Christmas Events for Kids in Bergenfield (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

Updated 4 min read

Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Bergenfield for 2026, and here is what he found: 7 family events. The magic runs from December 3 (Make a Clay Ornament) through December 19, with Holiday Lights Parade (December 5), Santa Run (December 12) and Bloom Empowerment Holiday Event (December 19) along the way. We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our New Jersey Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Bergenfield

  • 7 Christmas events for kids in Bergenfield
  • Meet Santa: Santa Run (December 12) and Bloom Empowerment Holiday Event (December 19)
  • Parades and tree lightings: Holiday Lights Parade (December 5)
  • Also on the list: 1 Christmas show, 1 Christmas light display and 3 craft workshops
  • Season: December 3 (Make a Clay Ornament) to December 19 (Bloom Empowerment Holiday Event)
  • Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10

Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Bergenfield

Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.

Holiday crafts

Make a Clay Ornament

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Kids in grades 3 to 5 shape a holiday ornament out of clay in the library's second floor activity room and take home a design that is entirely their own. The library frames it as a keepsake for either Hanukkah or Christmas, so children can steer the project toward whichever holiday their family keeps.

The workshop is on Thursday, December 3, 2026, from 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. Sign-up through the library's online calendar is required, each child needs a separate registration, and one adult may come along per registered child. The listing does not show a fee.

Parent tip: This is a small group, with only a dozen seats showing on the listing, and the library checks that children are actually in grades 3 to 5. Register each child on their own form well ahead, since a sibling cannot be added at the door.

Host
Bergenfield Public Library (opens in a new tab)
Address
Bergenfield Public Library, Children's Activity Room (2nd Floor), 50 W Clinton Ave, Bergenfield, NJ 07621 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Bergenfield Public Library (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 6 more Bergenfield events researched for you.

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Coming up on this page

  • 3 Crafts
  • 2 Santa
  • 1 Lights
  • 1 Parades

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Holiday event

Toddler Holiday Movies

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Three Thursday mornings of short films picked for very young viewers, with a different holiday each week. The December 3 session is about Hanukkah, December 10 is the Christmas one, and December 17 turns to Kwanzaa.

Each session runs from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. on December 3, 10 and 17, 2026, for children ages 1 to 4. Registration is required and has to be done separately for every session you plan to attend. The series is limited to Bergenfield residents, the form asks for a library barcode, and one adult may accompany each registered child.

Parent tip: Signing up for the December 10 Christmas session does not hold a spot on the other two Thursdays, so register for each date you want. Have your Bergenfield library card handy, because the form asks for the barcode number.

Host
Bergenfield Public Library (opens in a new tab)
Address
Bergenfield Public Library, Children's Activity Room (2nd Floor), 50 W Clinton Ave, Bergenfield, NJ 07621 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Bergenfield Public Library (opens in a new tab)

New Bergenfield events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Bergenfield daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Bergenfield.

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Holiday parade

Holiday Lights Parade

  • When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 6 pm (Starts at 6:00 p.m., right after the borough's Holiday at the Pond. No end time or route is given in the 2026 notice.)
  • Where: Streets of Bergenfield, Bergenfield, NJ (opens in maps)
  • Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
  • Ages: All ages
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The Bergenfield Fire Department and the Bergenfield Volunteer Ambulance Corps roll through town for their annual Holiday Lights Parade. The borough's notice times it to follow straight on from Holiday at the Pond, so the evening picks up where the afternoon at Cooper's Pond leaves off.

The parade is on Saturday, December 5, 2026, and starts at 6:00 p.m. The 2026 notice does not give a route, an end time or a cost. Questions go to the Bergenfield Fire Department.

Parent tip: No route had been posted in the borough's notice, so check with the fire department before picking a corner to watch from. It is an after-dark parade in early December, so dress small children for standing still in the cold.

Host
Bergenfield Fire Department and Bergenfield Volunteer Ambulance Corps (opens in a new tab)
Address
Streets of Bergenfield, Bergenfield, NJ (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Bergenfield Fire Department and Bergenfield Volunteer Ambulance Corps (opens in a new tab)

New Bergenfield events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Bergenfield daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Bergenfield.

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Holiday crafts

Family Gingerbread Character Contest

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Families go head to head to decorate the best gingerbread character in a single hour. The library hands out the gingerbread bodies and some candy to decorate with, and families are welcome to bring extra supplies of their own. The finished figures then go on display in the library, where visitors vote and the favorite earns a prize.

