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Christmas with kids in Germantown
In Germantown, Maryland, Santa starts his ride at a police station. Each December a procession led by Santa and Montgomery County police sets off from Aircraft Drive to collect toys for children.
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The story of Christmas in Germantown
How Germantown celebrates
Germantown is a Montgomery County community, so many of its Christmas traditions are county-wide ones with a local starting point. The annual Santa Ride begins at the 5th District Police Station on Aircraft Drive in Germantown. Santa and the county police's traffic section lead a procession that collects toys and gifts for the Children's Inn at the National Institutes of Health. Locally, the Germantown Volunteer Fire Department has also welcomed families for free visits with Santa, and families can head to nearby Gaithersburg for tree lightings and light displays.
Christmas last year in Germantown
The 2025 Santa Ride took place on Wednesday, December 10, leaving the Germantown police station at 10 a.m. Its stops included Tractor Supply in Poolesville, Weis Supermarket in Damascus, Harris Teeter in Olney, two Target stores, Rockville Town Center and Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, with each stop lasting roughly 15 to 30 minutes. The most recent Santa visit we confirmed at the Germantown Volunteer Fire Department, on Crystal Rock Drive, was a free event on Saturday, December 14, 2024, from 10 a.m. to noon, open to children and pets.
Fun facts about Christmas in Germantown
The Santa Ride is a toy drive on wheels, collecting gifts for the Children's Inn at the National Institutes of Health. Santa's route covers Germantown, Poolesville, Damascus, Olney, Gaithersburg, Rockville and Bethesda in a single day. The Germantown Library on Century Boulevard holds Family Storytime sessions for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, a calm way to share books in winter. Nearby Gaithersburg has also hosted a free tree lighting and a Winter Lights drive-through of more than 450 displays on a 3.5-mile route.
Trains and Christmas near Germantown
Germantown's neighbor Gaithersburg grew along the B&O line, and kids can still see that history up close. The free Gaithersburg Community Museum sits in an 1884 B&O freight house, with a 1918 steam engine, a caboose kids can play in and real trains passing on the active line. The National Capital Trolley Museum in Colesville lets families ride real Washington streetcars, and the Brunswick Heritage Museum shows the town's B&O railroad and canal past. Check each site for current hours.
- Gaithersburg Community Museum: It is a free, hands-on museum in an 1884 B&O freight house with a caboose kids can play in.
- National Capital Trolley Museum: Tickets include unlimited rides on real Washington streetcars through the woods.
- Brunswick Heritage Museum: It has a kids' play and dress-up room and an HO layout of the B&O line from Washington to Brunswick.
Traditions today
- The Santa Ride: Santa and county police start a procession at the Germantown police station to collect toys for the Children's Inn at NIH.
- Santa at the fire station: The Germantown Volunteer Fire Department hosted a free Santa visit on December 14, 2024.
- Toy collecting: Families can meet the Santa Ride at stops like Rockville Town Center and Pike & Rose and share gifts.
- Family Storytime: Germantown Library offers Family Storytime for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.
- Gaithersburg tree lighting: A free Jingle Jubilee and Tree Lighting at the Olde Towne pavilion drew families in 2022.
- Winter Lights drive: A 3.5-mile drive of more than 450 lit displays at Seneca Creek State Park ran nightly in the 2022 season.
A fact for kids
In Germantown, Santa's ride starts at a police station and visits seven places in one day. Along the way he collects toys for kids at a children's inn.
Questions about Christmas in Germantown
What is Germantown's best-known Christmas tradition?
The annual Santa Ride is the most visible one. A procession led by Santa and the Montgomery County Department of Police's traffic section leaves the 5th District Police Station on Aircraft Drive in Germantown and collects toys and gifts for the Children's Inn at the National Institutes of Health.
When was the 2025 Santa Ride?
It was on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, starting at 10 a.m. from the police station in Germantown. Stops included Poolesville, Damascus, Olney, Gaithersburg, Rockville and Pike & Rose in North Bethesda. Dates change each year, so check county announcements for 2026 before you plan.
Why does the Santa Ride collect toys?
The ride is a toy and gift drive for the Children's Inn at the National Institutes of Health, a place that supports children and families. Families can bring a toy to a stop along the route. It is also a simple way to talk with kids about giving to other children.
Can my kids meet Santa at the Germantown fire station?
The Germantown Volunteer Fire Department hosted a free Santa visit on Saturday, December 14, 2024, from 10 a.m. to noon at 20001 Crystal Rock Drive. Children and pets of any age were welcome. We have not confirmed a 2026 date, so check with the department.
Is there a Christmas parade in Germantown, MD?
