Thanksgiving & Christmas on the Plaza

WHEN: The day after Thanksgiving every year. See "more" for hours. WHAT: Christmas Lighting and Santa Claus Visits - Events on the Plaza. Every year, Santa Fe begins its Christmas anticipation the day after Thanksgiving. People gather to watch as a vintage fire truck parades Santa and Mrs. Claus around the Plaza, eventually stopping to greet everyone. The colorful lighting happens at dark.

Festivities start at 4:15 pm. often with Girl Scouts selling cookies and hot chocolate. The Holiday Market will be open from about 1pm-6pm. There is entertainment and music through the evening. A visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus is at 5:45 pm.  The farolito lighting and the main tree lighting ceremony is around 6:30 pm.

The traditional pick-up point for Santa and Mrs. Claus has always been The Shop – A Christmas Store just a few steps from the Plaza on East Palace Avenue. The Shop is a local and visitor favorite, stocked to the gills with EVERYTHING Christmas and all Holidays that you’d expect, and a ton more your imagination hasn’t thought of yet.

Once Santa is seated on his chair on the Plaza, kids line-up to give Santa their Christmas wish lists, and after dark, (6 p.m.) the brilliant display of Christmas decorations light up the Plaza.