Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Gilbert for 2026, and here is what he found: 2 family events. They are Disguise a Gingerbread Competition (December 2) and Gingerbread Man Preschool Craft (December 11). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Arizona Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Gilbert
- 2 Christmas events for kids in Gilbert
- Season: December 2 (Disguise a Gingerbread Competition) to December 11 (Gingerbread Man Preschool Craft)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Gilbert
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Holiday crafts
Disguise a Gingerbread Competition
- When: Wednesday, December 2, 2026, 3:30 to 4:30 pm
- Where: Southeast Regional Library, Shakespeare Room, 775 N Greenfield Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85234 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page; registration required
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Each participant gets a paper gingerbread person and a pile of supplies from the library, then dresses it up in a disguise. The most convincing disguise wins the contest.
It takes place on Wednesday, December 2, 2026, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm in the Shakespeare Room at Southeast Regional Library, 775 N Greenfield Road. Everyone who takes part needs their own registration, which opens online on November 25 at 10:00 am. The page lists no price and gives 602-652-3000 for questions.
Parent tip: Registration opens only a week ahead, on November 25 at 10:00 am, and each child decorating needs a separate sign-up, so set a reminder. The 3:30 pm start makes it an easy after-school stop.
- Host
- Maricopa County Library District, Southeast Regional Library (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Southeast Regional Library, Shakespeare Room, 775 N Greenfield Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85234 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 1 more Gilbert event researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Gilbert.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Gilbert before they fill up.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
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Holiday crafts
Gingerbread Man Preschool Craft
- When: Friday, December 11, 2026, 10:15 to 10:45 am
- Where: Southeast Regional Library, Shakespeare Room, 775 N Greenfield Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85234 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page; registration required
- Ages: Ages 3 to 5
Expand to see the parent tip
Preschoolers put together a gingerbread man craft with a grown-up helping alongside. The library keeps the group to ages 3 to 5 so that everyone works at a similar pace.
The craft is on Friday, December 11, 2026, from 10:15 to 10:45 am in the Shakespeare Room at Southeast Regional Library. Registration is required for each person making the craft and opens online on December 4 at 10:00 am. No price is listed.
Parent tip: The session lasts just 30 minutes, so arrive on time. The page limits it to ages 3 to 5, which means older or younger siblings sit this one out; the December 2 gingerbread disguise contest at the same library takes all ages.
- Host
- Maricopa County Library District, Southeast Regional Library (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Southeast Regional Library, Shakespeare Room, 775 N Greenfield Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85234 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Gilbert events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Gilbert daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Gilbert.
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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 Arizona Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Gilbert Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Disguise a Gingerbread Competition in Gilbert on December 2; the last runs to December 11. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Disguise a Gingerbread CompetitionGilbert · Dec 2
- Gingerbread Man Preschool CraftGilbert · Dec 11
Looking further afield? Our Arizona Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale and Phoenix. 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.
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 Amazon2026 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 Gilbert
Gilbert is the most populous incorporated town in the United States, yet a century ago it was a farm community known as the Hay Shipping Capital of the World. In December, families will find gingerbread programs for kids at Southeast Regional Library on Greenfield Road.
How Gilbert celebrates
The organizer pages gathered for this guide show a library-centered holiday season for kids. The Maricopa County Library District runs two gingerbread programs in the Shakespeare Room at Southeast Regional Library, 775 N Greenfield Road. On Wednesday, December 2, 2026, the Disguise a Gingerbread Competition has participants dress up a paper gingerbread person, with a prize for the best disguise. On Friday, December 11, the Gingerbread Man Preschool Craft welcomes ages 3 to 5. Both require registration. The district's calendar also shows gingerbread programs at other branches in December, including Fountain Hills and Guadalupe. Neither Gilbert page calls its program annual.
Fun facts about Christmas in Gilbert
Gilbert was established by William "Bobby" Gilbert, who provided land to the Arizona Eastern Railway in 1902 for a rail line between Phoenix and Florence. The town incorporated on July 6, 1920, and was known as the Hay Capital of the World from 1911 until the late 1920s. Its first store, Ayer's Grocery, opened in 1910. Wikipedia gives a population of 287,285 as of 2025, which makes Gilbert the fourth most populous municipality in Arizona.
Traditions today
- Disguise a Gingerbread Competition: Kids dress up a paper gingerbread person with library supplies, and the best disguise wins.
- Gingerbread Man Preschool Craft: Children ages 3 to 5 make a gingerbread man craft with a grown-up in a 30-minute session.
