjoying music, dance, storytelling, art making, and tasty treats! Your  holiday spirit will be revived with musical performances by Klezmer Juice, classic Hanukkah tunes and folk music by the fiddler and accordionist duo Zingarella, and a special Hanukkah sing-along. There will also be Hands-On-Workshops, Noah’s Ark storytellers, special Hanukkah dishes, and unique holiday merchandise at Audrey’s Museum Store.  Lots of joyous reasons to attend, Tomatoes.

Till Jan 5.  LA Zoo Lights

This time of year, Tomatoes, our amazing LA Zoo transforms into a dazzling, enchanting, eye-popping wild wonderland of light under the stars. It is brilliant with a self-guided 60- to 90-minute stroll through wildlife-inspired displays with more light animals than ever before, the world’s largest illuminated pop-up storybook, fabulous photo ops, and much more! Wow! Plenty of seasonal magic to be found at the LA Zoo, Tomatoes.

Tomatoes, with their friends and/or family, can explore this fantastical wonderland while enjoying festive food and drinks and photos with Santa on select nights. And this year the Zoo has partnered with Odd Market on a holiday gift bazaar featuring curated crafters and live music on weekend nights through December 22. Yep, the zoo does have everything this holiday season. Think of the unforgettable holiday memories you can make Tomatoes.

Till Jan. 5. Enchanted Forest of Lights

Hear ye! Hear ye! Descanso Gardens is doing it again, Tomatoes! They are hosting their breathtaking and exquisite Holiday season nighttime event, “Enchanted Forest of Light”.  You can explore and enjoy a colorful one-mile path through 160 acres within Descanso Gardens with lighting experiences that will knock your socks off. It’s time to shine with rainbow colors, Tomatoes.

I absolutely adore this Holiday light display. There are a variety of large-scale light displays, many of which are interactive, allowing visitors to manipulate the lights and sounds. The walk concludes with a spectacular light display in Descanso’s iconic Japanese Garden. Enjoy a stop for hot cocoa or an adult beverage and dinner or a snack along the way. You must purchase your tickets in advance, Tomatoes, and they are selling out fast, so hop to it!

Till Jan. 20. Pershing Square Ice Rink

A skating rink is a nice way to ring…in the season Tomatoes. Open every day, the Bai’ Holiday Ice Rink at Pershing Square is this city’s largest outdoor rink with a magical & fairy tale like setting, It’s the quintessential winter activity surrounded by art and our gorgeous city skyline in the heart of DTLA.

If the possible breakage of a hip, knee, shoulder etc., concerns you…no worries, Tomatoes, there is plenty else to do at Pershing Square to get you in the Holiday spirit.  Tomatoes can stay warm at Cathy’s Café with a hot Chocolate or Coffee, Hot Dogs, Grilled Cheese and French Fries. I never met a fry I didn’t like, and it is certainly a good time to splurge. You might also consider hitting Perch, the French style rooftop bar and bistro with the best view of the brightly lit Pershing Square and a 360 degree unobstructed spectacular city view. And for those super brave and fit Tomatoes time to dig out the ice skates!

Dec 16 – Dec 24.  Las Posadas at Olvera Street

There’s a beautiful holiday tradition on Olvera Street, Tomatoes. Each year, from Dec. 16 until Christmas Eve, the Olvera Street Merchants and their families walk through El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument in a ceremonial re-enactment of Mary and Joseph’s nine-night journey to Bethlehem for sanctuary. All cultures & religions are welcome to attend.  Again, I say…beautiful tradition.

One of the oldest events in the city, features a procession starting at Avila Adobe (the oldest house in Los Angeles) with colorful costumes, traditional songs you can sing-a-long to, piñata breaking and after the procession visitors will be served a cup of hot champurrado and a sweet bread. Festivities don’t begin till 6:30pm, Tomatoes, so there’s plenty of time to shop at Olvera Streets wonderful shops and enjoy a meal at one of their excellent restaurants before the procession.  I love the thought of attending this because I also love Olvera Street.