Christmas Events in New Jersey:
Best 2018 Holiday Events

Features Tree Lighting Celebrations, Parades,
Festivals, and more.

Discover the popular Christmas events and attractions in New Jersey, whether it's jingle bells, Christmas tree lighting, carol singing, or just reenactments of past New Jersey Christmas events.

The attractions during the Christmas season in NJ are always festive. Many of these events begin the day after Thanksgiving with the traditional start of the Christmas Holiday season.

Note: This information is provided by event sponsors as a free service to our viewers. Sometimes conditions require cancellations or changes of dates, times and location which are not reflected in the original schedule. Before planning a trip to visit one of the listed events, it is suggested that you call the event sponsor to confirm the event schedule or for additional information on the event.

Stay tuned --- we will be updating this list as the event sponsors confirm this year's events.

Northern New Jersey Christmas Events

Lambert Castle Holiday Boutique
November 3 through December 2, 2018; Open Wednesday through Friday from 10am to 8pm, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5pm,
Lambert Castle Museum
3 Valley Road
Paterson, NJ 07503
Website
Contact: Heather Garside, Phone: 973-247-0085, Email: info@lambertcastle.org
Cost: $6 -$7
The Passaic County Historical Society will be presenting the 31st annual Lambert Castle Holiday Boutique where visitors can enjoy shopping for this year’s assortment of festive holiday gifts, jewelry, seasonal decorations, crafts, collectibles and gourmet food in the historic atmosphere and ambiance of Lambert Castle.
All admission fees include two return visits. Children under 12 years are admitted free of charge. The café will return to the third floor serving a variety of soups, sandwiches, as well as hot and cold drinks. All proceeds from this fundraiser benefit the Passaic County Historical Society.

Feasting with Family & Friends - Christmas in the Ballantine House
November 14, 2018 thru January 6, 2019
Newark Museum
49 Washington Street
Newark, NJ
973.596.6690
Website
The Museum’s National Historic Landmark, the 1885 Ballantine House, offers visitors a taste of how Christmas was celebrated in late Victorian Newark, as English, German and Dutch holiday traditions merged into something not so very different from the way the holiday is celebrated in America today. This historically accurate installation offers the opportunity to step back in time to learn about 19th-century life and traditions. From the Christmas tree (a German tradition) to the wooden shoes by the hearth (a Dutch tradition) to the stockings on the chimney and plum pudding in the dining room (English traditions), visitors can get a sense of how Christmas evolved into a home-based secular holiday in the 19th century.

Holiday Lights Spectacular
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: November 16- 18, November 23-25, November 30- December 2 Every Night: December 7 – 31 Closed: December 24 & 25; 2018: 5pm to 9pm
Turtle Back Zoo
560 Northfield Ave
West Orange, NJ
Website
Free Admission:Celebrate the season of giving by bringing donations of non-perishable food items, new toys, and gently used coats.
About 50 animal and holiday-themed figures will light up the winter night in Turtle Back Zoo and the surrounding Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex. Over 100,000 lights will illuminate figures of bears, tigers and elephants, along with holiday lights designed to look like wooden soldiers, stars and winter scenes. Several animal exhibits will be open, including the Sea Lion Sound, Essex Farm, Tam-ring Gibbons Reserve, Tropical Currents Aquarium and the Reptile Building.

Skylands Christmas Light Show & Village
November 16 - December 30, 2018 (The Christmas Light Show & Village will be open rain, snow, or shine on select dates and time)
Skylands Stadium
94 Championship Place
Augusta, NJ 07822
(973) 383-7644
Website/Schedule
Tickets: Light Show: $20 per carload
Tickets can be purchased at the gate and box office only.
This awesome Christmas light show features more than 2 million dazzling lights on a mile-long drive-thru course. It's a must-see holiday attraction for your whole family. On your drive, tune in and listen to festive holiday music on WSUS 102.3 FM. After your drive, stop by the free Christmas Village at the Event Center. Santa will be on hand to take a photo, play games and indulge in hot beverages and snacks.

