If your family Christmas tradition includes a visit to DFW each year, this year may be a little different. ICE! is not returning to the Gaylord in 2021.

I visited the ICE! event several years ago, and it was so much fun. When I attended in 2015, it was a Christmas Around the World theme, and so beautiful. Ice sculptures were created and dyed to look like people from all around the world, and showed Christmas traditions and customs from each country. It was literally very cool.

To say it was cold in there... is an understatement. It was literally freezing, and they provided think, large coats for you to wear as you entered. I imagine, the presence of COVID and the process of sharing coats, are part of the reason the event is not happening.

This year, instead of ICE!, the Gaylord invites you to help save Christmas with Buddy the Elf. Doesn’t this sound like a cool unique experience? I mean, I love the film with Will Ferrel and it sound like kids of all ages would delight in the wonder of helping Mr. Narwhal and friends from the Candy Cane forget embark on this special mission.

It’s no doubt a pricey endeavor to stay overnight and experience all things Christmas at the Gaylord. It’s not something every family will want fork over their savings to enjoy, but it I can see how magical memories could be created even by taking a day trip and exploring one or two of the holiday activities.

What else is available aside from the Elf experience? I’m glad you asked. There’s snow tubing, a Cirque performance, photos with Santa, ice skating, craft workshops, an escape room and you can even build a snowman. It’s pretty wild to believe all of this is happening indoors in Grapevine, TX.

Is it worth the drive up from East Texas? That will be up to each family, but I can tell you my experience to see ICE! in 2015 was worth it and if I can find time to sneak up to the Gaylord this December, I’ll probably check out their holiday decorations and maybe take in a meal at their Mexican restaurant onsite.

If you don’t want to deal with the traffic in DFW, there are plenty of wonderful holiday activities right here at home. We have Christmas Parades beginning soon. There are loads of Drive Thru Christmas Parks and of course Marshall’s Wonderland of Lights. We've got plenty to see and do right here at home.

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