Christmas, Holiday Events In McLean: Parades, Tree Lightings, More

MCLEAN, VA — There is no shortage of things to do in McLean to get the winter holiday season off to a rollicking good start.

Christmas and Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, intersect this year, with Hanukkah running Dec. 18-26. Christmas, of course, is on Dec. 25, but you don’t have to wait to start taking in all the sights and sounds of the holidays.

Tree lightings near McLean include:

• Great Falls Tree Lighting: Sunday, Dec. 4, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., tree lighting at 5 p.m.
• Church Street Holiday Stroll: Monday, Nov. 28 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• City of Falls Church Lighting of the Trees Celebration: Monday, Nov. 28 at 6 p.m.
• Fairfax City Festival of Lights and Carols and Tree Lighting: Saturday, Dec. 3, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., tree lighting at 5 p.m.
• Light up the Village at Shirlington: Thursday, Dec. 1, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Rosslyn Cheer Tree Lighting: Thursday, Dec. 8, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• National Harbor's tree lighting: Nightly every half hour from sunset to 9 p.m.

Christmas parades — often complete with Santa Claus, festively decorated floats and marching bands — are a holiday tradition, both nationally and locally.

Several big parades are taking place this year, including the Mayor’s Annual Christmas Parade in Baltimore City, Maryland, and the Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Beach, California.

Parades in Northern Virginia may not be able to match those in size, but the heart behind them is just as big. Parades to catch here at home include:

• Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade, Alexandria: Saturday, Dec. 3, 11 a.m.
• Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights, Alexandria: Saturday, Dec. 3, activities starting at 2 p.m, parade at 5:30 p.m.
• Greater Manassas Christmas Parade, Manassas: Saturday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m.
• Leesburg Christmas and Holiday Parade, Leesburg: Saturday, Dec. 10, 6 p.m.

Holiday lighting displays are another holiday favorite. Some to catch near McLean are:

• Light Up McLean Holiday House Decorating Contest, McLean: Dec. 9 to Jan. 1
• Zoo Lights at National Zoo, Washington, DC: Friday, Nov. 25 to Dec. 30
• Enchant Christmas, Washington, DC: Friday, Nov. 25 to Jan. 1
• Del Ray Holiday Decorating Contest, Alexandria: Visit nominees when announced on Dec. 10
• Ice & Lights, Alexandria: Friday, Nov. 18 to Jan. 1
• Winter Lantern Festival, Tysons: Friday, Nov. 25 to Feb. 12
• Meadowlark's Winter Walk of Lights, Vienna: Friday, Nov. 11 to Jan. 8.
• Bull Run Festival of Lights, Centreville: Friday, Nov. 11 to Jan. 8

Other upcoming holiday events in McLean include:

• McLean Holiday Art & Crafts Festival, McLean Community Center: Friday, Nov. 2 to Sunday Nov. 4.

Clarification: An earlier version of this story mentioned the defunct Target Holidazzle Parade in Minneapolis, which no longer takes place.