Celebrate Dallas’ newest holiday tradition during the most wonderful time of the year with Holiday at the Arboretum, featuring the return of the magnificent 12 Days of Christmas outdoor exhibit from November 8 to January 3 and The Artistry of the Nativity at the DeGolyer House,November 26 to January 3 at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.
For The 12 Days of Christmas, 12 elaborate 25-foot-tall Victorian gazebos displayed in the 66-acre-garden are filled with the charming costumed characters, whimsical animals and winter scenes made famous by the beloved Christmas carol. Each gazebo is encased in glass and extravagantly decorated on all sides to provide a dramatic, three-dimensional experience that adds to its “music box” quality, depicting the old English carol from the Victorian era.
On certain evenings, the garden remains open for extended hours for The 12 Days at Night displaying the illuminated gazebos for magical viewings. New this year is the addition of 500,000 lights throughout the garden, trimming the architecture of the historic homes and lighting the canopies overhead-including a 30-foot-tall tree at the center of property.
The 12 Days of Christmas (daytime exhibit):
Ornately decorated gazebos on display
Daily, November 8 – January 3, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The daytime general admission prices, including online discounts, are the same as throughout the year, stated on the Arboretum website.
The 12 Days at Night (special evening showings):
Sundays – Thursdays, November 8 – January 3, 6 – 9 p.m.
Special Weekend Nights: Nov. 27 & 28, Dec. 4, Dec. 5, Dec. 12, Dec. 18, Dec. 26 and Jan. 2
The Arboretum is open for special lighted nighttime showings. A variety of holiday music is provided throughout the garden. Seasonal sweet and savory treats and hot beverages for children and adults are available for purchase. This year’s addition of 500,000 lights illuminating the trees and trimming the architecture of the historic homes is not to be missed.
Adults: $20 non-members; $12 members
Seniors: $15 non-members; $10 members
Children ages 3-12: $10 non-members; $9 members
Children under 3 are free.
* Parking is included with admission.
Group Sales:
For inquiries regarding discounted tickets for groups 15 or larger, contact groupsales@
Special Nighttime Pricing:
For the first two weeks of the nighttime exhibit, special ticket pricing, which includes parking, is as follows:
November 8-12: $5 per ticket for children, adults and seniors.
November 15-19: $10 per ticket for children, adults and seniors.
Tickets are based on limited availability. Visit www.dallasarboretum.org or call 214-515-6615 to purchase tickets.
Military and First Responder Mondays:
November 16 – December 28
Active and retired military members and first responders with identification receive free admission during the day and night on Mondays. Offer available only on site at the ticket booth.
Buy One, Get One Free (BOGO) Wednesdays:
November 11 – December 30, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Buy one, get one free admission. Valid for general garden admission only. Limit one per customer. Tickets can only be purchased onsite and are valid for daytime only.
C.C. Young Senior Thursdays:
Tickets on these Thursdays are $11 for day or evening admission for those 65 and older along with a 20% discount that day at the Hoffman Family Gift Store. Daytime tickets cannot be used again at night. Tickets can only be purchased onsite.
Special Daytime Holiday Festivities:
Saturdays and Sundays, November 28 – December 20, Noon-4 p.m.
Enjoy visits with Santa, a live reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Tour of DeGolyer House Exhibit – The Artistry of the Nativity:
Daily, November 27 – January 3, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Wednesday Evenings: 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Daytime tours of the DeGolyer House’s exhibit, The Artistry of the Nativity, showcase the Ray Harrington and George Dvorsky collections of crèches from around the globe. On Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Restaurant DeGolyer stays open to welcome visitors.
Holiday Tea:
Daily, November 27 – January 3, 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.
Restaurant DeGolyer
Enjoy an elegant, three-course holiday tea for a special Christmas memory for those 12 and older. Tea service begins with a demitasse of select soup, followed by a second course of assorted tea sandwiches and a third course of sweet treats. Price includes general garden admission and parking. Cost is $47 per person and $57 per person for champagne tea. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 214.515.6511 or purchased online at teas@dallasarboretum.org.
Holiday Themed After-Hours Classes:
Enjoy a plethora of evening activities and classes to get you in the holiday spirit this season. Some activities include holiday photography lessons with the beautiful 12 Days of Christmas Exhibit as the background, wine tastings, snowflake ornament making, fused art glass classes and various holiday gift crafts. To purchase tickets and for more information, please visit http://www.dallasarboretum.
