Mississippi has 5 Christmas events for kids we could confirm for the 2026 season, from Journey to the North Pole in Jackson on November 22 to Holiday Village in Oxford, which runs through December 16. 1 of them is free, and every listing links straight to the host. It is one stop on our guide to Christmas events for kids in every state.
The short version
- 5 kids’ Christmas events confirmed in Mississippi for 2026, in Jackson, Meridian and Oxford
- First: Journey to the North Pole, Jackson, November 22. Runs latest: Journey to the North Pole, Jackson, through January 3
- Free: Holiday Village
- Checked on each host’s own page; each listing links straight to it
Below is every event we could confirm, grouped by city, with the date, time, cost and the small things parents ask about (sign-ups, ages, what is included). Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our Mississippi Christmas train rides page.
Mississippi Christmas events for kids at a glance
- Kids’ Christmas events
- 5 confirmed for 2026
- Cities
- Jackson, Meridian and Oxford
- Season
- November 22, 2026 to January 3, 2027
- Free events
- 1
- Kinds of events
- story time with Mrs. Claus, Santa visit and holiday lights
- Last checked
Plan your December
When each Mississippi Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Journey to the North Pole in Jackson on November 22; the last runs to December 16. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Journey to the North PoleJackson · Nov 22 to Jan 3
- Jammies at JourneyJackson · Dec 4
- Holiday VillageOxford · Dec 4 to Dec 16
- Sundays with SantaMeridian · Dec 6
- Homestead for the HolidaysJackson · Dec 10 to Dec 11
Look inside the book
Story time with Santa in Mississippi? Bring Rally home.
Rally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor. It makes a cozy bedtime story after a big day with Santa. Turn a few pages here.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $16.99 on Amazon.
See the full bookPage 1 of 8
Like it so far? See the full book
25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $16.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Christmas events for kids in Jackson
3 confirmed events for kids in Jackson, soonest first.
Jackson: Journey to the North Pole
Holiday lightsMississippi Children's Museum · Jackson
- Host
- Mississippi Children's Museum (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Mississippi Children's Museum, 2145 Museum Blvd, Jackson, MS 39202
- When
- Sunday, November 22, 2026 to Sunday, January 3, 2027 (museum hours; closed Mondays except Dec 21 and 28, Thanksgiving, Dec 24, Dec 25, Jan 1)
- Cost
- Included with museum admission
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Journey to the North Pole is the Mississippi Children's Museum's seasonal holiday exhibit, and it draws on navigation, geography and traditional holiday literature. The Gertrude C. Ford Exhibition Hall becomes a winter village of twinkling lights and train cars, where kids can glide around the Puffin Pals Play Rink in their socks, ride the 45-foot Snowflake Slide, cozy up in a re-created Eudora Welty living room and explore the new Polar Palace.
On special days, families can take photos with Santa, and the museum adds holiday programs through the season, including WonderBox Workshops, Reindeer Workshops and the Jammies at Journey pajama night. The museum is closed on Mondays (except Magic Mondays on Dec 21 and 28), Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Parent tip: Bring or wear socks for the Puffin Pals Play Rink, and check the museum's Santa dates before you go if a photo is the goal.
See dates and details from Mississippi Children's Museum (opens in a new tab)Jackson: Jammies at Journey
Santa visitMississippi Children's Museum · Jackson
- Host
- Mississippi Children's Museum (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Mississippi Children's Museum, 2145 Museum Blvd, Jackson, MS 39202
- When
- Friday, December 4, 2026, 5 to 7 pm
- Cost
- $13 per person, free for members
- Sign-up
- Recommended
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Jammies at Journey is an evening event at the Mississippi Children's Museum in Jackson, built around the Journey to the North Pole holiday exhibit. Families are invited to come dressed in their most festive pajamas, take a family photo with Santa and enjoy special after-hours time in the winter village.
The museum promises extra hours of holiday fun and programming, with the full program details still to be announced. Inside the exhibit, kids can try the sock skating rink, the 45-foot Snowflake Slide and the Polar Palace. Admission is $13 per person for non-members, and museum members get in free, so it can be a good value night for member families.