Swedish Christmas Fair
Sunday, November 18th, 2018; 10:00am – 16:00pm
Commonwealth Club
26 Northview Avenue
Upper Montclair, NJ
Website
This Swedish celebration features a great selection of food, crafts, and gifts. Swedish handicrafts like handmade Christmas decorations, linen, and wooden items and a variety of cheeses, herring and other Swedish delicacies as well as home baked goods (bread, cookies, and cakes) are available for you to buy. In the Swedish café, you can enjoy delicious Swedish open-faced sandwiches, waffles, coffee-bread, pastries, and a large variety of drinks. Glögg, a typical Swedish spiced holiday drink, is also being offered. There will also be raffles with wonderful prizes. You will also get the chance to enjoy the Lucia pageant and her choir singing and lightening up the holiday season, a beautiful and truly unique Swedish tradition Members dress up in traditional costume. SWEA is a global non-profit organization promoting Swedish language, culture, history and tradition.

Handcrafted Holidays at The Stickley Museum
Beginning November 23rd until December 8, 2018
Viewable on all tours! Tours run Thursday through Sunday at 12:15, 1:15, 2:15 and 3:15 p.m.
The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms
2352 Route 10 West
Morris Plains, NJ 07950
info@stickleymuseum.org
973-540-0311
Website
This event features the Log House festooned for the holidays in period style with a focus on Gustav Stickley's own ideas about the season. Using holiday greens, pinecones, and the home's forest palette, the decorations bring nature indoors and spotlight the Arts and Crafts movement's emphasis on finding beauty in simplicity and natural materials.
While at the Museum, also enjoy the Holiday Shop at Craftsman Farms, featuring an expanded line of lovely gifts, home decor, holiday decorations, candles, holiday candy, and more.

16th Annual Colonial Christmas - Jacobus Vanderveer House: Holiday Open House
Friday, November 23, 2018; @ 7 p.m.
Jacobus Vanderveer House
995 Route 202/206 South
Bedminster, NJ 07921
Website
The celebration begins with the Tree Lighting on Friday. Join us for caroling, hot chocolate and hot pretzels, and a visit from Santa as we light our red, white, and blue Liberty Tree and ring in the holiday season.

Dickens' Days
Friday, November 23, 2018 11:00 AM & Sunday, November 25, 2018 4:00 PM
Main St.
Clinton, NJ
908-730-8800
Website
This annual family event will transform Clinton into a Victorian Village. Attendees get to interact with Scrooge, Charles Dickens, and Father Christmas as they stroll through downtown Clinton entertaining shoppers. The town will be decorated for the holidays, with toy soldiers on the famous Clinton Bridge. Horse drawn carriage rides, in full Victorian costume, offer a glimpse into the past. There will be musical performances of all genres throughout the weekend. Santa's Workshop, an interactive experience for children, will be located on the terrace of the Hunterdon Art Museum. Santa will be at the workshop on Saturdays from noon – 3 pm.
On Friday, Nov 23 at 7 pm the annual Community Tree Lighting on Main Street will begin with caroling and a visit from Santa on our old time fire truck.

Jul Dans - Scandinavian Christmas Festival
Saturday, November 24, 2018
Viking Hall
Vasa Park
Budd Lake, NJ
Website
All night dancing around the Christmas tree with music provided by Jeanne Widman Anderson and Smorgasbandet. Fresh ham dinner, Swedish meatballs and other traditional Scandinavian specialties. Candle-lit ceremony and pageant of Sankta Lucia. A visit from Santa. Cocktail hour begins at 5:00 p.m. with Jul Glogg and cash bar.

Winter Walk Snowflake Stroll
Saturday, November 24, 2018; 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Taylor Park
78 Main St,
Millburn, New Jersey
Website
973-564-7000
A winter parade to kick off the Park Lighting
Featuring the Paper Mill Playhouse Show Choir, SoulFege acapella, holiday character appearances, and more!

13th Annual Hackettstown Hometown Holiday
Friday, November 30, 2018; 5:00-9:00pm
Moore St.
Hackettstown, NJ
908-850-5004
Website
The Annual family event features the lihghting of the Centenary tree and the Seay Building with carriage rides through the historic streets of town; lively musical entertainment along Main Street corners; late-night shopping; and delicious food in the Holiday Bazaar Tent on Moore Street. Santa parades along Main Street to the gazebo and lights the Christmas tree.

