Your 2023 Guide to Celebrating the Holidays near Santa Ana, California

Shopping

First things first: To get in the spirit of the holiday season, you need to decorate! Santa Ana has a number of stores with holiday decorations, including The Wrapper, Shinoda Design Center, and World Market. You can also find Christmas trees at Pumpkin City or these local Christmas tree farms in Orange County:

• Enchanted Country Pumpkins and Trees
• Farmakis Farms
• Peltzer Pines
• Richfield Pines
• Tanaka Farms
  

A word of caution when it comes to decorating: It’s important to be aware of common hazards, such as candles, Christmas trees, and holiday lights. Be careful when lighting candles, and never leave a candle unattended. To be safe, consider alternatives to candles, including battery-powered candles and reed diffusers. Real Christmas trees can also be a hazard when the pine needles dry out. Make sure to keep your tree watered, and keep it away from potential flames. Additionally, be sure to turn off holiday lights when you leave and keep them from touching anything that could burn or melt.

The next step you want to knock out early is to purchase holiday gifts. No one likes the stress of last-minute holiday shopping. Near Santa Ana, MainPlace Mall, The Market Place, and South Coast Plaza are all great shopping centers with tons of options for stores and dining, so you can make a day of it! Check the websites to see the stores and find holiday sales and specials that will be going on.

Activities

When it comes to holiday activities near Santa Ana, you will find fun events of all types for all ages. Here are some of the exciting holiday activities coming up near Santa Ana:

• Santa Ana Winter Village: Visit the Santa Ana Civic Center Plaza anytime December 2–31 to enjoy a winter wonderland with ice skating, breakfast with Santa, Christmas lights, holiday decorations, festive train rides, and much more! Perfect for a date night or family outing, admission to Santa Ana Winter Village is free of charge, with separate costs for specific activities, such as ice skating, food trucks, and merchandise vendors.
• Sugar Plum Holiday Festival: From November 8 to 11 and November 29 to December 2, there will be a vintage market with 120 exhibitors at the Westminster Mall. Admission is only $5, and you can find unique antiques and collectibles perfect for holiday gifts!
• Christmas Together: The holidays are a season of giving. Families Together will be having their annual toy drive on December 10. The event is free and will include carnival rides and games, entertainment, a picture with Santa, and a variety of food options.
• Winter Wonderland at the Santa Ana Zoo: Throughout the month of December, the Santa Ana Zoo will be transformed into a winter wonderland, with enchanting light displays, exciting train rides, seasonal music, and arts and crafts tables.

The list goes on: You can find other holiday events in the Orange County area, including tree lightings, photo ops with Santa, and more.

Performances

What’s a holiday season without festive music? Near Santa Ana, The Segerstrom Center for the Arts (SCFTA) in Costa Mesa will be featuring multiple holiday-themed performances this season. Here are just a few:

• Tis the Season!, presented by The Pacific Chorale, will set the mood for your holiday season. Their concert will include favorite seasonal selections as well as a special visitor from the North Pole! They will have two shows: one on December 17 at 5:00 p.m. and one on December 18 at 7:30 p.m.
• Another great event for the family, the Nutcracker for Kids is a 45-minute condensed version of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, geared toward children ages 5 to 11. The shows will be on December 2 at 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
• The SCFTA will also be hosting the traditional Christmas oratorio Handel’s Messiah. Enjoy the beautiful instruments and angelic voices that come together in a spectacular performance. The program will be on December 3 at 3:00 p.m.
• If you’re a fan of musicals, you’ll love Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical! This record-breaking Broadway show is making its way to Costa Mesa this year and will be running from December 19–24 at Segerstrom Hall.

Tickets for these shows are on sale now and can be purchased from the SCFTA website.

Now you are set to kick off the holiday season! With this guide, you will be ready to deck the halls of your home, conquer your holiday shopping list, and attend the best activities and performances in Santa Ana, California. With such a variety of activities for all ages, you are sure to find things that you and your family will enjoy. 

At Villa Del Sur Apartment Homes, we are excited to celebrate the holidays with you in Santa Ana. If you or someone you know is looking for a new home in Santa Ana, California, there’s no place like home at Villa del Sur for the holidays. Contact us today! 

We wish you a safe and happy holiday season. May your days be merry and bright!