A huge thank you to Huntington Learning Center of Frederick for their generous sponsorship of this guide! Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. For over 44 years, Huntington’s highly trained tutors have worked with students of all ages to improve their grades and build self-confidence, organizational skills, and good study habits. With flexible scheduling and session availability for online tutoring and test preparation, your student can receive: ACT, SAT and additional Standardized exam prep; tutoring for grades K-12; and/or 1 to 1 single-subject tutoring for your student. To learn more about how Huntington Learning Center of Frederick can benefit your family, click here.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
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FEELING FESTIVE?
Holiday Activities:
- Do NOT miss Macaroni Kid’s Christmas in the Country Event this year on December 11th! Pictures with Santa, Hot cocoa and sweet treats, ornaments and crafts, musical performances, holiday games, and MORE!
- The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore will be holding their Zoo Lights Walkthrough Event on November 19th!
- Check out the beautiful Christmas lights at The Garden of Lights Exhibit at Brookside Gardens!
- Grab some holiday-themed gourmet popcorn from The Original Popcorn House and a cup of hot chocolate from the Frederick Coffee Company & Cafe and take a stroll on Carroll Creek to enjoy the festive light displays.
- Head to IHOP in Frederick for their Winter Wonderland Pancakes Special (limited time only)!
- The Maryland Christmas Show will be held the weekend of Friday November 19th!
- Christmas BINGO? Yes, please! Head to Brunswick Fire Department on November 26th!
- Check out the museums by candlelight at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine the weekend of December 11th.
- Listen to the Sounds of the Season at FSK mall the entire month of December!
Santa Sightings:
- Kris Kringle is coming to Frederick in the annual parade downtown on December 10th!
- Get the milk and cookies ready because Santa Claus is coming to Francis Scott Key Mall beginning on November 20th!
- Ride the train with Santa on the Walkersville Southern Railroad! Have your camera ready for some great shots as Santa will visit with each family! ASL Santa for our deaf friends: 11/27 & 28 and 12/18 & 19.
- Head to the Christmas in New Market Event on December 4th to see Santa, a parade, a live nativity, outdoor market, and MORE!
- Does your family pet also have a wishlist for Santa? Pet photos with Santa will be held at the FSK mall on Mondays November 22nd - December 20th.
- The FSK Mall now only has Santa, check out their schedule to see which of Santa’s friends will also be joining him for a visit (Hint: Elsa and Anna, The Grinch, Christmas Elf, Snow White and Cinderella, and more)!
Catch a Holiday Show:
- Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Musical will be held at Capital One Hall.
- Check out the show “That Christmas Spirit” at Frederick’s own local theater, Way Off Broadway!
- A Christmas Carol will be showing at The Weinberg Center!
- The National Christian Choir presents “Celebrate Christmas” on November 20th!
- On November 27th, the popular tuba comrades of Frederick return with a variety of brassy Christmas hits, delighting audiences of all ages in an annual Weinberg Center tradition.
- A Civil War Christmas will be presented at the New Spire Arts Stage the weekend of December 17th!
- Lightwire Theater presents A Very Electric Christmas on November 26th! Follow the story of a young bird named Max, and his family, as they begin their journey south for the winter.
Find the Perfect Tree:
- Frederick County is home to several farms selling beautiful Christmas trees to brighten your home for the holidays!
Festive Road Trips:
- Drive over to Valley View Farms in Cockeysville for their Christmas/Holiday sights! From early November Valley View Farms has an outdoor Christmas light display that illuminates the night sky with over 100,000 lights. The entire valley is set aglow with a sea of twinkling star-like lights that dazzle the mind’s eye with inspiration. Head home with a beautiful Christmas ornament that you find in their shop!
- The shops at Kenilworth are home to several holiday treasures, such as their amazing train display and also their visits with Santa! Grab some hot chocolate to go and take the worthwhile trip!
GET CRAFTY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
- Head to I Made This! Pottery Studio on a Tuesday for their ladies night discount of 20% off!
- Be sure to keep an eye out for Michaels Online Holiday Kids Crafts, like the Handprint Card Kit on November 20th and Holiday Rock Painting on November 30th.
- Sign Painting (adult only) Class at Springfield Manor Winery!
- Create art at home with Pottery and Canvas-to-go at Hot Fired arts.
WORK OFF THOSE CHRISTMAS COOKIES
- Bundle up and head out for a hike on the beautiful Catoctin Mountain trails! It isn’t too late to catch the last of the Fall foliage. And no matter the season, you are sure to see some beautiful sights while you get your exercise.
- Sign up for a membership at OneLife Fitness - North Frederick! They have great classes to help you keep fit during the holiday season.
- Butler’s Orchard is hosting a 5K through the orchard on November 20th!
