In honor of the holiday season, your city invites in the holiday spirit at Santa Lights Manassas and the Christmas Parade. The family-friendly holiday events take place over the course of two days, December 1st and the 2nd. It begins on Friday night with the lighting of the tree and continues into Saturday morning when the Christmas parade comes to town.

Come to the Manassas Train Station to greet Santa and Mrs. Claus as they arrive on the train at 5:15 p.m. on December 1st. Then follow them over to the museum lawn, where they'll light the tree, and then Santa will settle in for an evening of fielding holiday requests from Manassas kids. Take a spin around the ice-skating rink or enjoy the kid-friendly games and the holiday photo booth at the Harris Pavilion. The following morning, come to downtown Manassas for the Christmas parade. Santa will make another guest appearance, along with many locally crafted holiday floats, starting at 10 a.m.

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Chances are you already have your Thanksgiving menu all figured out, from the mashed potatoes to the pumpkin pie. But you may have forgotten about one integral component of every Thanksgiving table: the centerpiece. Don't panic; you still have time to right this wrong. Come to the Thanksgiving Centerpiece Workshop at the Center for the Arts on Sunday, November 19th.

From 2 to 4 p.m., Doug Burroughs of The Flower Gallery will use his skills as a florist to help you create an autumnal centerpiece as beautiful as your Thanksgiving feast. The centerpiece will be stunning, but it won't overpower your spread of Thanksgiving dishes. It will mix curving willow branches with a fall-inspired trim and other seasonal extras. You don't need any previous experience to attend the class; just pay the $55 class fee and come ready to learn.

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Looking for a fun place to usher in the holiday season? Head to Harris Pavilion, link arms with some friends, and glide around Manassas's ice rink! Open seasonally, this outdoor ice rink features a "quality sound system, premium lighting, and satellite music."

Hours depend on the day, with the longest days being Friday through Sunday. Admission runs $8 per adult and $7 per child 10 and under, with skate rentals available for an extra $5. If you think you’ll become frequent skaters, consider a season pass or a 10-visit pass to save a couple dollars.

If you’re looking to take it up a notch and learn the basics of the sport, try the 4-week long Learn to Skate session. The class is only $70, so it's definitely worth it, or you could even gift it during the holidays.

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