Updated November 19th, 2023

This post might contain affiliate links. That means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, if you buy through my site. I appreciate your support of my site.

New York City is one of my favorite places to be at Christmastime. There is so much to see and do in NYC in December. It can get quite chilly and crowded though. 

Christmastime in Atlanta, Georgia is one of the best times of year to visit ‘Hotlanta’. Atlanta in December is full of Christmas cheer, but won’t leave you shivering and packed in like sardines. 

There are so many things to do in Atlanta in December. The following Christmas activities in Atlanta are sure to put you in the holiday spirit. For more winter festivals and events in Atlanta check out my full guide on Atlanta festivals. 

If you are looking for more on Atlanta festivals check out my guides to:

• All of Atlanta’s Festivals
• Fall Festivals
• Spring Festivals

Magical Christmas Activities in Atlanta

Atlanta Christkindl Market: November 17th – 19th and November 24th – December 24th

One of the best Christmas activities in Atlanta is visiting the Christkindl Market in Buckhead Village. Without buying a plane ticket you can get a taste of Europe at Christmastime. While the outdoor market is small, it does feel like an authentic German market with the traditional wooden stalls. 

You’ll enjoy typical foods that you would find at the markets in Germany such as chimney cakes, sausages, crepes, potato pancakes with applesauce, and gingerbread. I enjoyed a parmesan garlic brat from Woodstock Pretzels and nutella & strawberry crepe from a crepe booth. 

There were several other food options that I was debating between. I have to admit I did numerous laps around weighing my options. Tower Treats offered me a sample and I still regret not going back to buy one of their ½ pound peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. 

In addition to the food vendors there are several gift and craft booths. There are a few places to eat standing and sitting down. It wasn’t very busy at all during the week, but I would expect evenings and weekends to be busier. 

There are clean port-a-potties and hand washing stations.  

Atlantic Station Christmas Activities: November – January

Atlantic Station is a great place to go if you are looking for Christmas things to do in Atlanta. In addition to the year round restaurants and stores, Atlantic Station has a full calendar of special holiday activities and events.

Creator’s Market: November & December

On Saturday and Sundays shop for holiday gifts from local artists. The booths around the Atlantic Green vary each weekend.  

Skate the Station: November 17th – January 15th

Go ice skating at the largest rink in metro Atlanta. Check the schedule for various themed skate nights. 

Light the Station: November 18th

If you have driven on I-85 past Atlantic Station in December you have probably noticed the giant Christmas tree. Witness the lighting of the 50ft tree this year on November 18th. 

The evening celebration includes a winter wonderland parade, holiday activities, and live performances. Tiny Doors ATL studio also has their open studio day on the 18th! 

Grand Menorah Lighting: December 13th

You can also celebrate Chanukah at Atlantic Station with a menorah lighting and special event on the Atlantic Green on the 13th. Free RSVPs are requested online.

Celebration at the Station: November 20th – December 25th

Every night from 5 – 9pm on the hour there is a music and light show around the tree in the Atlantic Green. The free show features a holiday video alongside a dancing light performance on the tree. 

Holiday Spirit at Oakland Cemetery: December 2nd and 3rd

Visiting a cemetery may not seem like one of the most festive Christmas activities in Atlanta, but Oakland Cemetery is one of the nicest places to walk in Atlanta.The huge cemetery was created in 1850 and was the first public park in Atlanta. The landscaping that was started in the early years continues to be tended to today. Along with all the walking paths, Oakland Cemetery has numerous events throughout the year.

A great time to visit is during the Holiday Spirit event in December. Many of the mausoleums are decorated for the holidays and you can even take a tour of these “eternal homes”. The tour is very interesting and covers both the decorations on each eternal home as well as the permanent residents within. Plus you will learn general information and history about the cemetery. Advanced tickets are needed for the tour. 

There’s also holiday music, a wreath sale, a holiday gift market and pop up shop, a family craft area, and photos with Santa. Hot drinks and snacks are available for purchase. 

