How to celebrate the holidays in national parks this season
The National Park Service is reminding Americans that the holidays don’t close down our national parks — in fact, they create even more opportunities to explore them.
Parks across the country host events including craft workshops, food tasting, musical performances, train rides and more. You can check out the NPS’s calendar of events to find local activities and virtual experiences, or you can celebrate the holidays using the ideas below.
Holidays to celebrate in national parks
Any holiday: The Great NPS Baking Challenge
You can celebrate our national parks and the holidays from home by participating in this baking challenge, which invites participants to create baked goods inspired by National Park Service sites during the month of December.
Hanukkah: Nature’s light displays
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Also known as the “Festival of Lights,” this is a great time to admire lights shining in spite of the dark winter. This year, Hanukkah runs from sundown on Dec. 7 to sundown on Dec. 15. The NPS suggests several ways people can celebrate this festival, such as watching the Northern Lights, looking for fireflies and stargazing.
Winter Solstice: Return of daylight
The Winter Solstice marks the longest night of the year for those in the northern hemisphere. This year, the winter solstice falls on Dec. 21. To celebrate the return of longer days and shorter nights, go stargazing on the night of the solstice or wake up early the next day to admire the first sunrise of a slightly longer day.
Christmas: The 12 Days of (NPS) Christmas
The National Parks service made their own spin on this Christmas song, providing numbers of beautiful flora and fauna found in our national parks rather than the traditional gifts found in the carol.
Visit your local national park and come up with your own take on the Christmas classic. While you may not see partridges or pear trees, you’ll likely be able to find six geese-a-laying, as several species are native to North America. Pick a different local plant or animal to represent each of the 12 days of Christmas, and find them in the corresponding number for a fun Christmas scavenger hunt in nature.
New Year’s: First Day Hikes
“First Day Hikes” is a tradition that was started to encourage people to celebrate the first day of the new year by spending time in the outdoors. Hiking has several health benefits, including increased cardiovascular performance, lower blood pressure and improved mental health, per Harvard Health. This New Year’s Eve, go to bed early so you can wake up bright and early on New Years’ Day and welcome in the new year with a rejuvenating outdoor adventure.
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