- Southeast Regional Library: Both programs meet in the Shakespeare Room of this Maricopa County Library District branch on Greenfield Road.
- The water tower: Wikipedia notes that the town's tourism site highlights a color-changing water tower among Gilbert's sights.
A fact for kids
Gilbert was once called the Hay Capital of the World because so much hay was shipped out along its rail line. Today it has been described as the largest town in America.
Questions about Christmas in Gilbert
When was Gilbert, Arizona founded?
Gilbert traces its start to 1902, when William "Bobby" Gilbert provided land to the Arizona Eastern Railway for a rail line between Phoenix and Florence. Its first store, Ayer's Grocery, opened in 1910, and the town was incorporated on July 6, 1920.
How did Gilbert get its name?
The town is named for William "Bobby" Gilbert, who according to Wikipedia established it by providing land to the Arizona Eastern Railway in 1902. The railway used that land to build a line connecting Phoenix and Florence, Arizona.
Why was Gilbert called the Hay Capital of the World?
After the rail line arrived, Gilbert became a farming community helped by the Roosevelt Dam and the Eastern and Consolidated Canals. Wikipedia says it was known as the Hay Capital of the World from 1911 until the late 1920s, and also as the Hay Shipping Capital of the World.
Is Gilbert a town or a city?
Gilbert remains incorporated as a town. Wikipedia calls it the most populous incorporated town in the United States, with 287,285 people as of 2025, and notes it has been described as the largest town in America. Neighboring Mesa and Chandler are incorporated as cities.
What happens at Christmas for kids in Gilbert?
Southeast Regional Library hosts two gingerbread programs in December 2026: the Disguise a Gingerbread Competition on Wednesday, December 2, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm, and the Gingerbread Man Preschool Craft on Friday, December 11, from 10:15 to 10:45 am for ages 3 to 5.
Where are the gingerbread programs held?
Both meet in the Shakespeare Room at Southeast Regional Library, 775 N Greenfield Road, Gilbert, AZ 85234. The library is a branch of the Maricopa County Library District, and its event pages give 602-652-3000 as the contact phone number.
Who organizes them?
The Maricopa County Library District organizes both programs and handles sign-up on its events website. Registration for the December 2 contest opens November 25, 2026, at 10:00 am, and registration for the December 11 preschool craft opens December 4 at 10:00 am.
Are the library's holiday programs free?
The event pages list no price for either program, and the contest page says the materials are provided. The pages do not use the word free, so treat that as unconfirmed. Registration is required for each person who takes part.
Sources
- Gilbert, Arizona, Wikipedia
- Disguise a Gingerbread Competition, Maricopa County Library District
- Gingerbread Man Preschool Craft, Maricopa County Library District
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 Arizona city.
Gilbert Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Gilbert to start with?
Two gingerbread programs at Southeast Regional Library make an easy start. The Disguise a Gingerbread Competition is on Wednesday, December 2, 2026, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm and takes all ages. The Gingerbread Man Preschool Craft follows on Friday, December 11, from 10:15 to 10:45 am for ages 3 to 5.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Gilbert?
The Maricopa County Library District pages for the Disguise a Gingerbread Competition on December 2, 2026, and the Gingerbread Man Preschool Craft on December 11 list no price. The contest page says materials are provided. Both require registration for each person taking part.
Where can kids meet Santa in Gilbert?
The two library programs in this guide do not include Santa. Both are gingerbread crafts at Southeast Regional Library, on December 2 and December 11, 2026. Families looking for a Santa visit will need to check other organizers in town, since none is confirmed here.
Which Gilbert holiday events need tickets or sign-up?
Both do. Registration for the Disguise a Gingerbread Competition opens on November 25, 2026, at 10:00 am, and registration for the Gingerbread Man Preschool Craft opens on December 4 at 10:00 am. Each person taking part needs a separate sign-up through the library district's event pages.
Is there a holiday program for preschoolers in Gilbert?
Yes. The Gingerbread Man Preschool Craft at Southeast Regional Library on Friday, December 11, 2026, is meant only for ages 3 to 5. It lasts 30 minutes, from 10:15 to 10:45 am, in the Shakespeare Room, and a grown-up helps each child with the craft.
Where is Southeast Regional Library in Gilbert?
Southeast Regional Library is at 775 N Greenfield Road in Gilbert, and it is part of the Maricopa County Library District. Both December 2026 gingerbread programs meet in its Shakespeare Room. The event pages list 602-652-3000 as the contact number.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Gilbert?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Arizona Christmas train rides guide. This Gilbert 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.