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Writer's pictureErica
Dec 69 min read

December 2024 Save-the-Dates

Updated: Dec 11

Last updated 12.11.2024


Welcome, Pretend Winter!


Whew, chile--I am a few days late posting because I have still been in holiday mode AND it is crunch time at work, but better late than never as they say! December is a truly magical time of year in the Museum District. The weather is fabulous (to me anyway). Lots of people are out on the trails and hanging out at the playgrounds, but there are also lots of fun organized events to be enjoyed in the parks and at the museums. I am trying to soak in a lot of the fun while also reserving plenty of nights at home with our holiday lights and making old-fashioned ornaments for our trees. I added the recipes toward the end of this post for those who are interested.



December Family Highlights


If you are visiting Houston (or a local visiting the district) this month, here is a quick highlight of events in or very close to the walkable Museum District zones. (In my mind, this means they are a close walk or 5-minute drive away.) As always, double check the links before you head over. There is always a possibility for last-minute changes or errors on my part--especially as I am writing this late at night! I will update this list throughout the month as my schedule allows.


One of my faves:  Check out the "Seasons of Sharing" exhibit at the Children's Museum of Houston. It is my favorite time of year there, and holidays from various cultures are represented in celebration of our wonderfully diverse city. This beautiful exhibit is in the main hall all month. Also, check out their events calendar for special events. (I have listed some below, but there are too many to list them all.)


SAT., 12/21 TO SAT., 01/04: "Polar Palooza Snow Days" at the Children's Museum of Houston. Check the link for details for each specific date.



JANUARY SAVE THE DATE!

Posting this early since it is happening on Saturday, January 4th. In addition to their monthly Hands-On Houston event (January will feature an activity with natural dyes), the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft will also be hosting a FREE maternity and children's clothing swap. You must pre-register for the clothing swap by January 3rd.


MUSEUM FREE DAYS

These are a few hotspots for free museum visits that are ongoing throughout the year:

***There are many others that are also great for the whole family, but these are the big ones with kids.***


Thanksgiving Throwback

The Friday before Thanksgiving, the Glassell Junior School held their annual Holiday Exhibition. It was fantastic, as usual, and is definitely a perk of being registered during the Fall semesters. This is not your average art exhibition. There is a magic show, music, and SO MANY art-making activities in studios on both floors. This is not sponsored (nothing here is!), but if you are considering Glassell, we highly recommend it. We have gotten to know several of the teachers, and our friends and neighbors also have generally wonderful experiences with the classes.



We enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving with some of the grandparents at Davis St. Grille. Most of us had the turkey and dressing, and my husband had the duck. We also had oysters and coconut pumpkin soup. It all tasted great--especially the biscuits with pepper jelly and the bourbon chocolate pecan pie! The service was attentive, and they indulged my child's love of ice. If you are looking to try it (it is one of our favs for date night, there is a dedicated free parking lot that is easy to miss. Look on the side of the restaurant, and you will see a parking sign.


We ran into some of our sweet friends, Montshona and her family, while we were there which was a nice surprise. Check out her floral company, That Blooming Garden, for floral design parties, corporate team-building, and custom arrangements for your holiday table or event.



On Black Friday, we went to Zoo Lights with some of our dear friends and, similar to recent Novembers, the crowd was enough to be festive but much lighter than it will be in a few weeks which was nice. We even waited in a VERY short line to see Santa (look for him at "Santa's Workshop" on the Zoo Lights map).


Remember that you can bring your own food to the Houston Zoo, which is wonderful for the budget and if you don't want to spend too much time waiting in lines. We brought hot chocolates for all of the kids in our party (and also for me). I WILL say that I have had the spiked adult hot chocolate at Zoo Lights before, though, and it is worth the splurge if you like that kind of thing. The kids all LOVED Winter Wonderland, the Snowy Sing-Along Stage, and the Holiday Dance Party areas in the Children's Zoo. We all enjoyed the colorful Enchanted Forest.



Gift Ideas from the Museum District

Shopping might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Museum District, but upon close inspection there are a lot of places to pick up unique gifts for kids and adults. Here are a few ideas:


  • We love experience gifts in our family, so I have to mention that gift memberships to any of the district's amazing museums or to the local restaurants are great options for the holidays. With a Hermann Park membership, recipients will receive train tickets, paddle boat tickets, and more (depending on the level of membership).

  • Fiddle Sticks Toys at the Children's Museum of Houston: Small store packed with LOTS of well-curated toys and activity sets. My daughter has her heart set on a "gem/crystal-making set" from there this year. (She asked that Houston Zoo Santa for it.) They also sell gift cards to the shop, and the museum has gift memberships for purchase. The online toy shop is temporarily closed, but there are a lot of good deals if you stop in.

  • The Amazing Body Store: Everyone in our family loves stopping into this store to look around when we visit The Health Museum. They have so many quirky and educational gifts for children and adults. Check out some of their products online.

  • The HMNS Store: This huge shop has something for everyone--jewelry, gemstones, stuffies, books, toys, ornaments, and the list goes on and on. They even offer curbside pickup!

  • The MFA Shop: We also enjoy stopping into this shop featuring a well-curated collection of books, activities, and accessories for art lovers, young and old. There is special pickup parking if you order online, so you don't have to navigate the parking garage for pickup. Also, it is only going on for a few more days, but the Glassell School of Art is having an art sale.

  • The Culture Shoppe: This shop features visual art, jewelry, accessories, and books and is housed in the Houston Museum of African-American Culture, celebrating work from black and brown artists. You can view a few items online but there is much more in-person at the store. The museum also has special events with vendors throughout the year as well. We have enjoyed shopping at their events several times.

  • Asher: Off the Wall: This shop is housed in the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, and features one-of-a-kind treasures created by artists. I purchased a glass pumpkin created by Eric DePan, and I cannot wait to gift it soon. Check out their Holiday Pop-Up Sale happening now until Christmas Eve. While you are there, check out the new Designing Motherhood exhibit. I toured it recently with a friend and we both learned so much. If you have a baby or toddler, plan to reserve the ArtSit so that you can stroll them along as you view.



A View From Home



Here are two of my favorite cinnamon ornament recipes from two bloggers. We have made batches for the past few years now, and they hold up very well in our attic--even during the brutal Texas summers. You can see them on our kitchen tree (yes, I am one of those people with multiple trees).


Salt-Dough Ornament Recipe 1: https://domesticallyblissful.com/diy-cinnamon-salt-dough-ornaments/ (Loads of cinnamon...mmmm smells so good!)


Salt-Dough Ornament Recipe 2: https://aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com/gingerbread-salt-dough-ornaments/ (A blend of holiday spices)



Also, we have been making shortbread cookies. They are so easy and melt in your mouth, so I am sharing the recipe here, too. I didn't get any pictures after they were cooked because they didn't last very long in our house! But they are another option for kids to decorate cookies (even though I love them plain). We have been baking them for a couple of years now.


Shortbread Cookie Recipe--The Easy One!

UPDATED on 12.10.2024: So sorry, Y'all! added another one of the shortbread recipes that I have used previously, but THIS is the link to the one we use most--the easiest one. It is also the one we recently made again: https://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/the-best-easy-shortbread-recipe.html


This was the one I originally added which is good but which requires more chilling time: https://www.loveandlemons.com/shortbread-cookies-recipe/


That's all for now, but I will update this list if other events cross my feed! Feel free to share others that you know in the district in the comments.

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