HOUSTON—There are holiday activities for your family to enjoy in the Houston area this weekend that include a Christmas Wonderland.
Bass Pro Shops are offering photos with Santa, children’s activities and arts and crafts projects for free. Santa’s hours are weekdays from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 5 p.m. Santa’s last day is Christmas Eve. The children’s activities take place Saturday from noon until 5 p.m. The activity this Saturday is cookie decorating. Bass Pro Shops are in Pearland at Highway 288 and Beltway 8 and in Katy Mills Mall at 5000 Katy Mills Circle.
More holiday cheer is at Bayou Bend in the grand 12,000 square foot historic home of Texas’ legendary art patroness, Ima Hogg. Your family can take a candlelight tour of the residence. The tours will be offered December 18 beginning at 5 p.m. and continuing until 7 p.m. Each room is decorated for the holidays in a motif from a different era. It costs $7.50 for adults, but kids under 17 get in free.
The dining room looks like the holidays of George Washington’s era. A parlor looks like the room where Clement Clarke Moore first read his famous "Twas the Night Before Christmas" poem to his children. Another room looks like a 1950’s family room on Christmas morning.
"It’s a magical, magical place," said Bayou Bend curator Kathleen O’Connor of the residence. "It really is a lot of fun and there is music and puppets outside, hot cider and cookies. It’s a wonderful outing and something people should make an annual holiday ritual."
Sunday from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. is Holiday Family Day at Ima Hogg’s Bayou Bend residence. There will be children’s activities and entertainment and refreshments, all for free. Bayou Bend is located off Memorial Drive at 1 Westcott Drive near Memorial Park and River Oaks.
Buffalo Bayou runs through Bayou Bend, and evening tours of the waterway take place Friday and Saturday nights beginning at 5 p.m. Cruises last 30 minutes and leave every 30 minutes from the Sabine to Bagby Promenade. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children.
