13 Ways to Get Into the Holiday Spirit in L.A.

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Time: Varies

Date: Nov. 1 - Jan. 19

Location: 5th St. and Arizona Ave. 

Price: $15 w/ rental

ICE at Santa Monica is one of the most well-known ice-skating spots in the L.A. area, but you have several other options around the city. If you want to experience the paradoxical sensation of ice-skating outside in 70-degree weather you can also head Downtown to Pershing Square or L.A. Live, or to Burbank's own rink. 

Time: 9 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Date: Nov. 13 - Jan. 6

Location: Disneyland

Price: $96 (one-day pass)

It's hard to compete with that Disney money. The house kingdom that Mickey built features some of the best lighting displays you'll ever see. That's not the only reason to live out your childhood dreams during the Holiday season, though. Many of the attractions, including the Haunted Mansion and the daily parade, transform to somehow become even more festive. It's like the happiest place on Earth was slipped a shot of dopamine. 

Time: Varies

Date: Nov. 21 - Jan. 11

Location: 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach

Price: $35

The Queen Mary's Chill is practically a Christmas miracle. Long Beach will become home to a 13,000-square foot igloo made of 2 million pounds of ice,  and a two-story, 100-foot long hill for tubing. We were already impressed when we found out SoCal could be a habitable place for outdoor skating rinks. This makes us think there's more magic involved than science. 

Time: N/A

Date: Nov. 22 - Jan. 4

Location: Knott's Berry Farm

Price: $42 - $65

When Knott's Berry Farm becomes Knott's Merry Farm it features one of the rarest substances known to Southern California: snow. Each night Ghost Town’s Main Street is covered with (fake) snow. This year the theme park will also debut a new ice-skating show called "Merry Christmas, Snoopy!"

Time: 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Date: Nov. 28 - Jan. 24

Location: Los Angeles Zoo

Price: $8 - $13

L.A.'s zoo lights puts other cities' to shame. The lighting director behind the spectacle is John McGuire, the same guy responsible for the Yeezus and Watch the Throne tours. 

Time: Varies

Date: Dec. 6; Dec. 13

Location: Marina del Rey, Naples, and Venice

Price: Free

You've got plenty of options here. On Dec. 13 there are two boat parades at the same damn time. You'll have to choose between the one in Naples or its rival in Marina del Rey. We recommend the latter because it has a fireworks show and a history of high-profile Grand Marshalls. Last year Jeanie Buss and Phil Jackson had the honors. 

Regardless of which one you chose, you should also hit Venice's boat parade the week before. The neighborhood's canals are always beautiful, but they become even more of a display when literal and Christmas-themed floats pass through. 

Time: 6 p.m.

Date: Dec. 13

Location: Altadena Public Library

Price: Free

Going into its 94th year, Christmas Tree Lane is said to be the "oldest large-scale Christmas lighting spectacle in the United States." It's a hard claim to verify, but in 1990 federal government still viewed the location as important enough to include in the National Register of Historic Places. 

Unsurprisingly, the Christmas Tree Lane Association takes its work very seriously. This year preparations for the lighting ceremony began Sept. 13. 

Time: 5 p.m.

Date: Dec. 13 & 14

Location: The Forum

Price: $75 - $150

Every year KROQ's "Almost Acoustic Christmas" brings together some of the best rock bands in the world, and 2014, the 25th iteration of the annual concert, is no different. Just look at that lineup above. It's so stacked we can get over U2's inclusion. 

Time: 5:30 p.m.

Date: Dec. 16 - 24

Location: Olvera Street

Price: Free

Olvera Street always provides a taste of "Old Los Angeles," and every December it celebrates a Mexican tradition that dates back to 1538. Las Posadas was originally a nine-day feast to honor the Aztec sun god. Now it's been converted to a nine-day celebration leading up to Christmas Eve. Each night is centered upon a candlelight procession led by children. The public is allowed to watch or participate, and we'd recommend being active so you can get in on the Mexican food and drink. 

Time: 8 p.m.

Date: Dec. 17

Location: Hollywood Improv

Price: $15

The best way to prepare yourself for the insanity of the holidays is to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Steve Byrne, the creator of TBS' Sullivan and Son, will host a group of comedians and celebrities as they share their best stories from Holidays past. 

Time: TBD

Date: Dec. 19 - 24

Location: The Original Farmers Market

Price: Free

We're not even mad that the L.A. Farmers Market hasn't announced the full schedule for its holiday activities. Third and Fairfax is one of the city's consensus must-sees, so we won't even entertain the thought that it could let us down for the holidays. 

Time: 6 p.m.

Date: Dec. 19 - 20

Location: Carson Community Center

Price: $50

"The biggest and the best party ever. A unique night you won't ever forget." It doesn't matter if the first sentence is true. Twelve people could show up to watch Ray J drunkenly shout, "I hit it first" to no one in particular, and it would still be an unforgettable night. Ray J could sing nothing but G-rated songs for hours, and it would still be an unforgettable night. Ray J could cry in the middle of the room with a bag on his head, a la Shia LaBeouf, and it would still be an unforgettable night. 

We don't know what to expect from Ray J's gala, and we don't need to. This is going to be a classic night. 

Time: 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Date: Dec. 24

Location: The Music Center

Price: Free

Admission is free, but it's not unlimited. Space goes fast for the three-hour show without reservations or tickets. Once you make it inside you're free to come and go as music groups, choirs, and dance companies use their performances to show off the diversity of L.A. If you can camp out for sneakers you can camp out for a little culture.