Allen Lights Two Christmas Trees, Two Weeks Apart. Here's the Season in Between
October 29, 2026
October 29, 2026
"We understand that some children may need a quieter experience with Santa." That line is from Watters Creek Village's listing for Santa Cares. Santa Cares runs on Sunday mornings in December, by reservation only, in 10-minute appointments with the lights dimmed and the music turned down.
The two tree lightings on Nov. 21 and Dec. 5 are the big nights, with fireworks at Watters Creek and a drone show downtown. Most of the season, which runs through Dec. 24, goes to small events on fixed weeknights or weekend mornings, each one for a particular group: families with pets, children who need a calmer setting, people who want an art stop on a Tuesday night. Anyone who walks in at either lighting can enjoy it. The smaller slots fill up, and several of them need a reservation.
Watters Creek Village's Light the Night is Saturday, Nov. 21, from 4 to 8 p.m., with free admission, according to Community Impact's November roundup. According to Visit Allen's event listing, the evening includes caroling, hot cocoa, wagon rides and children's activities. A tree-lighting concert starts at 6 p.m., and the tree lighting and fireworks follow at 6:30 p.m.
Santa arrives at Watters Creek the same day and stays through Dec. 24. The Santa visit page has a booking link, but hours, location and pricing aren't posted yet. Check the page before you go rather than planning around a guess.
If you want dinner nearby that night, Local Profile reported that The Melting Pot opened its first Allen location at 935 Watters Creek Blvd. N., with a ribbon-cutting on Aug. 19. It serves fondue and plans to offer weekend lunch. This is its first holiday season at Watters Creek, so expect Light the Night to be one of its busiest evenings.
The four days after Light the Night are the quietest stretch of the season at Watters Creek. Then Thanksgiving week shifts the action east to Credit Union of Texas Event Center, which hosts Disney On Ice presents Magic in the Stars from Nov. 25 through Nov. 29, with several showtimes. The venue's event page promises skating, acrobatics, special effects and Disney characters.
The run starts the day before Thanksgiving and ends the Sunday after, so it covers the long weekend when visiting family are most likely in town. If grandparents are coming from out of state, this is the indoor event on the calendar that week.
On Dec. 1, Watters Creek switches from one-time events to weekly ones. Each weekly program sticks to its own day for the whole month:
| Day | Program | Listed dates | What's posted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday mornings | Santa Cares, 911 Garden Park Drive | Dec. 6, 13, 20, 27 | Reservation-only, 10-minute visits, dimmed lights, lower music |
| Monday evenings | Santa Paws | Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28 | Holiday photos with your pet; reservation details to come |
| Tuesdays | Kringle's Corner, Blue House Too Art Space & Gallery | Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 | Listed weekly; no description posted yet |
Santa Cares and Santa Paws each meet four times. Santa Cares appointments are 10 minutes long, and the Santa Cares page still says to "check back here for details about reservations." The Santa Paws page also asks visitors to check back for reservation updates. With only a few sessions, both are likely to book up soon after reservations open. If either one fits your household, bookmark the page in early November.
Kringle's Corner meets five times, the most of any weekly program, and it's held at Blue House Too Art Space & Gallery. The event page doesn't yet say what happens there.
Two one-time events fall inside the weekly schedule:
Two days after the wine walk, the season's second tree lighting moves to downtown Allen. The City's Holly Jolly Celebration, presented by Credit Union of Texas, is Saturday, Dec. 5, from 4 to 8 p.m. at 100 East Main Street, starting at Allen Drive and Main Street. Admission is free for all ages. The City of Allen's event page lists the City of Allen Christmas tree lighting, a drone show and light displays, a holiday market, food trucks, festive drinks and photo ops.
Watters Creek spreads its season from Nov. 21 to Dec. 24. Holly Jolly packs everything into one four-hour evening, so timing matters more. The City's posted schedule:
The City hasn't posted parking or road-closure details. Shuttles start an hour before the event, which suggests the City expects more people than downtown parking can handle. Race registration starts at $20 through the Holly Jolly 5K and Fun Run page. Runners in the timed 5K start at 4:35 p.m., so they'll finish before the 6 p.m. lighting.
Plan around one more event that weekend. Credit Union of Texas Event Center has Allen Americans home games on Dec. 3, 4 and 5, and the Dec. 5 game is billed as Star Wars Night. If you're going to both Holly Jolly and the game on Saturday, allow time to get from downtown to the arena.
The last city-run event before Christmas is Sweaters, Santa, & Skating at Allen Community Ice Rink, 200 E. Stacy Rd. #1350, on Saturday, Dec. 19, from 1 to 4 p.m. The City's calendar listing calls it an annual holiday skate, with holiday sweaters encouraged, games, prizes and a visit from Santa and his elves.
Admission is $7 for everyone. Skate rental is $3, or free if you bring a non-perishable food item to donate. For a family of four renting skates, a few cans of soup cut the total from $40 to $28.
Late fall also brought a new place to eat. Community Impact reported that Yearby's Barbecue and Waterice held a limited-menu soft opening Oct. 24 and 25 at 405 Central Expressway S. It serves halal barbecue, including brisket, lamb ribs and turkey breast. It's on Central Expressway, so it's an easy option after the Dec. 19 skate.
If you live near the Village Green at Watters Creek or Main Street downtown and want to know how that location affects what your home is worth, Mark Bradford Group can show you the numbers for your street. Request a Free Home Valuation, and enjoy both tree lightings this year.
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