However you feel about the holiday season, it is finally drawing to a close. After Christmas Day on Thursday, the shimmering lights and Christmas trees will be packed away as we all get back into the regular routine. (Most of them anyway, and is there anything sadder than Christmas lights still up in February?).
We still have New Year's eve to look forward to, but some of us just aren't ready to give up the holiday season just yet.
Fortunately, there are still plenty of holiday happenings that extend well beyond December 25, much to the chagrin of Scrooges everywhere. If you're not ready to let Christmas go, you can wring out the season's last few drops of holiday cheer by attending these six post-holiday holiday events. Once this week is (finally) over, though, it's back to our regularly scheduled programming of arts, theater and dance events.
12 Days of Christmas Dallas Arboretum Running daily until January 4 Free-$20
If you haven't made it to the Dallas Arboretum's 12 Days of Christmas, they'll be keeping those life-sized nutcrackers and other holiday decorations on display through January 4. Use this opportunity to retake those terrible Santa Claus photos that your kid screamed through, or just wander around and take in the top-notch Christmas decor and accompanying foliage.
The Trains At NorthPark Northpark Center Through January 4 Free-$7 The Trains at NorthPark are another time-honored Dallas tradition, one that is kept alive by the thousands of kids who fall in love with the classic trains every year. Even adults make the yearly pilgrimage to NorthPark to check out the train display, if only because it's so damn cool. The intricate cityscape displays are particularly impressive, featuring landmarks from New York City, Dallas and beyond. You have until January 4 to get your train fix until you're forced to wait until next year.
Texas Ballet Theatre Presents The Nutcracker Bass Performance Hall December 24-27 $20-125
Even if ballet isn't normally your thing, The Nutcracker is one of those performances that even dance troglodytes can appreciate. The Texas Ballet Theatre is a stunningly talented company, making this the perfect Christmas performance to attend if you've missed out on any of the other holiday-themed dance performances over the past few weeks.
Sparkle -- Christmas At the Hilton Anatole Hilton Anatole Through December 31 Free-$19.99
Sure, you could drive through neighborhoods and look at those stragglers who won't be taking their Christmas lights down until at least March, but Sparkle at the Anatole is a much better choice. Not only are there zillions of sparkling lights (OK, maybe just millions), and an indoor ice rink for grown-up fun, you can also take the kids to Santa's Workshop for a stern talking-to with the bearded guy if they didn't get exactly what was on their list.
Vitruvian Lights 2014 Vitruvian Park Through January 1 Free
If outdoor lights are more your thing, Addison's Vitruvian Park will be keeping their massive multi-color tree display up through New Year's Day. The array of LED light wrapped trees is gorgeous at night, much more so than those boring white lights that you see wrapped around trees in other Dallas parks. Take a drive through Vitruvian Park the day after Christmas, and we'll bet that you won't be slowed down by the long lines that were prevalent during the holiday season.
WaterTower Theatre Presents The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical Addison Conference Centre Runs Through January 4 $35-45
Our own theatre critic gave WaterTower Theatre's production of The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Music a favorable review, and it's a fun way to enjoy the simple joys of a white-trash Christmas. After a week of stuffy dinners and awkward confrontations with relatives over politics, this light-hearted comedy is the perfect way to end the holiday season without being overly serious.