17th Annual Lake Mohawk German Christmas Market
December 1, 2, 2018; 10am - 5pm
Two locations: Lake Mohawk Country Club & the Sparta Train Station
Lake Mohawk
Sparta, New Jersey 07871
Website
Contact: (973) 600-0641
Marge Schlomann, Email: majamarge@yahoo.com
Event Cost: Free / $1 donation appreciated
It's easy to see why the Lake Mohawk German Christmas Market in Sparta, NJ continues to be a popular Christmas event. While you personalize your holiday shopping, tantalizing smells will dance among the vendors set along the picturesque lakefront, as traditional food and drinks among the festive chorus's of local school choirs and entertainers.The authentic wooden huts have simply enhanced the enchanting festive atmosphere. In the 17 years since its humble beginning of raising funds for local charities and organizations, it is now truly recognized as New Jersey's largest Christmas Market. The Market has a special visitor St. Nicholas, himself, and features a pony ride and petting zoo. Three Park & Ride locations are provided allowing for a stress free visit one being for handicapped.

Newark Annual Tree Holiday Lighting Celebration
Saturday, December 1, 2018; from 4 pm-8 pm (Tree lighting @ 6pm) Rain or shine
Prudential Center's Championship Plaza
232 Market Street
Newark, NJ
Website
(street and lot parking options are available)
(973) 622-2002
his year's celebration will feature music, free pictures with Santa including a special holiday gift, a bouncy house, a synthetic ice skating rink, a trackless train, numerous carnival games, children's characters and Victorian carolers. This is a free family-friendly event open to the public. Lighting and concert begin at 6:00 pm

Festival of Trees
December 1 - 8, 2018
The Barn at Highlands Ridge Park (The building is handicapped-accessible)
100 North Road
Chester, NJ.
Website
908-879-2202
Hours of operation are: Saturdays 10 – 5, Sunday Noon - 5, Monday & Wednesday 10 – 6, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 10 – 8.
The Festival of Trees is a community celebration featuring a spectacular display of holiday trees in a winter-wonderland setting. The trees are individually decorated by families, businesses, and civic organizations and enjoyed by hundreds of people. The majority of the trees are offered for silent auction during the week-long event. Local musical talents entertain Festival attendees while touring the spectacle. Proceeds from the Festival support the activities and programs of the Senior Resource Center.

20th Annual Holiday Festival (Friends of Lord Stirling Stable)
Saturday and Sunday, December 1 & 2, 2018; from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M
The Somerset County Park Commission Lord Stirling Stable
256 South Maple Avenue
Basking Ridge, NJ.
908 766-5955
Website
Children will enjoy hayrides through the woods to see Santa at his house (weather permitting). Santa's Workshop will be open for games, craft projects, food, and more. Pony rides will be available at various times throughout the Festival. Adults will enjoy exploring the offerings at the annual Silent Auction, which benefits the Lord Stirling School Horse Retirement Fund, another FLSS initiative. Themed gift baskets, specialty items, and gift certificates for local businesses will vie for bidders' attention. The FLSS gift shop will offer unique items for purchase. The riding apparel sale is also very popular. In conjunction with the festivities, guests are invited to enjoy the Winter Holiday Horse Shows that provide Lord Stirling students the opportunity to showcase the horsemanship skills they have learned in class. Horse shows begin at 9:00AM each day. The Junior Drill Team performs on Sunday and the Adult Drill Team is featured on Saturday, both during the lunch break. Spectators may enjoy the shows from the climate controlled viewing area. Admission and parking are free.

Santa at Van Vleck
Saturday, December 1, & Sunday, December 2, 2018
Van Vleck House & Gardens
21 Van Vleck St.
Montclair, NJ
Website
973-744-4752
Come take a fun family selfie with Santa or have our photographer take that perfect holiday shot. This might be the perfect photo for your annual holiday card. There will be arts & crafts along with writing that special letter to the man in red! Advance ticket purchase required.