The contest is on Tuesday, December 8, 2026, from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. in the Friends Meeting Room on the lower level. Registration through the online calendar is required, and the form asks for the total number of adults and children in your group. The winner is announced on Friday, December 18. No fee is listed.

Parent tip: You get exactly one hour, so agree on a character idea at home and pack any special candy or icing you want beyond what the library supplies. Stop back in before December 18 so the kids can see their entry on display.

Host
Bergenfield Public Library (opens in a new tab)
Address
Bergenfield Public Library, Friends Meeting Room (Lower Level), 50 W Clinton Ave, Bergenfield, NJ 07621 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Bergenfield Public Library (opens in a new tab)

New Bergenfield events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Bergenfield daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Bergenfield.

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Holiday event

Santa Letter Writing

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Children arrive with a wish list and the library provides everything else they need to turn it into a proper letter to Santa. Light snacks are served while they write.

The session is on Friday, December 11, 2026, from 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. for kindergarten through grade 3. Registration is required and opens on the library's online calendar at 3:45 p.m. on Friday, November 13. Each child is registered separately, with one adult allowed per child. The listing shows no fee.

Parent tip: Have your child settle on the wish list before you come, because 45 minutes goes quickly for a kindergartner who is still deciding. Registration does not open until November 13 at 3:45 p.m., so set a reminder for that afternoon.

Host
Bergenfield Public Library (opens in a new tab)
Address
Bergenfield Public Library, Children's Activity Room (2nd Floor), 50 W Clinton Ave, Bergenfield, NJ 07621 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Bergenfield Public Library (opens in a new tab)

New Bergenfield events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Bergenfield daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Bergenfield.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Santa visit

Santa Run

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The fire department and volunteer ambulance corps spend an afternoon on their annual Santa Run. The borough has described the run as Santa making his way through Bergenfield's neighborhoods with the crews.

The 2026 run is on Saturday, December 12, from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. The notice gives a dedicated fire department email address for questions and for anyone interested in registering, and lists no cost. It does not publish a route or stop times.

Parent tip: The run covers six hours and the notice does not say when Santa reaches any given street, so email the fire department early if you want to register or learn the timing for your block.

Host
Bergenfield Fire Department and Bergenfield Volunteer Ambulance Corps (opens in a new tab)
Address
Neighborhoods across Bergenfield, Bergenfield, NJ (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Bergenfield Fire Department and Bergenfield Volunteer Ambulance Corps (opens in a new tab)

New Bergenfield events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Bergenfield daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Bergenfield.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Santa visit

Bloom Empowerment Holiday Event

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A community group called Bloom Empowerment takes over the library's lower level meeting room for pictures with Santa and a holiday toy giveaway. The library lists it as an outside group's event that anyone may attend.

It runs on Saturday, December 19, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Friends Meeting Room. The listing says it is open to all and mentions no registration. It gives no price and no details on how the toys are handed out.

Parent tip: The listing does not say how many toys there are or whether they last the full four hours, so earlier in the window is the safer bet. Bring your own phone or camera in case photos with Santa are do it yourself.

Host
Bloom Empowerment (opens in a new tab)
Address
Bergenfield Public Library, Friends Meeting Room (Lower Level), 50 W Clinton Ave, Bergenfield, NJ 07621 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Bloom Empowerment (opens in a new tab)

New Bergenfield events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Bergenfield daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Bergenfield.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our New Jersey Christmas train rides page.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Bergenfield Christmas event for kids happens

The first is Make a Clay Ornament in Bergenfield on December 3; the last runs to December 19. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.

Looking further afield? Our New Jersey Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Maywood, Paramus, Hasbrouck Heights and Wallington. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.

A story for the drive home

A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

2026 Christmas events are coming in late November

More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.

The story of Christmas in Bergenfield

Christmas in Bergenfield starts beside a pond. For years the borough has gathered at Cooper's Pond on an early December Saturday for an afternoon with Santa that ends when the tree is lit, and the fire trucks take over the streets with holiday lights soon after.

How Bergenfield celebrates

Bergenfield's main Christmas gathering is the borough's holiday party and tree lighting at Cooper's Pond, now called Holiday at the Pond. Borough announcements document it back to at least December 1, 2012, when it was already described as annual, ran from 1 to 5 p.m. and ended with the tree being lit at about 4:30. The Department of Public Works and the Recreation Committee are credited with putting it on. The Bergenfield Fire Department and Volunteer Ambulance Corps add a Holiday Lights Parade, a Santa Run and a Chanukah Run, and the borough holds a menorah lighting at Borough Hall. None of the pages reviewed gives a founding year for any of these.

