I am writing about ways families may celebrate Christmas in a less commercial way. The State Parks and State Historic Sites are made to order for authentic experiences.

Photo Courtesy of Louis Vest, Ship Pilot Houston, Texas

First Stop : Battleship Texas State Historic Site

Yuletide TEXAS “A Sailors Christmas”

Battleship TEXAS State Historic Site
3523 Highway 134
LaPorte TX 77571
281/479-2431

Thursday, December 1, 2011 to Saturday, December 31, 2011
10 am to 5 pm
Price is $10, children under 12 free with adult.

Yuletide activities include sending message to the North Pole, taking picture with Santa, creating Battleship ornament, enjoying performances by area bands and choirs, and filling up on hot chocolate, wassail and cookies. You also exercise by exploring the ship.  From the huge guns on deck to the crew quarters to the engine room. Who could resist?

Map from Latin American Studies.org

San Jacinto Battleground

You may also explore the entire San Jacinto Battleground site (map in PDF), where Texans captured Santa Anna after the Alamo. There are nature trails and the  San Jacinto Monument, picnic areas, wetlands and a reflecting pool. You will see 20 boulders on the battlefield that were laid by the San Jacinto Chapter, Daughters of the Republic of Texas. These boulders give visitors a sense of place in the final battle fought for Texas Independence on April 21, 1836.  Follow the boulders and the action of the battle.

Reflections of San Jacinto Monument

San Jacinto Monument

Take a trip up the San Jacinto Monument in an elevator to the Observation Decek ($4 adults, $3 children). Bring your camera for pictures of Houston, the Ship Channel, Battleship Houston and the San Jacinto Battleground .  If heights do not make you or your family happy, spend $4.50 per adult and $3.50 to see the 35-minute documentary, Texas Forever!! The Battle of San Jacinto, presented on the hour beginning at 10 am, in the Jesse H. Jones Theatre for Texas Studies, also located in the monument.

Note: Have you have heard that everything in Texas is bigger?  It is true. The San Jacinto Monument, honoring all those who fought for Texas’s independence, stands 15 feet taller than the Washington monument.  In addition, the Texas Capitol also rises approximately 15 feet higher than the National Capitol in Washington.

Every year, I highlight events in Texas during the holiday season. This year, I will focus on events that you may attend with your family, during which you will receive a bit of history, art or culture as well as have a good time. These events and activities are free or inexpensive, except for gas!

First Stop : San Antonio

Main Plaza

Silver Bells Celebration and Tree Lighting Ceremony
Saturday, December 3, 2011

4 pm  Santa on the Plaza
4 pm   Music by Bernie Martini
530 pm Lighting Ceremony

• Municipal Plaza Building Facade
• Bexar County Courthouse
• Main Plaza’s Christmas Tree

6 pm  The Nutcracker Suite performed as a contemporary musical.

San Fernando Cathedral

San Fernando Cathedral

231 W. Commerce
San Antonio, Texas 78205-2458
Telephone: 210 227 1297Gra

The story of San Fernando Cathedral began March 9, 1731 when fifteen families of settlers from the Canary Islands arrived at the Presidio of San Antonio. They were welcomed by Captain Juan Antonio de Almazan in the name of King Phillip V of Spain. The cornerstone of the church building in the new village was laid in 1738, making it the first parish church in Texas.

There are several ways to see the Cathedral. You may take a self-guided tour with a brochure you may purchase at the gift shop or arrange for a guided tour. Either way, you pay $5 for parking. The guided tour must have a minimum of 15 participants, so call in advance.  You may also attend mass at the Cathedral.

Two special ways to visit the Cathedral are both on Sunday December 18 at 130 pm and 6 pm. At 130 pm,  enjoy La Pastorela, the tale of the Shepherds’ journey to find Baby Jesus.  At 6 pm, join La Gran Posada, a musical, candlelit procession reenacting the journey to Bethlehem and search for shelter by Mary and Joseph on Christmas Eve. La Gran Posada begins at Milam Park and ends at San Fernando Cathedral.

San Antonio River Walk

San Antonio River Authority River of Lights
December 3, 4-6 pm
River Walk Museum Reach, Pearl Amphitheater

As you make your way to the Pearl Amphitheater from downtown, you will enjoy music, story reading, caroling and more as the Museum Reach lights up with over 100 underwater lights, walkway posts wrapped in festive LEDs and water features glowing with changing colored fiber optics. Come enjoy food, fun and a visit from Santa! Hop on and off a free barge provided by the San Antonio River Foundation and head down the Museum Reach as the fun continues through the evening with music at San Antonio Museum of Art and festivities at VFW Post 76. FREE

LED Lights on San Antonio River Walk

One smart way to see the new reach of the River Walk is to start walking north from El Tropicano Hotel, ending at the old Pearl Brewery, which is now home to local restaurants and shops (click here for accessible map). If you have small children or prefer to ride, catch a sunset taxi ride from downtown to the Pearl Brewery. The Rio Taxi Service operates daily from 9 AM to 9 PM.

