There's a lot to do this time of year.
And no, we don't just mean stuffing yourself on Thanksgiving and opening presents on Christmas. The holiday season in Austin is a ton of fun for a variety of reasons. Besides finally getting to put on that jacket that's been gathering dust in your closet, you've got special holiday screenings of beloved movies, restaurants and bars open with delicious new menu items, and oodles of fantastic live music.
With so much to do, we've put together a page on our favorite picks for this time of year. Check out our guide on How to Do the Holidays in Austin below.
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Gift Shopping
(Shop local, y'all)
Holiday Markets: Live out your Hallmark Holiday Movie moment and shop around these overly festive markets for gifts, treats, or your new husband who's also Santa?!
The Armadillo Christmas Bazaar: At a loss for what to get people for Christmas? Not to worry, The Armadillo Christmas Bazaar has pretty much everything.
Record Stores in Austin: Music lovers rejoice, there's an abundance of Record Stores in Austin to purchase vinyl and other cool things.
Books Galore: Austin has a ton of Locally-Owned Bookstores for bookworms and want-to-readers alike.
Running Out of Time? Don't worry - we have a guide for where to Get a Last Minute Gift.
Going To Holiday Parties? Don't show up empty handed - check out these Holiday Host Gift Ideas.
Photo credit: Renee Dominguez
Christmas
(Happy holidays)
Mozart's Light Show: With even more ways to see their annual light show including a cruise and silent disco on Taylor's Swift's very own dance floor from her recent North American tour.
Christmas Decorations: Grab a cup of coffee and put on your favorite ugly sweater, here are The Best Neighborhoods For Holiday Lights Around Austin.
Christmas Trees: Pick out the very best with the people you love at these Christmas Tree Farms.
The Trail of Lights: It's a beloved Austin tradition, so make sure you check out the Trail of Lights this Holiday Season!
Peppermint Parkway: Take the swing out to COTA to enjoy this year's miraculous light display at Peppermint Parkway.
Christmas Meals To-Go: Skip the prep this year with our big list of Where to Get Christmas Food.
Chinese Food Options on Christmas Day: Need to feed the fam on the big day? We've got you covered.
Photo credit: Renee Dominguez
Stuff to Do When it's Cold
(Enjoy the cold while we've got it)
Places to Go Ice Skating: If there's ever going to be a time to do it while you're in Texas, it would be now. See our list of Places to Go Ice Skating here.
Winter Date Spots: Guess what? You totally don't have to spend the holidays on the couch, check out some awesome Winter Date Spots to take the person you're sweet on.
Heated Patios in Austin: Thankfully, it's patio weather year-round at these Heated Patios in Austin.
Coziest Bars in Austin: Cuddle up with a friend, lover, or your own dang self at one of the Coziest Bars in Austin.
Where to Donate: Nothing warms your cold heart more than Giving Back to the community you love.
Hot Drinks & Eats
(Warm your belly)
Hot Drinks in Austin: There's nothing better than a hot toddy when it's cold out; consult our Hot Drinks in Austin page to find where to get them and other hot drinks!
Awesome Coffee Spots: A warm cup of joe might be just what the doctor ordered this holiday season - here's our list of Awesome Coffee Spots in Austin.
Soup Season: Slurp Our Favorite Soups around town.
5 Swanky Spots to Sip on Bourbon: Depending on your drink, the bourbon may or may not be hot... but we can guarantee you you'll start to feel warmer when you visit these 5 Swanky Spots to Sip on Bourbon.
Hot Chocolate in Austin: Throw that old packet of hot cocoa mix that's been sitting in your cupboard away, because we've compiled some killer spots for Hot Chocolate in Austin.
Where to Get Chili: How's about a nice pot of chili to warm your bones? Here are our picks for
Where to Get Chili When it's Chilly out.
Where to Get Ramen: We're big fans of slurping noodles when it's cold out, which is why we made this big list of Where to Get Ramen in Austin.
Free Week / Photo credit: Roger Ho
Even More Stuff to Do
(So. Much. Stuff.)
New Year's Eve in Austin: Don't get stuck standing around your kitchen wondering what you should do. Make plans!
What's Happening this Week: Awesome things happen every single day here. See what's happening This Week.
The Monthly To-Do List: Looking for a monthly selection of hand-picked shows and events? Bookmark our Monthly To-Do List this Holiday season.
The Hottest Tickets: When in the Live Music Capital of the World, you absolutely must see live music. You can find music of all kinds on the East Side, the Red River Cultural District, Rainey Street, South Congress and dozens of venues around town. For a list of all the just-announced shows, we've got you covered here.
Free Week: This January, Free Week will be back again to warm your soul with rock n roll. In the meantime, check out our humongous list of all the Totally Free Events around town.
Notice something we missed?
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