Christmas last year in Bergenfield

The borough's 2025 holiday notice listed Holiday at the Pond for Saturday, December 6, from 1 to 5 p.m., with music through the afternoon and the tree lighting ceremony to follow. The Garden Club of Bergenfield scheduled its annual decorated wreath sale at Cooper's Pond for 9 a.m. that same day. The Holiday Lights Parade was set for December 13, the menorah lighting for December 16 at 5:30 p.m. at Borough Hall, the Santa Run for December 20 and the Chanukah Run for December 21.

Fun facts about Christmas in Bergenfield

In 2020 the tree lighting at Cooper's Pond was livestreamed on Sunday, December 6, in a program of about 15 to 20 minutes, because outdoor gatherings were capped at 25 people. The 2012 party featured two horse-drawn carriages, and Santa handed out gifts and candy canes to children 12 and under. In 2023 Santa and his helpers were at the pond from 1 to 4 p.m. and the tree was lit at 5:15. For the 2022 season, Girl Scout Troop 98029 made ornaments by hand for a Bergenfield tree entered in Bergen County's Winter Wonderland town tree contest at Van Saun Park.

Traditions today

  • Holiday at the Pond: The borough's annual holiday party brings Santa, snacks and music to Cooper's Pond on an early December Saturday afternoon.
  • Tree lighting at Cooper's Pond: The afternoon at the pond closes with the lighting of the borough's Christmas tree as the day gets dark.
  • Holiday Lights Parade: The fire department and volunteer ambulance corps drive vehicles decorated with holiday lights through the borough's streets.
  • Santa Run: Firefighters and ambulance volunteers bring Santa through Bergenfield's neighborhoods on a December weekend.
  • Menorah lighting and Chanukah Run: The borough lights a menorah at Borough Hall and the ambulance corps holds an annual Chanukah Run through town.
  • Garden Club wreath sale: The Garden Club of Bergenfield sells decorated wreaths at Cooper's Pond on the morning of the holiday party.

A fact for kids

At the 2012 holiday party at Cooper's Pond, kids could hop on a children's train ride with an elf on board, and two horse-drawn carriages were giving rides too.

Questions about Christmas in Bergenfield

Where is Bergenfield's Christmas tree lighting held?

At Cooper's Pond, which the borough calls historic. The lighting comes at the end of the annual holiday party there. Borough notices put it at about 4:30 p.m. in 2012 and 2015 and at 5:15 p.m. in 2023, so the exact minute has shifted from year to year.

How long has Bergenfield held a holiday party at Cooper's Pond?

The oldest borough announcement found is for Saturday, December 1, 2012, and it already called the Holiday Party and Tree Lighting an annual event. Later notices exist for 2015, 2020, 2023 and 2025. No page reviewed states the year the tradition began.

What is Holiday at the Pond?

It is the current name for the borough's holiday party at Cooper's Pond. The 2023 notice described Santa and his helpers visiting from 1 to 4 p.m., limited refreshments, and the annual tree lighting at 5:15 p.m. That year the event was open to Bergenfield residents only.

Who organizes Bergenfield's holiday party?

Borough notices credit the Department of Public Works and the Recreation Committee. The 2012 party was sponsored by a bank together with the DPW Employees Association and the Recreation Committee. In the 2023 release, Mayor Arvin Amatorio thanked both groups and said the event improves each year.

What is the Bergenfield Holiday Lights Parade?

It is a parade of emergency vehicles run by the Bergenfield Fire Department and Volunteer Ambulance Corps. The 2020 announcement described decorated vehicles with lights and sirens leaving the Prospect Fire House at 6 p.m., with Santa making an appearance. In 2026 it is set for Saturday, December 5 at 6 p.m.

What is the Santa Run in Bergenfield?

The borough's 2025 holiday notice describes it as Santa traveling through Bergenfield's neighborhoods with the fire department and volunteer ambulance corps. The 2026 notice calls it annual and sets it for Saturday, December 12, from noon to 6 p.m., with a fire department email address for questions and registration.

Does Bergenfield celebrate Hanukkah publicly too?

Yes. The borough's 2025 notice listed its annual menorah lighting at Borough Hall, 198 N. Washington Avenue, on December 16 at 5:30 p.m. The volunteer ambulance corps also holds an annual Chanukah Run through the streets, scheduled in 2026 for Sunday, December 6, from 3 to 8 p.m.