- A 5K Turkey Trot will be held on November 26th at Soleado Lavender Farm!
SHOP LOCAL FOR THE HOLIDAYS
- Downtown Frederick is lined with stores with gifts for everyone - from foodies to artists and fashionistas to music lovers. Check out the holiday shopping directory here!
- Support local businesses by shopping with an independent retailer, eating at a local restaurant, supporting local artists and exploring Downtown Frederick on December Saturdays! Every Saturday in December!
- On Frosty Friday, November 26th, kick off your holiday season with all day shopping in Downtown Frederick! Parking is FREE, shops open early and stay open late.
- Let the family-owned, battery-free downtown toy store help you shop for the little ones in your life. Browse Dancing Bear Toys and Gifts
- Shop for locally made gifts, wine, and baked goods at Chartreuse and Co!
- Anyone looking for a new furry family member this Christmas? Head to K.A.T Cafe for playtime with the kitties and/or an adoption!
DO GOOD. BE KIND.
- Volunteer to serve meals at The Soup Kitchen Program in downtown Frederick.
- Kindness rocks! Decorate, hide, and find rocks around Frederick!
- Stop by one of the local Toys for Tots donation sites to drop off a new toy for a child this Christmas. It is a great way to get your whole family into the spirit of giving.
- Put those elf on the shelfs to good use and have them help your children engage in kindness missions throughout the season. This is a great way to refocus on the true meaning of the holidays.
- Have your child make holiday cards for residents in a local assisted living facility! They might not be able to cheer them up in person, but they can certainly bring some cheer with their kind words and thoughtful pictures.
- Donate traditional menu items or your time to the Frederick Rescue Mission, or send someone in need of a good meal.
- Donate to Heartly House, which provides services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.
- Donate food or cash or even volunteer to participate in Annapurna’s Kitchen “Pay As You Can Cafe” that serves a monthly meal based on pantry contributions, volunteers, and donations. Come serve and/or enjoy a meal…and maybe pay one forward!
BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE, SO WARM UP INSIDE
- Keep those kids moving and check out Frederick County Parks and Rec for indoor recreation options such as soccer, gymnastics, soccer, adaptive programs, and more.
- With many different libraries in Frederick County, you can always find a great virtual and adult children’s program or a nice place to curl up with a book at home! Check out their calendar of events!
- Take ice-skating or hockey lessons, or enjoy public skate times at Skate Frederick. Or go retro and roller-skate at Starland Roller Rink.
- Go bowling at Terrace Lanes or duckpin bowling at Mt. Airy Bowling Lanes.
- Climb the walls at the Boulder Yard!
- Get in game time at Spinners!
HOLIDAY CHEER
- Settle in on the couch with your family, some hot cocoa, and popcorn for a holiday movie night.
- When it snows, make the most of it and go sledding as a family! It may be chilly, but it beats being cooped up inside!
- Looking for a sensory-rich and festive cooking activity for the kids? Try your hand at making these yummy popcorn balls.
- Set up a game night (in person or virtual!) with family and friends. A holiday-themed game of charades is sure to get everyone in the holiday spirit!
- Have a family holiday Paint Nite! Spread out at the table with your paint and canvases and follow along using a free YouTube tutorial. Check on this one on how to make a Reindeer Painting!
- Go on a drive for a holiday scavenger hunt! See if you can find everything on the list - blue lights, an inflatable Santa, decorated mailbox, tree in the window, etc.! You can make your own or check out some ideas on Etsy or Pinterest.
- Build a gingerbread house!
- Work on those fine motor skills by cutting out paper snowflakes!
- Host a virtual Christmas trivia night! Have everyone show up in their tackiest Christmas sweaters and enjoy company safely through the screen.
- Decorate Christmas Cookies! Have a fun contest by posting the cookies on social media and having friends and family vote for their favorite design.
- Have a holiday music dance party! Ask Alexa or Google to play some holiday music and have some fun.
- Head downtown in Westminster to some of the cute main street shops to see if you can find the perfect ornament for this year.
- Socially distanced cookie swap! Bake cookies and be randomly assigned to drop the cookies on someone else’s doorstep! Everyone walks away with a sweet surprise treat.
- Go on a Candy Cane Hunt! Hide Candy Canes around your house and have the kids collect them. Play some holiday music to add to the cheer!
- Head to one of the branches of Frederick County Public Library and check out lots of holiday books to read together as a family!
- Play I-Spy with the Christmas Tree ornaments! Once you have decorated the tree, take turns guessing which ornament someone spies on each turn.
- Hold a sibling sleepover in the living room. Combine the sleepover with some of the other activities listed here!
- Zoom caroling! Pick some of your favorite holiday songs and call up some distant friends or relatives to bring some holiday music into their homes!
