During this year’s Winter Break, gather your loved ones and venture out to some of these amazing holiday and winter-break happenings in our greater area.  Support local businesses by attending a few family-centered arts and crafts classes or venture into the city of Charlotte for even more holiday magic!

1. Sweet Repeats & More located at 615 W South Main Street in Waxhaw will be holding children, teen, and adult arts and crafts workshops during the week of school break.  Visit sweetrepeatswaxhaw.com for more information or to sign up for a class.

2.  Peddler’s Paradise located at 105 W Franklin Street in Monroe will be offering a Parent’s Night Out Polar Express Party as well as arts and crafts classes for children, teens, and adults.  For more information or to reserve your spot for a class visit peddlersparadisemonroe.com

3.  Waxhaw Escape Room located at 3901 E Providence Road in Waxhaw offers a variety of escape room themes for family fun.  For more information visit them at waxhawescape.com

4.  AR Workshop located at 3905 Providence Road S Unit C in Waxhaw offers a variety of arts and crafts classes for children, teens, and adults such as their Family Friendly Crafternoon Wood and Canvas workshops.  For more information or to reserve a class spot please visit them at arworkshop.com/waxhaw

5.  Flour Power located at the new Rea Farms Shopping center is offering family-friendly cooking events such as their Family Gingerbread House event.  For more information or to reserve a class spot please visit them at flourpowerstudios.com/reafarms

6.  Enjoy Classic seasonal carols performed by The Holiday Singers at the Matthews Township Shopping Center from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, December 22nd.

7.  On Friday, December 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. enjoy a special exhibit, Fine Art Friday: Textiles for Children at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts and Culture located at 551 S Tryon St in Charlotte.  For more information and tickets visit ganttcenter.org

8.  For some crisp winter fun, try ice skating at the NASCAR Hall of Fame Plaza in Charlotte.  The rink will be open over winter break. Hours are Wednesday through Friday 5-10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.  They will have special hours from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. during Winter Break.  

9.  The Winter Wonderland, located near the South Park Mall, features an ice-skating rink, holiday lights, live music, a Santa’s Pub and coffee shop, many holiday activities, and a list of special guests.  For more information and event listings please visit winterwonderlandsouthpark.com

10.  Visit the “Holiday Lights at the Garden” at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden located at 6500 S New Hope Road in Belmont.  For more information and tickets visit dsbg.org

11.  View amazing gingerbread houses at the Gingerbread Lane at the Ballantyne Hotel until December 26th.  Admission is free and visitors can pay $1 to vote on their favorite gingerbread house with all proceeds benefiting Levine Children’s Hospital.  The Ballantyne Hotel is located at 10100 John J Delaney Drive in Charlotte.

12.  Enjoy a performance of the holiday classic, The Nutcracker, performed by the Charlotte Ballet at the Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center.  For more information and tickets visit charlotteballet.org