Rochester Area Holiday Guide

With winter weather knocking on the door, people are turning to their favorite holiday drinks. The choices vary from state to state!

Quite a few stores are closed on Christmas Day this year. Here's the latest list.

If your holiday plans include relaxing on the couch, these shows deserve a spot on your watchlist.

Tuba Christmas has become a holiday tradition for many Rochester families, offering a fun and unexpected twist on classic Christmas music. And...it is FREE!

Bah humbug? Tis the season...

From foreign X-mas horror movies to unsung animated holiday films, discover these somewhat obscure but totally wonderful Christmas movies.

In Minnesota, liquor stores and grocery stores cannot sell alcohol on Christmas Day. Plan ahead to make sure your holiday cocktails aren’t forgotten.

Millions of holiday lights, festive treats, and even a new train ride make Kiwanis Holiday Lights a must-see in Mankato. Perfect for all ages!

Rochester’s most magical Christmas light neighborhoods are back...including the address for the super popular Cousin Eddie display. #SoFunny

From charming rom-coms to moving family dramedies, get in the cozy Christmastime spirit with these brand new Christmas movies you can watch at home this holiday season.

Looking for Santa photos? A magical Breakfast with Santa is happening Saturday in Byron, MN. Fun for the whole family—see details and register here.

Based on Google search trends, Minnesota's favorite Christmas cookie is the peanut butter kiss or peanut butter blossom. That's not America's favorite, though.

Minnesota goes all-in on holiday lights, and these are the displays everyone’s talking about. From massive walk-through festivals to mile-long drive-thru routes, here are the biggest and brightest shows worth bundling up for this season.

Minnesota families searching for a new tradition will find pure holiday joy at this Wisconsin light display. Open through New Year’s Day, it’s a perfect pre- or post-Christmas outing.

Admission to Bentleyville is completely free, adding to its family-friendly appeal. Every visitor receives complimentary hot cocoa, coffee, and cookies at the entrance.

It's a winning weekend! This would make a great early-Christmas gift for the special someone in your life. Here's how to easily get your name in to win.

A quiet Minnesota cul-de-sac just pulled off something absolutely wild for the holidays.

The MOA attraction features interactive stations and gadgets that supposedly track the naughty and nice lists.

Want to make a HUGE difference for local pets? This is how!

The holidays are here… and so is your chance to win BIG!

Kwik Trip just revealed its festive 2025 holiday cup design, calling it “wrapping paper for coffee.” The new cups roll into stores the first week of December.

Looking for a top holiday event in Minnesota? Explore 80+ trees at Rochester’s Festival of Trees 2025 and browse the gorgeous photos our team took the other night.

A quick-moving system will roll in on Tuesday and stick around into Wednesday morning.

A quick-moving system will roll in on Tuesday and stick around into Wednesday morning.

Christmas movies set in Minnesota's snowy charm, featuring beloved classics and local landmarks.

Rochester’s holiday season just got brighter as a Grammy Award–winning artist, Michael Bublé helped turn on 24/7 Christmas music at a favorite local station.

Rochester's heart is shining bright this winter as a grassroots organization steps up to combat food insecurity and spread a little warmth in our community.

Looking for a holiday tradition that feels straight out of a Christmas movie? S’mores With Santa at Sargent’s on 2nd delivers all the warm, wintery vibes.

Capture the holiday magic! The Apache Mall has revealed when Santa will be on-site for photos with Rochester kids (and adults!).

The Grinch Meal is arriving at Minnesota McDonald’s for the holidays. Each purchase includes pickle seasoning for fries and a pair of themed socks.