Luminaries

Ford Fiesta de Las Luminarias
December Weekends, dusk, downtown River Walk

One of San Antonio’s most beloved and centuries-old holiday traditions is to line walkways with luminarias – warmly-glowing candles set in sand-filled bags. They symbolically mark the “lighting of the way” for the Holy Family. The Ford Fiesta de las Luminarias along the River Walk uses more than 6,000 luminarias to create an unforgettable scene of peace and serenity along the river’s lush banks at dusk on weekends in December.  Stroll with your family through the luminarias.

Christmas Lights at Incarnate Word

Incarnate Word University

4301 Broadway
San Antonio, Texas 78209
Telephone: 210-829-6000

Several miles north of downtown, the University of the Incarnate Word is lit with a million twinkling lights during the Christmas season. Visitors with small children can take a driving tour of campus. The lights stay on through the first week of the new year.

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Note: Unfortunately, Silver Bells Celebration and River of Lights are both happening on Sunday Saturday, December 3, 2011 at almost the same times. It is your choice. Personally, I would let the weather decide.  If it is cold and rainy, go for Silver Bells Celebration and stay close to your parking spot; if the weather is clear, I would definitely take the taxi and visit the Museum Reach of the San Antonio River Walk.

Fall is Finally Here

Fall arrived with slightly cooler weather, but no rain.  However, as usual, we have gone maze crazy in Texas. You must visit one of the popular mazes this fall.  Grab the youngsters and the teens because they are going to have a blast.  So, how about some fall family fun?

Dewberry Farm

One of my favorites is just outside Katy, Texas. The Dewberry Farm: Corn Maze and Family Farm Fun!  Four-acres of corn maze, sixteen-acre Pumpkin Patch, not to mention more children activities added each year!

To see larger graphic click on the farm above.

General Admission Includes

Wagon ride to pumpkin patch, Corn Maze, Barrel Train Ride, Fort DewHickey, Hay Mountain, Giant Roller Slide, Black Mamba, Singing Chickens, Barnyard Area, Rubber Duck Races, Pig Races, Windmill Park with games, Farmer Flinger and Little Farmersville.

• Children 2 and under: FREE General Admission
• Kids (age 3-54) $12 (tax included)
• Seniors 55+ $9 (tax included)
• Military and Law Enforcement $10 (tax included)

Special Activities (additional fee)

• Goat Feeding 25¢ per container of feed
• Black Hole $2 per trip
• Corn Cannon $3 to shoot 9 ears of corn
• Face Painting $3+
• Punkin Hollar $3 per stroll
• Pony Rides $5 per ride
• Gemstone Mining bags of rough $5
• Flower Bouquet Picking $5 per bouquet cup
• Kidilla Hoppers $3 for all day pass
• Pedal Carts $3 for all day pass
• Slide Mountain $3 for all-day pass
• Zip Lines $3 for all-day pass

2011 Farm Hours/Dates

September 24 – November 13
Saturdays – 10am to Dusk
Sundays – Noon to Dusk
Monday, October 10, Columbus Day 10am to 6pm

Note: They open again on November 25 as the Dewberry Christmas Tree Farm. Admittance to farm is free at this time.

• Take a hayride to the “forest” on the back 40
• Search the Christmas Forest for the right tree
• Cut your tree (we furnish saw)
• Ride back  to Santa’s Workshop for tree baling
• Check out the country store and all the fun activities for children of all ages

Rocky Creek Maze on the Chaloupka Farm in Moulton, Texas

Fall 2011 Season

Open October 7 – November 20
Fridays  5-9 pm in October only
Saturdays 10 am-9 pm
Sundays   2-6 pm
Haunted Maze: Fridays & Saturdays, Oct. 14 to Oct. 29, and Sun., Oct. 30

Tickets|

Adult ages 12-up: $9 per person
Children ages 4-11: $7 per person
Seniors ages 65-up: $7 per person
3 and under: free!
Haunted Maze: $5 plus regular admission

Regular admission includes unlimited access to the cornfield maze, mini mazes, slides,
hayrides, barrel train rides, and butterfly garden.

Haunted Maze Opens Mid-October

YesterLand Farm in Canton, Texas

2011 Fall Season

Weekends September 24 – October 30
Saturdays 10 am – 6 pm
Sundays noon – 6 pm

Fall Farm Admission

Ages 3 – 54 yrs $10
Seniors (55 + yrs) $ 8
Active or Retired Military, Law Enforcement, Firefighters and First-Responders $8 with valid ID
Children 2 & under – Free

Farm Admission includes

Farm admittance, Corn Maze, unlimited Hayrides, Pork Chop Downs Pig Races, Farm Zoo, Rubber Duck Races, Play Area, Kiddie Western Play Town, Watch the Pumpkin Movie in the giant Tipi, Dress the Scarecrow, use of the Picnic Pavilion and Photo opportunities galore!

YesterLand Amazement Park – Ride Tickets are $1 each or $20 for 24 tickets – Most rides take 2 ticketsSanta’s Runaway Sleigh Coaster

• Tubs of Fun
• Kiddie Swingers
• Chubby Choppers
• Ride the Rattler
• Canoe the Rapids
• Barrel O’Monkeys Train
• Fire Trucks
• Red Baron Airplanes
• Merry-Go-Round
• Ferris Wheel
• Spinning Apple

Check out TheMaize.com for  more locations in Texas and across the USA and Canada.  If you cannot find a corn maize or a pumpkin patch, you are not looking!  Have fun!