Parent tip: Wear pajamas and bring socks for the play rink. Program details are still being added, so check the event page the week of.
See dates and details from Mississippi Children's Museum (opens in a new tab)Jackson: Homestead for the Holidays
Story time with Mrs. ClausMississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum · Jackson
- Host
- Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, 1150 Lakeland Drive, Jackson, MS 39216
- When
- Thu December 10 and Fri December 11, 2026, 5 to 8 pm
- Cost
- $10 ages 3 and up
- Ages
- Admission for ages 3 and up
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Homestead for the Holidays brings two evenings of old fashioned Christmas to the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum on Thursday, December 10, and Friday, December 11, from 5 to 8 pm. Families can enjoy a sampler breakfast served for supper, storytime with Mrs. Claus and photos with Santa and Rudolph.
Around the grounds, demonstrators fill the museum's Small Town, the Fortenberry Parkman Farmstead shows Christmas in the late 1800s, and there are carousel, train and wagon rides, hands on historic crafts and live music. Kids can write a letter to Santa on a limited edition postcard printed in the Small Town Print Shop, and the General Store sells old fashioned glass bottle drinks and Mississippi made gifts. Admission is $10 for ages 3 and up, separate from regular museum admission, and included with a museum foundation membership.
Parent tip: The Santa letter postcards are limited edition, so stop by the Print Shop early in the evening. Call 601-432-4500 with questions.
See dates and details from Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum (opens in a new tab)Christmas events for kids in Meridian
1 confirmed event for kids in Meridian, soonest first.
Meridian: Sundays with Santa
Santa visitMississippi Children's Museum Meridian · Meridian
- Host
- Mississippi Children's Museum Meridian (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Mississippi Children's Museum Meridian, 403 22nd Ave, Meridian, MS 39301
- When
- Sunday, December 6, 2026, 2 to 4 pm
- Cost
- Included with museum admission
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
The Meridian branch of the Mississippi Children's Museum dresses up as Winter WONDER-Land for the season, and on Sunday afternoons in December Santa stops by. Kids can snap a picture with him beside the holiday tree, then move on to holiday crafts at the museum.
The Dec 6 visit runs from 2 to 4 pm, and the museum calendar also posts a second Sundays with Santa session later in December, including a Sunday that pairs with Sensory Friendly Hours from 11 am to 1 pm. The museum is open to the public on Sundays from 1 to 6 pm, so families can stay and play after the photo.
Parent tip: Check the museum calendar for the second December Sunday date, and come early in the 2 to 4 pm window for a shorter photo line.
See dates and details from Mississippi Children's Museum Meridian (opens in a new tab)Christmas events for kids in Oxford
1 confirmed event for kids in Oxford, soonest first.
Oxford: Holiday Village
Story time with Mrs. ClausFreeGertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts, University of Mississippi · Oxford
- Host
- Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts, University of Mississippi (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts, 551 University Ave, Oxford, MS 38677
- When
- Fri December 4, Sat December 5 and Sat December 12, 2026
- Cost
- Free
- Ages
- Open to the public
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
The Ford Center on the Ole Miss campus fills with a Holiday Village each December. Gingerbread houses built by community members and civic groups sit alongside a miniature village, holiday LEGO houses, a mailbox for letters to Santa, a decorated tree with gifts by a stocking-hung fireplace and a display of holiday traditions from around the world, all set to cheerful music.
Two special days stand out for young children: story time with Mrs. Claus on Saturday, Dec 5, and a visit from Santa on Saturday, Dec 12. The village is free and open to the public, and it raises funds and collects goods for the campus food pantry, so families may want to bring a donation.
Parent tip: The listing does not give times for the Mrs. Claus and Santa visits, so check with the Ford Center before driving in. Bringing a pantry donation is a nice touch.
See dates and details from Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts, University of Mississippi (opens in a new tab)Near a state line? Our guides to Christmas events for kids in Alabama, Christmas events for kids in Louisiana and Christmas events for kids in Tennessee list more confirmed events, and 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 train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor by Leslie Dunn. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on AmazonMississippi Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What Christmas events for kids are in Mississippi in 2026?
