Salt Lake City during Christmas feels like a blend of cozy mountain charm, historic architecture, snowy evenings, and some of the best holiday lights in the western United States. From walking through the glowing trees of Temple Square to browsing German style markets, ice skating downtown, visiting winter light shows, and exploring Hanukkah celebrations across the city, December in Salt Lake offers a warm and festive experience without overwhelming planning.
This guide walks you through the city’s best Christmas and Hanukkah experiences for 2025. Everything is linked so you can quickly check event details, opening hours, and current schedules before you visit.
Table of Contents
- Key Takeaways
- When This Guide Helps You
- How To Use This Guide
- Temple Square Lights
- Gallivan Center Ice Rink
- Christkindlmarkt at This Is The Place
- Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point
- ZooLights and ZooLuminate at Hogle Zoo
- Holiday Markets Across the Valley
- Hanukkah in Salt Lake City
- Festive Neighborhoods and Local Favorites
- Holiday Food Crawl Around Salt Lake City
- 3 Day Christmas in Salt Lake City Itinerary
- What To Do Next
Key Takeaways
- Temple Square offers some of the most beautiful Christmas lights in Utah, with glowing trees and historic buildings illuminated for the season.
- The Gallivan Center ice rink creates a festive downtown atmosphere with lights, music, and winter activities.
- Christkindlmarkt at This Is The Place brings a traditional German style holiday market to Utah with food, gifts, and live performances.
- Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point is a large scale walk through light show with glowing paths and themed displays.
- Salt Lake hosts menorah lightings, Hanukkah celebrations, and community programs throughout December.
When This Guide Helps You
This guide is perfect if you want a cozy, walkable, and festive Salt Lake City holiday trip. Compared to larger cities, Salt Lake’s Christmas highlights are easier to navigate and often feel less crowded. You can build most of the experiences into a few enjoyable evenings or stretch them across a full three day itinerary with markets, lights, and winter activities.
How To Use This Guide
Use this guide to plan a full holiday visit or mix and match based on your schedule. Everything links to the most reliable public pages for opening hours, ticketing, and seasonal details. Light shows and specialty events often sell out, so checking schedules in advance is important for December visits.
Temple Square Lights
The Temple Square Christmas Lights are a Salt Lake City holiday tradition. The grounds are decorated with thousands of glowing trees, nativity displays, lanterns, and quiet walkways that feel especially peaceful in the evening. This is one of the best places for holiday photos and a relaxed winter walk.
The lights run from late November through early January. Because Temple Square is undergoing phased renovations, some pathways may change year to year, so it is always a good idea to check the current season’s map and visitor guidelines.
Map: Temple Square
Gallivan Center Ice Rink
The Gallivan Center is one of the best winter gathering spots downtown. The outdoor ice rink is surrounded by tall buildings, seasonal lights, and music, creating a lively winter atmosphere. You can rent skates, sip cocoa from nearby cafes, and enjoy the simple fun of skating under the city lights.
Map: Gallivan Center
Christkindlmarkt at This Is The Place
Each December, Christkindlmarkt transforms the historic This Is The Place Heritage Park into a traditional German Christmas market. Wooden stalls sell handmade gifts, ornaments, clothing, baked goods, and authentic food like pretzels, bratwurst, and strudel. Choirs and musicians often perform throughout the day, and the market can become beautifully snowy depending on the weather.
Map: This Is The Place Heritage Park
Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point
Luminaria is one of Utah’s most impressive holiday light displays. Located in Lehi at Thanksgiving Point, this walk through event features illuminated garden paths, themed light installations, glowing lantern fields, a tall luminary tree, music, and seasonal treats.
Luminaria requires timed tickets and often sells out early in December, so booking in advance is highly recommended.
Map: Thanksgiving Point
ZooLights and ZooLuminate at Hogle Zoo
Hogle Zoo offers two seasonal experiences. ZooLights features colorful animal themed light sculptures, glowing pathways, and festive displays. ZooLuminate adds immersive art installations and creative lighting exhibits. It is a family friendly event and one of the easiest light shows to enjoy without much planning.
Map: Hogle Zoo
Holiday Markets Across the Valley
Beyond Christkindlmarkt, Salt Lake hosts several pop up markets and seasonal events throughout December:
- Winter Farmers Market at the Gateway for local makers and food stalls.
- Holiday pop ups in Sugar House and 9th and 9th, featuring art, gifts, and small batch treats.
- Christmas craft fairs in Sandy, Draper, and Millcreek that rotate through December weekends.
Hanukkah in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake hosts menorah lightings and Hanukkah celebrations across downtown and the valley.
- Public menorah lightings organized by local Chabad centers, including downtown and suburban locations.
- Cultural events, music, and family festivities at the Jewish Community Center.
- Workshops, candle lighting gatherings, and educational programs held by community groups.
Festive Neighborhoods and Local Favorites
Several Salt Lake neighborhoods feel especially festive in December:
- Downtown Salt Lake: Lights along Main Street, City Creek Center decorations, and skating at Gallivan.
- Sugar House: Local boutiques, coffee shops, and small holiday markets.
- 9th and 9th: Independent shops with cozy seasonal displays and bakeries.
Holiday Food Crawl Around Salt Lake City
Stop 1: Fillings and Emulsions
Fillings and Emulsions offers colorful pastries, seasonal treats, and some of the best macarons in the city.
Stop 2: Normal Ice Cream
Normal Ice Cream serves creative holiday flavors and dipped cones that fit the season perfectly.
Stop 3: Gourmandise or Eva’s Bakery
Gourmandise and Eva’s Bakery offer holiday pastries, butter croissants, warm drinks, and festive dessert boxes.
3 Day Christmas in Salt Lake City Itinerary
Day 1: Downtown and Temple Square
- Afternoon: Walk City Creek Center and downtown lights
- Evening: Temple Square Christmas Lights
- Late Night: Cocoa stop at a nearby bakery or cafe
Day 2: Ice Skating and Holiday Markets
- Morning: Ice skating at Gallivan Center
- Afternoon: Winter Farmers Market at the Gateway
- Evening: Christkindlmarkt at This Is The Place
Day 3: Big Light Shows
- Evening Option 1: Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point
- Evening Option 2: ZooLights or ZooLuminate at Hogle Zoo
- Optional: Attend a menorah lighting if during Hanukkah
What To Do Next
If you enjoyed this guide to Christmas in Salt Lake City, explore more of our travel ideas or check out our holiday at home food inspirations. We love helping you bring seasonal magic into both your travels and your home celebrations.
