Los Angeles boasts a variety of holiday events that students can take advantage of to alleviate the stress of finals and during the upcoming break from classes.
The Los Angeles Christmas Market at the ROW DTLA, Las Posadas at Olvera Street, the LA Zoo Lights and the Westfield Century City Holiday Village, to name a few, are happening throughout the next few weeks.
The Los Angeles Christmas Market is happening between Nov. 29 to Dec. 24, and hosts a variety of handmade food and gift vendors, holiday musicians and plenty of lights and photo ops. Guests can also pay to rent out a private heated “igloo” to hang out with friends and family.
The market aims to “transport” its guests to the “bustling Christmas markets of Germany” as it features soft pretzels, hot chocolate, schnitzel and handicrafts made by local artisans.
Olvera Street, a historic part of Downtown L.A., is known as a hub of Mexican culture. This holiday season, residents are welcome to attend Las Posadas, a nightly event happening from Dec. 16 to Dec. 24 in which the crowd reenacts the procession of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem.
“The procession starts and ends at the Avila Adobe, the oldest house in Los Angeles. At the end, each visitor is given a cup of hot champurrado and a piece of delicious pan dulce, or sweet bread,” according to the Olvera Street Merchants Association Foundation.
Following the event, children have the opportunity to get candy from a piñata.
L.A. Zoo Lights, happening from Nov. 15 to Jan. 5, features large holiday and animal-centered light shows and immersive experiences for all ages.
The event takes attendees throughout the zoo’s grounds with life-sized animal light displays and holiday scenes. Value ticket nights are available on both weekdays and weekends, perfect for students with upcoming study days off of regular classes.
The Holiday Village at the Westfield Century City Mall features a variety of festive vendors, live performances and appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus.
The Grove, another popular mall in the area, hosted its grand Christmas tree lighting and holiday concert on Nov. 25. The mall will continue to display its holiday decor and 100-foot Christmas tree throughout the holiday season.
With four study days coming up before finals start on Dec. 11, students need to prioritize their physical and mental well-being by taking breaks and making time for fun activities.
The holiday activities and experiences across Los Angeles allow USC students to not only celebrate the holiday season but to explore new areas of the city before returning home for the holidays.