What happened to the tree lighting in 2020?

It went online. The borough lit the tree at Cooper's Pond on Sunday, December 6, 2020 at 5 p.m. and streamed about 15 to 20 minutes of lighting and holiday music, asking residents to watch from home because outdoor gatherings were limited to 25 people.

What was the holiday party like in 2012?

The announcement for December 1, 2012 listed hot dogs, hot pretzels, popcorn, coffee and hot chocolate from 1 to 4 p.m., Santa from 1:15 to 4:30 p.m. with gifts and candy canes for children 12 and under, two horse-drawn carriages and a children's train ride with an elf.

Is there a wreath sale in Bergenfield at Christmas?

The Garden Club of Bergenfield holds an annual sale of fully decorated wreaths at Cooper's Pond. In 2025 it was scheduled for Saturday, December 6, starting at 9 a.m. and running until the wreaths sold out, which was the same day as that year's Holiday at the Pond.

Sources

  1. Holiday Events 2025: Holiday Season in the Borough of Bergenfield, Borough of Bergenfield
  2. The Holidays Are Lighting Up Bergenfield: 2026 Annual BFD/BVAC Holiday Events, Borough of Bergenfield
  3. Bergenfield's Holiday Party at Cooper's Pond, December 1, 2012, Borough of Bergenfield
  4. Saturday, December 5, 2015: Holiday Party at Cooper's Pond, Borough of Bergenfield
  5. Holiday at the Pond 12/2/23, Borough of Bergenfield
  6. Holiday at the Pond @ Coopers Pond (calendar entry, December 2, 2023), Borough of Bergenfield
  7. Bergenfield Will Host Virtual Tree Lighting at Cooper's Pond on Sunday with Holiday Music, Insider NJ
  8. Bergenfield Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Corp Hosting Holiday Lights Parade on Sunday, December 20, Borough of Bergenfield
  9. Bergenfield Girl Scout Troop 98029 Decorate Borough Tree for Winter Wonderland Event, Borough of Bergenfield
  10. Garden Club of Bergenfield Annual Wreath Sale, Borough of Bergenfield

Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every New Jersey city.

Bergenfield Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

Which Christmas events for kids in Bergenfield are good ones to start with?

For a first outing, the Family Gingerbread Character Contest at Bergenfield Public Library on Tuesday, December 8, 2026 works for mixed ages, since the whole family decorates together for an hour. Families who want Santa can add the Bloom Empowerment Holiday Event at the library on Saturday, December 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Are there free holiday events for kids in Bergenfield?

None of the Bergenfield Public Library listings for December 2026 shows a fee, though the pages do not spell out that they are free. That covers Make a Clay Ornament on December 3, Toddler Holiday Movies on December 3, 10 and 17, the gingerbread contest on December 8 and Santa Letter Writing on December 11.

Where can kids meet Santa in Bergenfield?

Bloom Empowerment is hosting pictures with Santa and a toy giveaway in the library's Friends Meeting Room on Saturday, December 19, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fire department and ambulance corps also hold their annual Santa Run on Saturday, December 12, from noon to 6 p.m.

Are there holiday lights or shows for kids in Bergenfield?

The Bergenfield Fire Department and Volunteer Ambulance Corps hold their annual Holiday Lights Parade on Saturday, December 5, 2026, starting at 6 p.m., right after the borough's Holiday at the Pond. For the youngest children, the library screens short holiday movies for ages 1 to 4 on December 3, 10 and 17.

Which Bergenfield holiday events need registration?

All four library programs do: Make a Clay Ornament, Toddler Holiday Movies, the Family Gingerbread Character Contest and Santa Letter Writing. Sign-up for Santa Letter Writing opens on November 13, 2026 at 3:45 p.m. The toddler movies are for Bergenfield residents only, and each of the three sessions needs its own registration.

Do Bergenfield's holiday programs include Hanukkah and Kwanzaa?

Yes. The library's Toddler Holiday Movies series gives one Thursday each to Hanukkah on December 3, Christmas on December 10 and Kwanzaa on December 17, 2026. The clay ornament workshop on December 3 is described as fitting either Hanukkah or Christmas, and the ambulance corps holds a Chanukah Run on December 6.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Bergenfield?

Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s New Jersey Christmas train rides guide. This Bergenfield guide covers Santa visits, story times, light shows and other events off the rails.

How do you confirm these events?

We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 10, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.

Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.

Kelsey Cecil
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