Harvest Hunt at Oakland Cemetery: November 1st – 30th (and December)

The Harvest Hunt is another activity at Oakland Cemetery. Previously it was a December Holiday Hunt, but it has now been moved to an autumn activity in November. While the hunt isn’t really related to the holidays, it still can be one of the many fun things to do in Atlanta in December with friends or family. The official dates are for November, but as long as you purchase the hunt by the end of November the download link is valid for 30 days. 

Our group of four took about an hour and 15 minutes at a leisurely pace. Most answers we found fairly quickly, but we did get two answers wrong.

Decatur Tree Lighting: December  7th and 8th

Every year in Decatur you’ll get two tree lightings for the price of one. As the tree lighting festivities are free it is a very good deal! Decatur is a small city east of Atlanta that feels more like one of Atlanta’s many great neighborhoods. 

In the past both tree lightings took place on the same night, one right after another. Now the tree lightings happen on different nights. This year the first tree lighting is in Decatur Square right outside of the MARTA transit station on December 7th. The second tree lighting on December 8th, is on the lawn of the First Christian Church of Decatur. 

The festivities start at 6pm with holiday music, free hot chocolate, and free cookies. Right before 7pm everyone counts down from 10 and Santa does the honors of flipping the switch and turning on the lights. There even is some “snow” which is quite amusing for a Midwesterner like me, but I’m sure there are children who have never seen snow before! 

Virginia Highland Tour of Lights Block Party: December 8th

Every December you can take an outdoor self-guided tour of the beautiful homes of the Virginia Highland neighborhood. It is another one of Atlanta’s many walkable neighborhoods all year-round, but at Christmas time it is extra special. A handful of homes go all out in their decorating for the Tour of Lights.

With an official ticket purchase you receive a ticket to the block party with live music, food, and refreshments around the best lit houses. Without a ticket you can still wander around the neighborhood another time to search for decorated homes on your own. 

Virginia Highland Winterfest: December 9th

Along with the holiday Tour of Lights, Virginia Highland celebrates the holiday season with their daytime Winterfest. Winterfest starts out with the Jingle Jog, a casual untimed race. Make sure to wear your holiday attire and don’t forget your bells! Following that the Holiday parade takes place with a variety of floats from local residents and businesses. 

The afternoon is filled with kids activities, food vendors, live music, and a holiday artist market. This year young entrepreneurs will also be selling their goods and crafts. It is a great opportunity to support local artists of all ages and start looking for Christmas gifts. 

For the reluctant shoppers and football enthusiasts there is sometimes a big screen showing a football game. 

Winterfest is close to a lot of local businesses for brunch or dinner. Murphy’s is nearby and one of my favorite Atlanta brunch places. 

There are a few port-a-potties at the festival. 

Atlanta Christmas Shows: November – December

One of the best Atlanta Christmas activities is attending a holiday performance. There are a variety of dance, music, and theater events.

OnStage Atlanta: November 24th – December 16th

A couple of years ago I attended “A Tuna Christmas” at OnStage Atlanta. I was a little skeptical of the show at first as there were only two men in it and they were just sitting at a table with a few props. I really didn’t know what they would do for the 2 hour run time. 

That was soon a forgotten worry. The two actors completely drew me to the town of Tuna, Texas before Christmas. Between the two actors they played all the roles in the show. It was so funny to see them play spunky teenagers and crazy old ladies. They did an excellent job. 

This year the theater is putting on two shows, Christmas Belles and A Christmas Carol. I’m sure they will both be just as impressive.

The theater itself immediately gets you in the Christmas spirit as you walk in the door. Christmas trees fill the lobby and rooms outside of the theaters. There are at least 20 decorated Christmas trees alongside wreaths and other holiday decor. I loved all the themed trees sparkling in the dimly lit rooms. 

More Holiday Performances in Atlanta

There are so many holiday shows happening this time of year. All of the following Atlanta holiday shows take place within the city. 

• Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer at Center for Puppetry Arts: 11/8/23 – 12/31/23
• Knock, Knock at the Alliance Theater: 11/10/23 – 12/23/23
• A Christmas Carol at Alliance Theater: 11/11/23 – 12/24/23
• Home Alone Live in Concert by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: 11/25/23 & 11/26/23
• A Christmas Carol at the Shakespeare Tavern: 11/30/23 – 12/23/23
• Madeline’s Christmas at Horizon Theatre: 12/2/23 – 12/31/23
• Twas the Night Before Christmas by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: 12/3/23
• Hip Hop Nutcracker at the Fox Theatre: 12/3/23
• The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: 12/4/23
• Urban Nutcracker at Morehouse College: 12/8/23 – 12/10/23
• Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker at the Cobb Energy Center: 12/8/23 – 12/26/23
• Y’allmark Christmas at Horizon Theatre: 12/8/23 – 12/30/23
• Christmas with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: 12/9/23 – 12/10/23
• Il Divo a New Day Holiday Tour at the Fox Theatre: 12/12/23
• A Charlie Brown Christmas at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: 12/14/23
• Handel’s Messiah with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: 12/14/23 – 12/15/23
• Nutcracker! Magic Christmas Ballet at the Fox Theatre: 12/15/23 – 12/16/23
• The Holiday Live in Concert by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: 12/16/23 – 12/17/23
• Celtic Woman: Christmas Symphony Tour 2023 with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: 12/21/23 – 12/22/23
• Sounds of the Season with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: 12/23/23

Other Christmas Activities in Atlanta

As much as I enjoy the Christmas activities in Atlanta, I haven’t been able to check out all the events yet. Here are some more holiday activities in Atlanta to add to your list! Almost all of the events take place directly in Atlanta. 

• Stone Mountain Christmas at Stone Mountain Park: 11/11/23 – 1/2/24
• Illuminights at Zoo Atlanta: 11/16/23 – 1/14/24
• Tree Lighting and Activities at Atlanta History Center: 11/17/23
• Georgia Festival of Trees at Georgia World Congress Center: 11/18/23 – 11/26/23
• Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Over Georgia: 11/18/23 – 1/3/24
• Garden Lights, Holiday Lights at Atlanta Botanical Gardens: 11/18/23 – 1/14/24
• ATL Holiday Lights at Lakewood Amphitheater (Drive through lights experience): 11/24/23 – 12/30/23
• Skate the Sky at Ponce City Market: 11/24/23 – 12/31/23
• Tree Lighting at the Battery: 11/25/23
• Piedmont Holiday Gift Market: 11/25/23 & 11/26/23
• Home for the Holiday Tours at Wren’s Nest: 11/25/23, 12/2/23, 12/9/23, 12/16/23
• Misfit Maker Workshops at Ponce City Market: 11/27/23, 12/4/23, 12/5/23, 12/11/23, 12/12/23, 12/18/23, 12/19/23
• The Lighting at Colony Square (Tree lighting and holiday events): 12/1/23
• Snow Days with Sockefeller Plaza (sock skating) at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta: 12/1/23 – 12/30/23
• Saturdays with Santa at Ponce City Market: 12/2/23, 12/9/23, 12/16/23
• Ornament Workshop and Candlelight Tour at The Wren’s Nest: 12/8/23
• Festival of Lights at Ponce City Market: 12/14/23
• Kwanza Celebration at Ponce City Market: 12/26/23

Let me know your favorite Christmas activities in Atlanta in the comments below!

More Atlanta Posts

ACTIVITIES:

• 3 Day Itinerary
• Date Ideas
• Explore the Best Neighborhoods
• When to Visit
• Why Visit

ART:

• Murals by Neighborhood
• Tiny Doors

DAY TRIPS:

• North Georgia

FESTIVALS:

• Fall Festivals
• Festivals by Season
• Spring Festivals

FOOD:

• BBQ
• BeltLine Restaurants
• Breakfast Restaurants
• Brunch Places
• Burger Places
• Casual Restaurants
• Chicken & Waffles
• Donuts
• Food Halls and Mixed-Use Developments
• Healthy Restaurants
• Mystery Picnics

OUTDOORS: 

• Chattahoochee River Trails
• Hiking Near Atlanta
• Places to Walk
• Walkable Neighborhoods

---

Pin IT!!