Santa's Wonderland - College Station

Another great drive destination from Austin.  Santa's Town has all the great things you love about the holidays, carriage rides, hay rides, Christmas movies, petting zoo, food & live music. 

Santa's Wonderland Info & Tickets

Amazing Holiday Festivities-Gaylord Texan Hotel -Grapevine TX

I am always looking at fun places to take my family.  If you are into 2 story ice scupltures, reindeer, snow hills and elves...you love Christmas..the Gaylord Texan does it RIGHT!  It's located in Grapevine,TX and is a one stop shop of FUN FUN FUN!

Gaylord Texan -Hotel Booking info

Lone Star Christmas Highlights

• Spectacular Christmas Decorations Dozens of lavish holiday displays include 5,600 feet of garland, 12,000 Christmas ornaments, and 1.5 million lights.
• Unique Holiday Entertainment From stilt walkers to singing cowboys to Santa Claus, there's delightful entertainment around every bend.
• Tree-Lighting Ceremony Gaylord Texan kicks off the Christmas season with this free event Friday, November 12, which includes an appearance by Charlie Brown and Snoopy! Presented by Reliant Energy.
• Rudolph's Reindeer Roundup The most famous reindeer of all needs your help! Put on your light-up red nose and help Rudolph locate all of his 8 reindeer buddies in time to pull Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve. Solve the puzzles with your secret message decoder and let your nose guide the way as you journey on this fun and magical quest throughout the resort atriums. When you’ve located his team, find Rudolph who will want to thank you for all of your help…and enter you in a drawing for a great prize! Daily $8
• YOURSELF as an ELF A Family Holiday Adventure – An event for the kiddies! Do you have what it takes to become one of Santa’s little helpers? Enter the Elf Hall of Fame and pass through the ELFINATOR 5000® to become ELF- size as you and your guide Edgar the Elf explore the magical world of Santa’s workshop and North Pole base camp. A fun, holiday adventure for the little ones. Daily 10am – 9pm | Price: $12.00 | Recommended for children 2-12.
• Cookies & Milk Story Time with Mrs. Claus Snuggle up in a blanket with cookies and milk as Mrs. Claus, reads a classic Christmas story, performs magic tricks and introduces her special puppet friends from the North Pole. Kids get to take home a special book autographed by Santa’s favorite lady. Held at 8pm Friday and Saturday Nov. 26 – Dec. 17 and daily Dec. 17 - 25. $25 for one child including one accompanying adult.
• Gingerbread Corner A fun-filled interactive experience for the whole family. Decorate real gingerbread houses and giant Texas-sized 18’’ cowboy gingerbread cookies with royal icing and lots of candy in the company of our team of elves. Daily 10am – 9pm. Prices vary depending on item selected.
• Breakfast with Charlie Brown Enjoy a PEANUTS themed breakfast buffet in the company of Charlie Brown. Daily from December 17th to December 26th. Adults $24.95, Child $14.95 for children (4-12).  Guests will be joined by Charlie Brown and Jowdy Photography will be on hand to capture the special moment with photo selections starting at $14.99 (photo not included in admission).
• Photos with Santa Claus Whether you’ve been naughty or nice this year, don’t miss your chance to have a treasured photograph taken with old Saint Nick before he leaves for the North Pole! 
• Murder Mystery Dinner Theater Marshal Jim Courtright returns in a new installment of this popular interactive theater experience -- "Dismay in a Manger.”
• Ballroom Brunch A grand holiday feast is served in the elegant Texas Ballroom on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
• Photography Jowdy Photography will be available to capture holiday memories such as a visit with Santa or a trip through the ICE! attraction.

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Austonian earns first 4-Star - Austin Energy efficiency rating dowtown

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2010/11/09/austonian-earns-first-4-star-austin.html

Austin's newest residential high-rise The Austonian became the first downtown condominium to earn Austin Energy's four-star green building rating, officials announced Tuesday.

The luxury project's developer Benchmark Development announced the accolade during a press conference Tuesday morning attended by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, Mayor Lee Leffingwell, city council member Chris Riley and Austin Energy General Manager Larry Weis.
The Austin Energy Green Building ratings are granted to a commercial project that prove efficient water and energy use, efforts to conserve, waste reduction and indoor air quality control, among other factors. The rating is equal to a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.
"No other downtown high-rise has earned this level of offical recognition. ... The Austonian stands far above other in more ways than one," said Maureen Scanlon, the Austin Energy rating's commercial program coordinator.
Developers said in a news release the project will use about 33.2 million less gallons of water a year then a comparably-sized community. The building uses minimal water landscaping and an efficiency-minded irrigation system, which uses condensation from cooling units. Appliances are fixed with low-flow fixtures and the heating and air conditioning units use Austin Energy more efficient chilled water system.
The design allows for residents to use natural light in about 75 percent of the unit with wide windows covered with a reflective coating. Sensors, dimming devices and special insulation add the the structures energy efficiency, controlling lighting when the unit is unoccupied. Builders adhered to strict off-gassing standards for interior materials and maintenance will be done with earth-friendly products.
The 56-story, 166-unit Austonian opened in June and occupies one third of the block at Second Street and Congress Avenue. Houston-based Ziegler Cooper Architects created the design and Gary Lee Partners decorated the interior. The building totals 850,000 square feet with more than 40,000 square feet of owner amenities.


Read more: Austonian earns first 4-star Austin Energy efficiency rating downtown | Austin Business Journal

November 23rd- HEB Austin Fest of Sharing

http://www.heb.com/hebonline/page/about-us/community/events/texas/feast-of-sharing

4-8pm at the Palmer Events Center

This is such a great event supporting Austin.  If you can please volunteer and give back to Austin.
Join the festivities and experience the joy at the 21st annual H-E-B Feast of Sharing. Join us as we stop in 23 communities and provide complete holiday meals and good cheer to 250,000 residents in Texas.

The Feast of Sharing is the culmination of a year-round commitment H-E-B makes to fighting hunger. In addition to a holiday meal participants can enjoy music, arts and crafts, and kids activities—even an appearance by Santa himself.

Just one Feast of Sharing event equals:

• 3,000 pounds of sliced turkey
• 2,500 pounds of cornbread dressing
• 750 pumpkin pies
• 380 gallons of mashed potatoes
• 140 gallons of turkey gravy
• 95 gallons of cranberry sauce

14th annual Empty Bowl Project

Time: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Location: Mexican American Cultural Center - 600 River Street
http://www.austinemptybowl.org/

Soup for the Soul, and You Get to Keep the Bowl.   You’re invited to the 14th annual Empty Bowl Project, Sunday, November 21st, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Mexican American Cultural Center.  One of Austin’s favorite, family-friendly events, Empty Bowl Project, has provided local potters, musicians and restaurants the opportunity to help hungry Central Texans for over a decade.  The 13th annual Empty Bowl Project raised over $71,000 to help nourish hungry Central Texas children through the Capital Area Food Bank’s Kids Café program.  For $15 you can purchase locally hand-crafted bowl(s) filled  with your pick of delicious soups and bread donated by local chefs.

Saturday Nov 13th Capital Area Food Bank Canstruction

http://www.austinfoodbank.org/canstruction/

A very cool fun way to help out the Captial Area Food Bank. Saturday, November 13th, volunteer or join in on the fun and enter the canstruction contest.

Make a difference in the fight against hunger by joining us for canstruction austin, a charity event committed to ending hunger around the globe.  Competing teams, led by local architects, engineers and builders showcase their talents by designing and building giant sculptures made entirely of canned foods. At the close of the canstruction exhibition, all of the food used in the structures is donated to the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas to help nourish hungry Central Texans.