Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Jersey City for 2026, and here is what he found: 3 family events. They are Holiday Toy Giveaway (December 1), Hudson County's 2nd Annual Toy Giveaway (December 15) and Jersey Nutcracker at Loew's Jersey Theatre (December 19). 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 Jersey City
- 3 Christmas events for kids in Jersey City
- Meet Santa: Holiday Toy Giveaway (December 1) and Hudson County's 2nd Annual Toy Giveaway (December 15)
- Also on the list: 1 Christmas show and 1 Christmas light display
- Season: December 1 (Holiday Toy Giveaway) to December 19 (Jersey Nutcracker at Loew's Jersey Theatre)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
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All 3 events
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Jersey City
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Holiday event
Holiday Toy Giveaway
- When: Tuesday, December 1, 2026, 6:30 to 7:30 pm (Toy pick-up is listed for 6:30 pm, after the tree and menorah lighting. The organizer's page shows the event ending at 7:30 pm and a 5:00 am start that looks like a typo, so confirm the ceremony start time)
- Where: Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall, stage area, 194 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07302 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed; register each child by November 27
- Ages: Children
Expand to see the parent tip
This toy giveaway is built into the HDSID Christmas tree and menorah lighting on the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall. The evening around the stage lists gifts from Santa, cookies, hot chocolate and a bounce house, and registered children collect a toy once the lighting ceremony is over.
It takes place Tuesday, December 1, 2026, with toy pick-up listed for 6:30 pm at the pedestrian mall stage by Morlees. Families must send in one form per child by November 27, 2026. Gift lines form only after the ceremony has ended, and the page lists no cost.
Parent tip: Fill in a separate form for each child before the November 27 deadline, since pick-up depends on it. Lines do not start until the lighting ceremony finishes, so let the kids enjoy the bounce house and hot chocolate first instead of queueing early.
- Host
- Whole Spectrum Autism with HDSID and Smile Preschool + Nursery (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall, stage area, 194 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07302 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Jersey City events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Jersey City daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Jersey City.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 2 more Jersey City events 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 Jersey City.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Jersey City 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.
Coming up on this page
- 2 Santa
- 2 Breakfast and treats
- 1 Lights
- 1 Shows
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Jersey City every week.
Santa visit
Hudson County's 2nd Annual Toy Giveaway
- When: Tuesday, December 15, 2026, 4:30 to 8:30 pm
- Where: Brennan Courthouse Rotunda, 583 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07306 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed; registration requested
- Ages: Children and families
Expand to see the parent tip
Hudson County holds its second annual toy giveaway under the rotunda of the Brennan Courthouse. Families come for sweet treats, presents for the children and photos with Santa.
It runs Tuesday, December 15, 2026, from 4:30 to 8:30 pm. The county asks families to register and to enter each child's age so it can prepare for them. No cost is listed on the page.
Parent tip: Enter every child's age when you register, because the county uses the ages to get ready for them. The four-hour window on a school night leaves room to come after homework or dinner instead of right at 4:30 pm.
- Host
- County of Hudson (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Brennan Courthouse Rotunda, 583 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07306 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Jersey City events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Jersey City daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Jersey City.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Holiday show
Jersey Nutcracker at Loew's Jersey Theatre
- When: Sat December 19 (11 am) and Sat December 19 (4 pm), 2026 (Two performances, 11:00 am and 4:00 pm)
- Where: Loew's Jersey Theatre, 54 Journal Square Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07306 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Tickets required; no price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: Families
Expand to see the parent tip
Nimbus Dance relocates Tchaikovsky's ballet to the Garden State: two kids from different sides of town find a magical nutcracker in a golden suitcase and chase it through city streets, back alleys and down a magical manhole. The company's professional dancers share the stage with young performers from across New Jersey, with oversized sets, animated projections and jazzy choreography alongside the Sugar Plum Fairy. After 16 years, this is the production's first run at the 1929 Loew's Jersey Theatre.
There are two performances on Saturday, December 19, 2026, at 11:00 am and 4:00 pm. Tickets are required and Nimbus asks buyers to use only its official Ticketmaster link; the page gives no prices. A sensory-inclusive performance is also set for Saturday, December 5 at 2:00 pm at Nimbus Arts Center, 329 Warren Street.
Parent tip: If your child is sensitive to noise or crowds, look at the sensory-inclusive performance on December 5 at Nimbus Arts Center rather than the big theatre shows. Buy only through the official Ticketmaster link, because Nimbus says it cannot verify tickets from third-party sellers.
