Las Vegas is the place to be for Christmas 2021. The Christmas holidays are considered “the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” in Las Vegas, where lights pulse like nowhere else on the planet. Festive decorations deck the Las Vegas Strip and offer a packed promise of fun, parties, gifts, giveaways and constant bedazzlement to visitors heading down the broad boulevards and exploring the latest attractions in a seemingly endless phalanx of mega-resorts.
Among the only-in-Vegas highlights in the Las Vegas Christmas of 2021 should be a visit to AREA15 this holiday season for an immersive viewing experience of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Through Dec. 25, guests can experience a 3D projection-mapped screening of the cult holiday classic surrounded by Halloween Town. Each adult ticket includes a specialty cocktail inspired by a memorable scene from the movie. In addition to this unique experience, guests can also take snapshots by AREA15’s majestic, 30-foot-tall Christmas tree.
ARIA Resort & Casino is sweetening up this Las Vegas Christmas with its festive lobby display, handcrafted by a team of ARIA pastry chefs and made of chocolate, sugar and fondant pastry art creations. The delightful and delicious display, taking 200 working hours to complete, features an exquisite snow globe, trees made of French macarons, and a 6-foot-tall gingerbread man made with 100 pounds of dark chocolate. With sugar-filled candy canes, snowflakes and an overflowing cup of cocoa, the entire installment required over 150 pounds of fondant, 600 pounds of sugar and 550 pounds of chocolate.
The Conservatory & Botanical Garden at Bellagio Resort & Casino celebrates Christmas in Las Vegas with its annual holiday installation, which features no less than 13,250 white carnations and 7,500 poinsettias. Titled “Holiday Time,” the display is complete with a 42-foot fir from Mt. Shasta, illuminated by 7,000 LED lights and 8,700 glistening ornaments. Visitors can take in picturesque displays, including a cozy Swiss ski chalet and Santa’s sleigh filled with gifts, before strolling over to watch the Fountains of Bellagio dance to holiday classics like “Santa Baby” and “O Holy Night.”
For the tenth Christmas season, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas welcomed the return of The Ice Rink as Boulevard Pool transforms into a holiday spectacle high above the Las Vegas Strip. Visitors can enjoy roof-top ice skating on more than 4,200 square feet of real ice, roasting s’mores at fire pits, seasonal cocktails, classic holiday films and breathtaking views surrounded by vibrant city lights.
The Ethel M Chocolate Factory is known for its delicious delectables as much as its fabulous Holiday Cactus Garden, illuminating a desert landscape in millions of lights to spread some signature Las Vegas Christmas cheer. Enjoy the display while sipping a most delicious hot chocolate and indulging during the holiday chocolate tasting experience. Don’t forget a photo with Santa.
The Tournament of Kings Arena at Excalibur Hotel & Casino transforms into a magical and medieval winter wonderland, as “Tournament of Kings: ‘Twas the Knight” returns for the holiday season. Audiences will witness Merlin summon snowfall while listening to holiday-inspired music and poems performed by the cast and taking in the magnificent costumes illuminating the festive season. The popular tradition at The Strip’s longest-running dinner show runs through Dec. 27.
Tis the season to be jolly at Flamingo Las Vegas, where twinkling lights and whimsical ornamentation have covered the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat. In addition to the spectacular seasonal décor, the Flamingo Holiday Festival transports guests to a winter wonderland with a menu of holiday libations and sweet treats. Don’t forget to snap a pic with the life-size snow globe.
People will be rocking around the 30-foot-tall Christmas tree at The LINQ Promenade, which transformed into an enchanting holiday destination complete with a sparkling holiday light show on the High Roller, one of the tallest observation wheels in the world. Guests can enjoy a variety of festive food and drink options as well as special seasonal offers throughout the bustling shopping, dining, and entertainment district.
The Mob Museum will offer several Mob-themed gift items perfect for the holiday season, including a 3-pack of the museum’s house-distilled moonshine, rocks glass, pocket watch, and pocket flask. Other gift options include artisan chocolates, ornaments, a pocket flask, a picture book and a museum membership.
Have a hearty holiday laugh at Terry Fator’s A Very Terry Christmas at the Liberty Loft inside New York-New York Resort & Casino, as the America’s Got Talent champion ventriloquist performs a special show featuring Christmas classics with his funny friends through Jan. 1.
Mannheim Steamroller brings its Christmas-themed show to Orleans Arena at The Orleans Hotel and Casino on Dec. 26. Famed for its modern renditions of holiday classics, the group will play hits from its first holiday album, Christmas, accompanied by dazzling multimedia effects in an intimate setting.
Resorts World Las Vegas celebrates its inaugural holiday season with a Holiday Escape at the District, which features picturesque installations throughout the 70,000-square-foot retail space—including a 50-foot LED globe depicting holiday animations throughout the day. The Strip’s newest mega-resort offers even more holiday cheer at Here Christmas Kitty, as the tucked-away speakeasy, Here Kitty Kitty, has been transformed with holiday lights into an elegant and Instagrammable party spot with handcrafted seasonal cocktails.
The Venetian Resort Las Vegas celebrates the “Season of Sparkle” with a festive lineup of holiday happenings. Visitors can get into the holiday spirit with the Streetmosphere Holiday Spectacular at Grand Canal Shoppes, where Streetmoshpere performers will sing traditional carols (in Italian, of course) and the Clock Tower in St. Mark’s Square will be illuminated with a holiday-themed digital show.
This is Christmas, a holiday spectacular at Palazzo Theatre, features Broadway and American Idol stars singing yuletide tunes backed by a live band. Other holiday offers include winter-inspired treatments at Canyon Ranch Spa + Fitness and festive libations at The Cocktail Collective (The Dorsey Cocktail Bar, Rosina Cocktail Lounge, Electra Cocktail Club).
Wynn Las Vegas decks the halls with dozens of Christmas trees and festive wreaths, while offering delightful holiday-inspired cocktails and tea/coffee beverages at venues throughout the resort.
Lip Smacking Foodie Tours is introducing new gourmet dining experiences at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas and Resorts World Las Vegas. The 2.5-hour evening tours take guests to multiple renowned restaurants in one convenient outing. Guests will enjoy a carefully curated menu of three to four signature dishes at each establishment, including dessert at the final stop. The tours, which are available nightly, are available to individuals, as well as to private groups of up to 100 guests. While the exact lineup of restaurants visited may vary, each tour will include three of the following establishments: at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Todd English’s Olives, Night + Market, Kassi Beach House, and ONE Steakhouse; At Resorts World, Fuhu, ¡VIVA!, Kusa Nori or Carversteak. A 2-hour tour of Tivoli Village also recently debuted, available Tuesday through Sunday for a minimum of two guests, with stops at Echo & Rig, El Dorado Cantina and Ada’s Wine Bar.
Weekends With Adele begins in January at Las Vegas Residency at Caesars Palace. The exclusive residency in the Colosseum begins Friday, January 21, 2022. The global superstar will perform two shows each weekend through Saturday, April 16, 2022. This announcement comes on the heels of Adele recently releasing her fourth studio album, 30, heralded as Adele’s boldest and most ambitious album yet.
Author: Lark Gould
Lark Gould has been a travel industry journalist for more than 30 years. She shares her insight on cruise travel, air travel, hotels, resorts, popular activities, attractions and destinations to assist travel advisors and travelers with the current news and information they need to travel well.
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