Every holiday season the City of Richardson transforms the lawn next to the city hall into a virtual winter wonderland, complete with extravagant lighting displays and miniature gingerbread-style houses offering a variety of fun-filled activities for kids to participate in. To top it off, there's also a miniature train, Santa photo ops and nightly live performances by local choirs, singers, musicians and dance groups. It's the perfect place to make the holiday season even more magical for your little ones, plus you can't beat the price (everything is free). The only drawback is that it's extremely popular, so expect to find crowds. The fun begins December 2 and runs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights through December 17.

There's nothing more quintessentially Christmas than A Christmas Carol, the beloved holiday classic about a cantankerous loner who discovers the meaning of Christmas with the help of three mysterious apparitions. And no place puts on a more delightful performance of it than the Dallas Theater Center, which has been doing it now for over three decades. But if you thought this was just another bah humbug production of the same fable, then fear not, this one takes the Dickens' tale to another level with spectacular special effects, songs, laughter and a talented cast of actors. Speaking of actors, expect to find Brad Leland (from the NBC show, Friday Night Lights) starring in the role as Ebenezer Scrooge. Tickets start at $18 and the show runs from November 22 through December 28, 2017 at the Wyly Theatre. Note that the production is best suitable for children elementary school age and up.

We can't think of a more surefire way to get in a festive mood than by seeing holiday lights while indulging in hot cocoa and premium chocolates. Between November 24 and December 30, Dallas by Chocolate offers a Christmas Lights, Chocolate and Sips tour package that kicks off with a visit to a variety of top local desert venues before continuing on to view some seriously decked out 'hoods. The tours last from three to four hours and include transportation via private bus, dessert samples, beverages and a tour guide. Other holiday light tours on offer include a pizza and chocolate experience as well as a taco and margarita tasting. The tours are held every evening except Christmas Eve and Christmas and start at $43.

You need to pick up some last-minute gifts, but your kiddos want to be entertained too, so what better place to get it all in than at a shopping center, right? And as far as shopping centers go, NorthPark has got to be one of the most festive ones during the holidays. Expect to find opulent decorations along with a sleigh-full of events which include everything from free marionette shows, live musical performances and an elaborate model train exhibit to a Santa meet and greet. The holiday fun begins on Black Friday with a reindeer festival at 10:30 a.m. in the Centerpark Garden and continues until Christmas Eve.

Your fast track to getting in the holiday spirit begins with the ultimate Santa meet and greet experience. Kicking off the Friday after Thanksgiving, the Anatole puts on its epic Breakfast with Santa series, complete with a decadent brunch, Santa story time and of course, a visit with the jolly old fellow himself. And newly added this year is Peppermint Park, an outdoor interactive family holiday adventure that features live entertainment, light displays, miniature train rides, crafts, cookie decorating, dance parties, games and more. As if that's not enough action-packed holiday fun, Geppetto's Marionette Theater (located on the hotel property) is also putting on a special "Winter Wonderland" show that runs every weekend from November 25 through December 30. Better still, the hotel is offering family holiday getaway packages starting at $209 per night. But you don't need to be a hotel guest to get in on the fun, the activities are open to the public. Just be sure to check the website for more information on pricing and availability.

Millions of twinkling lights, thrilling rides, live performances, plus visits with Santa are what you'll find at Six Flags amusement park's massive tribute to festive fun. This year's Holiday in the Park features everything from a spectacular lineup of seasonal shows to a Christmas train ride and a racing hill made of snow. Along with the tallest steel hybrid roller coaster in the world and an assortment of rides to keep thrill seekers of all ages happy, expect to find reindeer dance parties, choreographed light shows, Christmas crafts, holiday karaoke and s'more cookouts around a real campfire. The festivities go on select days during the week and every weekend between November 17 and January 7.

If you want to see as many lights as possible, this twinkling drive-through wonderland in the Dallas suburb of Grand Prairie never disappoints. Every year, folks pile in by the carload ($35 per car during the week and $45 on weekends) to cruise through four million lights and hundreds of custom displays set along 2 miles of path. The park also features a holiday village where you can hang with Santa; refuel with hot chocolate and snacks; enjoy an indoor laser show and trek through a lighted walk-through forest. And as if that weren't enough, the place boasts the world's largest animated light tunnel at the end of the drive. The park is open nightly (6 – 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 6 – 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday) from Thanksgiving night until December 31.

This Christmas season, Arlington's Globe Life Park is going to be even more festive as the annual Texas Christkindl Market joins up with Enchant, a Texas-sized holiday extravaganza featuring local vendors and artisans as well as everything from nightly entertainment and seasonal eats to ice skating and more than 2 acres of lighted displays. Oh, and speaking of light displays, did we mention that Enchant is home to the world's largest light maze? The festivities open for the 2017 Christmas period on November 24 and run through December 31. General admission tickets start at $29.95 for adults and $21.95 for children (ages 5-14), seniors and the military. Check the website for additional pricing options.

When it comes to getting folks into the ho-ho-holiday spirit, few places do it better than the Dallas suburb of Grapevine (AKA: the Christmas Capital of Texas). Beginning Thanksgiving weekend, the downtown area will transform into a magical dreamland filled with huge decorations and millions of twinkling lights. Expect to find over 1,400 daily events and activities, ranging from live street performances and tractor-drawn wagon rides to choreographed light shows, strolling carolers and parades. Additional holiday fun can be had with a ride on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad or a stroll through 14,000-square-feet of hand carved ice sculptures at ICE!– an annual event put on by the Gaylord Texan Hotel. The Gaylord's other holiday happenings include snow tubing, gingerbread decorating, ice skating and more. And in case that's not enough excitement: Historic Downtown Grapevine has more than 80 locally-owned shops, boutiques and wine tasting rooms to boot. Be sure to check the website to get the full schedule of all the events going on in town.

Though anytime of the year is magical at the Dallas Arboretum, this stunning 66-acre acre oasis becomes even more enchanting during the holidays when it undergoes a magnificent seasonal makeover. Along with over 500,000 lights illuminating the gardens, the Arboretum is bringing back its ever popular 12 Days of Christmas, an outdoor exhibit featuring twelve illuminated Victorian gazebos filled with elaborate scenes and whimsical characters. Meanwhile, the historic DeGolyer House will be decking the halls with more than 800 nutcracker figures, all part of this year's new exhibit, the "Nutcracker Suite." Also expect to find Santa sightings, musical performances, live reindeer, a holiday market and an assortment of activities geared for the entire family. Holiday events run from November 4 through January 8, and general admission ranges from $10 for children ages 3-12 to $15 for adults. Additional discounts are available on the venue's website.