We confirmed 5 Christmas events for kids in Mississippi for 2026 on each host’s own page: Journey to the North Pole in Jackson (November 22), Holiday Village in Oxford (December 4), Jammies at Journey in Jackson (December 4), Sundays with Santa in Meridian (December 6) and Homestead for the Holidays in Jackson (December 10). Every one is listed below with times, cost and a link to the host.
What Christmas events for kids are in Jackson, Mississippi?
For families in and around Jackson, the confirmed Christmas events for kids this season are: Journey to the North Pole (Nov 22 to Jan 3 during museum hours (closed most Mondays), included with museum admission); Jammies at Journey (Fri, Dec 4, 5 to 7 pm, $13 per person, free for members); Homestead for the Holidays (Thu and Fri, Dec 10 and 11, 5 to 8 pm, $10 ages 3 and up). Details and the host’s link for each are in the Jackson section of this page.
What Christmas events for kids are in Meridian, Mississippi?
For families in and around Meridian, the confirmed Christmas events for kids this season are: Sundays with Santa (Sun, Dec 6, 2 to 4 pm (another December Sunday also posted), included with museum admission). Details and the host’s link for each are in the Meridian section of this page.
What Christmas events for kids are in Oxford, Mississippi?
For families in and around Oxford, the confirmed Christmas events for kids this season are: Holiday Village (Dec 4 to 16; Mrs. Claus story time Dec 5, Santa visit Dec 12, free). Details and the host’s link for each are in the Oxford section of this page.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Mississippi?
Yes. 1 of the 5 events here are free: Holiday Village in Oxford. Some free events still ask you to register, so check each listing.
Where can kids see Santa in Mississippi this December?
Santa appears at Journey to the North Pole in Jackson (November 22), Holiday Village in Oxford (December 4), Jammies at Journey in Jackson (December 4), Sundays with Santa in Meridian (December 6) and Homestead for the Holidays in Jackson (December 10). Times and booking rules are in each event’s listing above.
Where are there Christmas story times for kids in Mississippi?
Holiday story times on this page: Holiday Village in Oxford and Homestead for the Holidays in Jackson. Library story times are usually free; story times with a meal or show are ticketed.
Where can we have breakfast or a meal with Santa in Mississippi?
Meals with Santa confirmed for 2026: Homestead for the Holidays in Jackson (Thu and Fri, Dec 10 and 11, 5 to 8 pm). These usually sell out, so book as soon as you pick a date.
Are there kids' Christmas events in Mississippi on Christmas Eve or after Christmas?
Yes: Journey to the North Pole in Jackson (through January 3).
How much is Journey to the North Pole in Jackson?
Included with museum admission. Journey to the North Pole is on Sunday, November 22, 2026 to Sunday, January 3, 2027 (museum hours; closed Mondays except Dec 21 and 28, Thanksgiving, Dec 24, Dec 25, Jan 1) at Mississippi Children's Museum. Confirm on the host’s page before you go.
How much is Holiday Village in Oxford?
Free. Holiday Village is on Fri December 4, Sat December 5 and Sat December 12, 2026 at Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. Confirm on the host’s page before you go.
How much is Jammies at Journey in Jackson?
$13 per person, free for members. Jammies at Journey is on Friday, December 4, 2026, 5 to 7 pm at Mississippi Children's Museum. Confirm on the host’s page before you go.
How much is Sundays with Santa in Meridian?
Included with museum admission. Sundays with Santa is on Sunday, December 6, 2026, 2 to 4 pm at Mississippi Children's Museum Meridian. Confirm on the host’s page before you go.
How much is Homestead for the Holidays in Jackson?
$10 ages 3 and up. Homestead for the Holidays is on Thu December 10 and Fri December 11, 2026, 5 to 8 pm at Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum. Confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Mississippi?
Yes, but they have their own guide. Santa trains and holiday train rides are listed in our Mississippi Christmas train rides guide, so this page sticks to story times, Santa visits 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 2, 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.