- Host
- Nimbus Dance (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Loew's Jersey Theatre, 54 Journal Square Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07306 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Jersey City events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Jersey City daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Jersey City.
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 Jersey City Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Holiday Toy Giveaway in Jersey City on December 1; 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.
- Holiday Toy GiveawayJersey City · Dec 1
- Hudson County's 2nd Annual Toy GiveawayJersey City · Dec 15
- Jersey Nutcracker at Loew's Jersey TheatreJersey City · Dec 19
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 Secaucus, Lyndhurst, Newark, NJ and Glen Ridge. 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 Jersey City
Jersey City grew from Bergen, a Dutch village chartered in 1661 around what is now Bergen Square, which Wikipedia describes as the first town square in North America. Christmas in the city today runs from a tree and menorah lighting on the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall to Santa under the county courthouse rotunda and a homegrown Nutcracker at Loew's Jersey Theatre.
How Jersey City celebrates
The season opens on Tuesday, December 1, 2026, when the HDSID Christmas tree and menorah lighting on the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall is paired with a Holiday Toy Giveaway organized with Whole Spectrum Autism and Smile Preschool + Nursery. On December 15 the County of Hudson holds what it calls its 2nd Annual Toy Giveaway, with Santa photos in the Brennan Courthouse Rotunda; Jersey City is the county seat. On December 19 Nimbus Dance presents Jersey Nutcracker, which the company says has run for 16 years, at Loew's Jersey Theatre for the first time, as the 1929 theatre reopens its doors to the public.
Fun facts about Christmas in Jersey City
Jersey City was incorporated in 1838 and is New Jersey's second-most populous city, with 292,449 residents in the 2020 census. The Dutch settled the area in the 17th century as Pavonia, a name that means land of the peacock. The village of Bergen, chartered on September 5, 1661, is regarded as the first permanent settlement and oldest municipality in what became New Jersey. The city's motto is Let Jersey Prosper, and its seal shows Henry Hudson's ship, the Half Moon.
Traditions today
- Tree and menorah lighting on Newark Avenue: The HDSID Christmas tree and menorah lighting ceremony takes place at the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall stage on Tuesday, December 1, 2026.
- Holiday Toy Giveaway: After the December 1 lighting, registered children line up for gifts in a giveaway organized by Whole Spectrum Autism, HDSID and Smile Preschool + Nursery.
- Santa in the courthouse rotunda: Hudson County's 2nd Annual Toy Giveaway brings sweet treats, presents and photos with Santa to the Brennan Courthouse Rotunda on December 15, 2026.
- Jersey Nutcracker: Nimbus Dance's New Jersey retelling of The Nutcracker, which the company says has run for 16 years, plays twice on December 19, 2026.
- Loew's Jersey Theatre: The 1929 Loew's Jersey Theatre hosts Jersey Nutcracker for the first time this season as it reopens its doors to the public.
A fact for kids
The old Dutch name for this area, Pavonia, means land of the peacock. The city seal shows the Half Moon, the small ship Henry Hudson anchored nearby in 1609.
Questions about Christmas in Jersey City
When was Jersey City founded?
The Dutch settled the area in the 17th century as Pavonia, and the village of Bergen was established in 1660 and chartered on September 5, 1661. Jersey City itself was incorporated in 1838, and it later annexed Van Vorst Township, Bergen City, Hudson City and Greenville Township.
Where does the name Jersey come from?
In 1664 the Duke of York granted the land between the Hudson and Delaware rivers to Sir George Carteret, who named it New Jersey after his homeland, the Channel Island of Jersey. The Wikipedia text supplied here does not explain separately how Jersey City chose its own name.
What was Pavonia?
Pavonia was the Dutch colony on the west bank of the Hudson River, named for Michael Pauw, who received a land grant dated November 22, 1630. Pavonia is the Latinized form of his name and means land of the peacock. A house was built at Communipaw in 1633.
How many people live in Jersey City?
The 2020 census counted 292,449 residents, up 18.1 percent from 247,597 in 2010, which makes Jersey City the second-most populous city in New Jersey after Newark. It is also the county seat of Hudson County and the largest city in the county by area.
What happened at Paulus Hook during the Revolution?
