Well, it is nearly over; we are finally nearing the year’s end. The last 11 months have been rather unpopular with pretty much everyone, and with good reason. While we cannot quite ignore the fruits that 2020 has born us, when done right, we can still manage to close the year off a little brighter, with a little more optimism. How would we do this? Holiday cheer; below is a list of some local events brining the much-needed holiday spirit.

Greenfield Village Holiday Nights

Dec. 11 – 13^th, 15^th – 23^rd and 26^th – 28^th

Time: 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Visit website for details on pricing.

Greenfield Village, 20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn, MI 48124

https://www.thehenryford.org/current-events/calendar/holiday-nights-in-greenfield-village/

Take a promenade through a Greenfield Village alight with holiday decorations and saturated with ambrosial scents of fresh food and beverages, then pay a socially distant visit to Santa after taking a few rounds on the carousel. Greenfield Village’s Holiday Nights is a magical event for the family to attend, offering carolers, distanced activities, warm food and more – though please visit their website to review any event modification made in the name of public health and safety.

Holiday Lights on the Farm

Dec. 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21

5:00 – 10:00p.m.

MSU Tollgate Farm and Education Center

28115 Meadowbrook Road Novi, MI 48377

$10 per car registration fee

Come on by a drive-thru holiday experience with dazzling displays and optional cookies and coco for purchase; what is more, all proceeds support educational programming on the farm as well as the Access for All Education Fund. Visit their website for rules and regulations.

Big Bright Light Show

Downtown Rochester

Now – Jan. 3

5:00p.m. to 12:00a.m.

https://www.downtownrochestermi.com/the-big-bright-light-show 

If you are still in for some more light pollution, head on over to Downtown Rochester, where the entire block will be lit up with over a million lights every evening. Free to attend a mosey around to the general public.

Wayne County Light Fest

Merriman Hollow Park in Westland

7651 Merriman Road, Westland, MI

Now through Dec. 31

Wednesday – Sun

See website for specific hours

Tickets start at $5.00

waynecounty.com/departments/publicservices/parks/2020-wayne-county-lightfest.aspx

Drive on through Wayne County’s 4.5-mile unabashed holiday illumination, with lights, decorations and displays galore!! The slow but bright drive is good for those who are looking to get out of the house, but not too far.

Wild Lights

Detroit Zoo

8450 W. 10 mile Road, Royal Oak, MI 48067

From now until Jan. 3 

5:00 – 9:00 on select weeknights and Sundays

 5:00 to 10:30p.m. Friday and Sat

https://wildlights.detroitzoo.org/

Take a stroll through the Detroit Zoo as half of the entire place is aglow with animal themed lighting displays!! Children under 2 are admitted for free, and everyone aged 5 and up are required to wear masks.

Movie Magic Lakeside at Lakeside Mall

14000 Lakeside Cir, Sterling Heights, MI 48313

Dec. 11 – 13

See website for specific showtimes

Tickets are $25 per car per movie

If light shows are not to your tastes, then how about a drive-in movie? Luckily for you Movie Magic Lakeside has your back; They are showing some of the best holiday films of our age, including Elf, Christmas Vacation, Polar Express and more!

Celebrating the Jewish Holiday of Hanukkah

20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn, MI 48124‑5029

Now to Jan. 3, 2021

9:30a.m. – 5:00p.m.

thehenryford.org/current-events/calendar/celebrating-the-jewish-holiday-of-hanukkah/

Free for members and children under 4 | Non-member tickets start at $18.75

Visit the Henry Ford Museum and celebrate – while learning about – Hanukkah, AKA the Jewish Festival of Lights, by lighting the menorah, singing songs and discovering artifacts and stories that illustrate the centuries of tradition that upholds the Hebrew calendar.

Magic of Lights

33 Bob Seger Drive, Independence Charter Township

Nov. 13 – Jan. 2, 2021

Sunday – Thursday from 5:00 – 10:00p.m.

Friday – Saturday from 5:00 – 11:00p.m.

Visit website for pricing details.

Still hungering for more drive-thru holiday light displays? Head on over to DTE Energy Music Theatre to have your fill; with numerous depictions of classic holiday scenes digital animations and the latest LED technology, it is quite a sight to see.

Detroit Aglow

One Campus Martius

Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI, USA

Free | Donate at your own discretion

https://downtowndetroit.org/donate/

If you are spending all this time channeling your inner moth and staring at all these pretty lights, you might as well head to Campus Martius. Not only will you find a bunch of bright and shiny decorations, but you also can help support Downtown Detroit’s small businesses, help keep Downtown Detroit clean and safe by supporting Downtown Detroit BIZ Ambassadors and help fund other fun community-building events much like this one.

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker: Christmas Stream

Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. EST

Tickets start at $24.99

etix.com/ticket/p/5149531?utm_source=Detroit&utm_medium=Venue&utm_campaign=Fox

Usually, the Moscow Ballet would like to travel the globe for their performances, though for 2020 there had to be a change of plans; the entire Nutcracker performance will be held live over Zoom for all (who pay to attend) to see. For a premium, the audience will be taken backstage to have a meet and greet with a ballet dancer, an actual nutcracker shipped to their doors, among other perks. After its initial debut, the performance will be viewable on Marquee TV through Jan. 1, 2021.

Photo courtesy of Aaron Burden