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Local photographer Drazah’s close-up night shot of the Texas State Capitol would delight a history buff or devoted Austinite (Credit: Drazah Photography)
Scratching your head looking for that perfect gift? Searching for a memorable souvenir for out-of-town guests? Our guide to the city’s creative minds will help you find the Austin gifts you need to keep it local. [Read more…]
Credit: John Cabuena
The holiday season in Austin can be magical. The Zilker Tree. Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. Brightly decorated cedar trees along Route 360. Everything falls in place for a beautiful season, with one exception: cold weather.
Growing up back east, Christmastime was synonymous with freezing temperatures. Bundling up to go shopping, frost covered windows, parks and forests transformed into Norman Rockwell paintings by blankets of snow. In Austin, not so much. It’s tough to get into the holiday spirit while wearing sandals and shorts.
Luckily, there’s a number of ways to add a little “brrrr” to your holiday season in Austin. It may not be a winter wonderland, but a touch of Christmas cold can lead to extra warmth in your heart. Let’s get chilly! [Read more…]
Becky Simpson, the creative behind Chipper Things, encourages you to shop small with her signature flow chart
There’s nothing more exciting than finding the perfect gift for a loved one or close friend. Sometimes it jumps out and screams, “buy me!” Other times, you have to spend a little time searching.
Luckily, there are plenty of opportunities to shop. Mark your calendars because we’ve compiled a list of our favorite pop-ups, markets and bazaars around town this holiday season. These are the shopping events you won’t want to miss. [Read more…]
The Ferris wheel is a new favorite at Trail of Lights (Credit: Dear Wesleyann Photography)
Five years ago, Trail of Lights was privatized to take the monetary obligation away from taxpayers. The future of the holiday extravaganza seemed rocky at first, but now the event is arguably better than ever with a giant Ferris wheel, charitable events and Austin vendors helping to make the event memorable. [Read more…]
Friends, food and family. The three F’s of the holiday season. Amid the chaos, lights and Amazon wish lists, there’s one constant: the old-fashioned family get-together. A chance to reconnect with the ones you love.
But not everybody heads home for the holidays. For whatever reason, many of us will be hanging out in Austin for the holiday season. And Austin can become a ghost town over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
But don’t despair. Put on some real clothes, turn off Netflix and head out on the town. For those doing an Austin Christmas this year, here are eight events that’ll make your holiday full of memories and fun. [Read more…]
Credit: soultga via sxc.hu
I love the holidays in Austin. This is the time of year that locals bask in the mild weather, enjoying unparalleled nightlife minus the frostbite, while the rest of the country hunkers down and endures another snowy winter.
What better way to celebrate this amazing time of year than with some incredible, can-only-happen-here holiday events? These are my favorite picks for getting into the festive spirit this season. [Read more…]
Trail of Lights 2015 from the air (Credit: Jared Tennant)
My holiday season doesn’t get started until Trail of Lights begins. This year, Austin’s beloved event is back for its 51st year of sparkling holiday goodness.
It may be like this every year, but there seems to be an renewed energy surrounding this celebrated Austin tradition. The Trail of Lights Foundation has worked extremely hard to make the experience better than ever, while keeping the cost to Austinites down.
Trail of Lights is free for its first week, Dec. 8-15. After that, its only a $3 for ages 12+. This is a small price compared to how much it costs to keep over two million lights bright on a trail where Austinites and visitors will walk a combined million miles this season! [Read more…]
Credit: Charlie Aguirrie
When it comes to giving gifts, my favorite part is the hunt for the perfect one. This joyous obsession may very well lead me to bankruptcy some day. But let’s not go there, yet.
If you have a list of names and an unsettled feeling in your stomach–because all you hear is crickets when it comes to knowing what gifts to give–this Austin gift guide is for you!
We’ve compiled hyperlocal suggestions to make your holiday gift-giving experience as simple as possible. Unfortunately, we can’t do the actual shopping for you. You’ll have to brave the hoards yourself. But fortunately, this ultimate guide will only lead you to local Austin treasures. No big box shopping nightmares from us. [Read more…]
Wall of handcrafted art at Blue Genie Art Bazaar
Marchesa Hall hosts this sprawling bazaar
After the turkey has settled and the pumpkin spice lattes have transitioned to frothy peppermint mochas, grab your wallet and reusable tote bags because it’s holiday craft fair season until we land with a thud in 2016.
Austin hosts a range of fairs in November and December, but if you’re looking to score that neon dinosaur planter or Velvet Underground vinyl record wall clock at 9 p.m. on a Tuesday night, I recommend you make your way to North Austin for one of Austin’s longest-running craft shows, Blue Genie Art Bazaar. [Read more…]
Flying pig on a polar bear, glowing angel dolls and a snowman snow machine – Mr. Littlefield’s light display is full of eccentric cheer
Your decorations have been out for weeks. Family is in town and holiday stress may be running high, but fortunately there are still unique Christmas Eve activities and events in Austin that can complement mounting anticipation for tomorrow.
In fact, for those who only have Christmas Eve and Christmas day off work, today may present the perfect time to participate in holiday activities you haven’t had time for yet.
On Christmas Eve, Austin offers experiences not typically available any other time of year. You can re-learn how to ice skate, drive slowly past houses decked out with spectacular light shows and browse impressive local gift and art shows. [Read more…]