American patriots built a fort at Paulus Hook in 1776, and the British occupied it that September. On August 19, 1779, Major Henry Lee led about 300 men in a night attack known as the Battle of Paulus Hook, damaging the fort and taking 158 British prisoners.
How do you get between Jersey City and Manhattan?
The Holland Tunnel, the PATH rapid transit system, NJ Transit buses and NY Waterway ferries all cross the Hudson River between Jersey City and Manhattan. Ferries have a long history here: the Communipaw Ferry began running to New Amsterdam in 1661.
What is the Loew's Jersey Theatre?
Wikipedia lists the Loew's Jersey Theatre among Jersey City's cultural venues. Nimbus Dance describes it as an iconic 1929 Wonder Theatre that is reopening its doors to the public, and the company's Jersey Nutcracker performs there for the first time on December 19, 2026.
What happens at Christmas for kids in Jersey City?
In 2026 the listings include a Christmas tree and menorah lighting with a Holiday Toy Giveaway on December 1, Hudson County's 2nd Annual Toy Giveaway with Santa on December 15, and two performances of Nimbus Dance's Jersey Nutcracker at Loew's Jersey Theatre on December 19.
Where is the Jersey City tree lighting?
The HDSID Christmas tree and menorah lighting ceremony is at the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall stage area on Tuesday, December 1, 2026. The evening also lists gifts from Santa, cookies, hot chocolate and a bounce house, with toys handed to registered children after the ceremony.
Who organizes Christmas events in Jersey City?
The December 1 toy giveaway page names HDSID, Whole Spectrum Autism and Smile Preschool + Nursery as organizers. The County of Hudson runs the December 15 toy giveaway at the Brennan Courthouse, and the dance company Nimbus Dance produces Jersey Nutcracker.
Which Jersey City Christmas events cost nothing?
Neither toy giveaway page lists a cost, though both ask families to register their children in advance, and the December 1 form is due by November 27. Jersey Nutcracker is a ticketed show sold through Ticketmaster, and its page does not give prices.
Sources
- Jersey City, New Jersey, Wikipedia
- Holiday Toy Giveaway 2026, Whole Spectrum Autism
- Hudson County's 2nd Annual Toy Giveaway, County of Hudson
- Jersey Nutcracker at Loew's Jersey Theatre and Beyond, Nimbus Dance
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.
Jersey City Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What is the best Christmas event for kids to start with in Jersey City?
The tree and menorah lighting on the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall on Tuesday, December 1, 2026, is a good opener, with Santa, cookies, hot chocolate and a bounce house. For a sit-down outing, Nimbus Dance performs Jersey Nutcracker at Loew's Jersey Theatre on Saturday, December 19, at 11:00 am and 4:00 pm.
Are there Christmas toy giveaways for kids in Jersey City?
Yes, two. The Holiday Toy Giveaway hands out gifts to registered children after the December 1 tree and menorah lighting on Newark Avenue, and Hudson County's 2nd Annual Toy Giveaway is on Tuesday, December 15, from 4:30 to 8:30 pm at the Brennan Courthouse Rotunda. Neither page lists a cost.
Where can kids meet Santa in Jersey City?
Santa appears at both toy giveaways. Gifts from Santa are part of the Tuesday, December 1, 2026, lighting event at the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall stage, and families can take photos with Santa in the Brennan Courthouse Rotunda during Hudson County's toy giveaway on Tuesday, December 15.
Are there Christmas shows or light displays for kids in Jersey City?
Nimbus Dance's Jersey Nutcracker plays Loew's Jersey Theatre on Saturday, December 19, 2026, with an earlier sensory-inclusive performance on December 5 at Nimbus Arts Center. For lights, the HDSID Christmas tree and menorah lighting ceremony takes place on the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall on Tuesday, December 1.
Which Jersey City Christmas events need tickets or registration?
Jersey Nutcracker needs tickets, and Nimbus Dance asks families to buy only through its official Ticketmaster link. The Holiday Toy Giveaway requires one form per child by November 27, 2026. Hudson County also asks families to register each child's age ahead of its December 15 toy giveaway.
Is there a sensory-friendly Christmas show in Jersey City?
Yes. Nimbus Dance lists a sensory-inclusive performance of Jersey Nutcracker on Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 2:00 pm at Nimbus Arts Center, 329 Warren Street. It comes two weeks before the production's two performances at Loew's Jersey Theatre on December 19.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Jersey City?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s New Jersey Christmas train rides guide. This Jersey City 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.