Christmas in Columbus

I've been a Columbus native for 21 years now. That means I have had 21 holiday seasons to experience and discover the best activities for Christmas in Columbus. While this is by no means an exhaustive list of every Christmas activity in the city, below are my tried and true favorites.

Here is my mom, my cousin, and myself at the Wildlights. We have a
tradition where we wear crowns each year.

1. Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo. Each year at Christmas the entire zoo is adorned with millions of Christmas lights. It is really neat to stroll the zoo at night, as you can enjoy the splendor of the Christmas displays and see the animals at the same time (especially the nocturnal ones)! I recommend spacing out the indoor exhibits as a way to warm up and getting a tasty cider or hot chocolate for on the go. Don't forget the indoor carousel!
2. BalletMet's The Nutcracker. Each year, BalletMet performs The Nutcracker at the Ohio Theatre. The Nutcracker is a ballet that everyone can enjoy, as the performance is filled with awe inspiring sets, costumes, and tricks. It is truly a visual ballet, so it can be enjoyed just about everywhere in the theater if you want to save on tickets. 
3. Franklin Park Conservatory. The Conservatory during the holidays is beautiful, with gorgeous poinsettia displays, gingerbread houses, and a fairy tale train display. Most weekends have different choirs singing carols and other fun activities. 
4. Christmas shopping at Easton Town Center. While this isn't necessarily a holiday exclusive activity, Easton is really beautiful around the holidays. They have gorgeous Christmas lights and decor around the entire mall and sometimes there are performers in the various plazas. Warning: it will be crowded. But you have to brave the Christmas crowds at least once!
   

*Note: bonus points if you do any of these while wearing an ugly Christmas sweater. I just bought two new ones. Maybe a post on those later? I wish everyone a relaxing, yet fulfilling holiday season.