We did not find a confirmed town parade in Germantown. The Santa Ride is the closest, a moving procession with stops around the county. Nearby Gaithersburg holds a tree lighting with music, and our Germantown Christmas events guide on this page lists current options.
What happens at the Gaithersburg tree lighting?
In 2022 the Gaithersburg Jingle Jubilee and Tree Lighting was held on Saturday, December 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Olde Towne Concert Pavilion, with free admission. It is a short drive from Germantown, and details change each year, so check the city's calendar.
What is the Winter Lights drive?
It is a drive-through display of more than 450 lit scenes along a 3.5-mile route at Seneca Creek State Park near Gaithersburg. In the 2022 season it ran nightly through December 31 and closed on December 25. Confirm current dates and prices before you go.
Are there Christmas lights at Brookside Gardens?
Brookside Gardens hosted the Garden of Lights, open through January 1 in the 2022 season and closed December 24 and 25. It is in Montgomery County, within driving distance of Germantown. Check the park's current schedule for the coming season before you plan an evening there.
Does Germantown Library have story times in winter?
Yes. Germantown Library, at 19840 Century Boulevard, offers Family Storytime for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Children under 8 need an adult with them. Holiday-themed sessions vary from year to year, so check the library calendar for current times before you plan a winter visit.
How do I explain the Santa Ride to my kids?
Tell them Santa takes a big ride through Montgomery County with police escorts and collects toys for children at the Children's Inn. He starts in Germantown and stops at places like Olney and Rockville. It is a good chance to talk about sharing gifts with other kids.
Where does the Santa Ride stop?
In 2025 the stops were Tractor Supply in Poolesville, Weis Supermarket in Damascus, Harris Teeter in Olney, Target in Cherry Hill, Target in Rio in Gaithersburg, Rockville Town Center and Pike & Rose in North Bethesda. Each had a window of roughly 15 to 30 minutes.
Is the Santa Ride good for little kids?
It can be, because the stops are short and in familiar places like grocery stores and town centers. The 2025 windows ranged from about 15 to 30 minutes, so toddlers do not have to wait long. Times are approximate, so arrive a few minutes early.
What is Germantown's Christmas history?
Germantown's celebrations today are mostly community and county events rather than a single long-running festival. We found the county Santa Ride and a fire station Santa visit as the clearest local traditions, plus nearby Gaithersburg events. We did not find a verified early history, so we stick to what we confirmed.
Can pets visit Santa in Germantown?
At the Germantown Volunteer Fire Department event on December 14, 2024, children and pets of any age were invited to visit Santa, and admission was free. That may not be true every year, so check the host before bringing a dog or cat to a Santa visit.
Which train museum is closest to Germantown?
The Gaithersburg Community Museum is the closest on our list. It is free and sits in an 1884 B&O freight house, with a 1918 steam engine, a caboose kids can play in, a 1953 Rail Diesel Car and real trains passing on the active line. Check hours before you go.
Can kids ride a trolley near Germantown?
The National Capital Trolley Museum in Colesville lets families ride real Washington streetcars on a mile of track through Northwest Branch Park. Every ticket includes unlimited rides, and Street Car Hall holds the largest collection of DC streetcars. It is open Saturdays from 12 to 5 p.m.
What can kids do at the Brunswick Heritage Museum?
Brunswick Heritage Museum has a three-floor exhibit of the town's B&O railroad and C&O Canal past, a kids' play and dress-up room and an HO layout of the line from Washington to Brunswick. The suggested donation is $5. Check the museum for current hours and holiday displays.
How did the B&O railroad shape this part of Maryland?
The B&O line ran through nearby towns such as Gaithersburg and Brunswick, and local museums keep that history alive with freight houses, cabooses and model layouts. Visiting one is an easy way to link Maryland's railroad past to the season, even without a holiday-specific train.
Where can I find current Christmas events for kids in Germantown?
See our Germantown Christmas events guide on this page for current kids' holiday listings such as Santa visits, story times and light displays. Dates change every year, so use each host's own page to confirm times, prices and registration before you head out.
How should I plan a Germantown holiday outing with kids?
Pick a Santa visit or the Santa Ride, add a library story time and finish with a lights display or a trip to a nearby train museum. Our Germantown Christmas events guide on this page lists current options. Dress warmly and check each host's schedule first.
Sources
- Santa at Germantown Volunteer Fire Department, Macaroni Kid Rockville
- Santa Ride 2025 (Montgomery County Police), MoCoShow
- Christmas and Hanukkah events in the Germantown area, Patch
- Family Storytime, Germantown Library, Montgomery County Public Libraries
- Gaithersburg Community Museum, Rally Takes the Train museum guide
- National Capital Trolley Museum, Rally Takes the Train museum guide
- Brunswick Heritage Museum, Rally Takes the Train museum guide