Small-town tree lightings, a Victorian Christmas in McCloud, holiday films in Etna and a winter choir in Medford, then home to the stove.
There is a moment on a December evening at Blossom Sanctuary when you come back in from the cold, cheeks stinging, and the house is exactly as warm as you left it. Someone feeds the wood stove and puts the kettle on. Outside, the oaks are black against a sky full of stars. Far Northern California does Christmas the small-town way: tree lightings, carriage rides and hot chocolate. Here is what is on near Etna for the 2026 season, and how to come home to a cozy evening afterward. For the full list, see what's on around Etna on our events calendar.
Saturday, November 28: Weed's Olde Fashion Christmas
The season starts in Weed, roughly an hour from Etna, with the Olde Fashion Christmas and Tree Lighting at Heritage Plaza on Main Street, by City Hall. From 5 to 7 PM there is a tree lighting, Santa's arrival and caroling around a wood-burning fire pit, with free hot chocolate, chili, cookies and raffle prizes (event listing).
Three weekends of Christmas in McCloud
McCloud, an old mill town on the slopes of Mount Shasta, holds Christmas in McCloud (also called Vintage Christmas, and formerly Winterfest) across three weekends: December 4 and 5, December 11 and 12, and December 18 and 19, 2026. The dates are set, but the daily schedule and times have not been posted yet, so confirm before you go on the event listing. In past years the program has included carriage rides, cookie decorating, a Victorian tea at the McCloud Hotel, a Yuletide bazaar, choir performances, character breakfasts and a tree lighting at the Heritage Museum, and letters to Santa raise money for Make-A-Wish. McCloud is roughly an hour and a half from Etna, which makes it a good daytime outing.
Saturday, December 5: Yreka Night of Lights
The closest of the big holiday evenings is the Yreka Night of Lights, from 4 to 7 PM on Miner Street in downtown Yreka. Expect holiday shopping, free photos with Santa, music, craft vendors and a tree lighting. Last year the lighting was at 6:30 PM at the fire station at Oregon and Miner. Yreka is about 35 minutes from Etna on Highway 3. Arrive while it is still light, and if the roads are dry and clear on QuickMap, stay for the tree.
Holiday movie nights at the Avery in Etna
This is the one you can do without a long drive. The Avery Memorial Theatre, Etna's historic theater, has two holiday films this year: Home Alone on Saturday, December 19, and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (PG-13) on Sunday, December 20. Doors open at 4:30 PM and each film starts at 5. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for youth and students, and free for children 5 and under. Concessions include beer and wine for guests 21 and over. Main Street is a short walk from the house, so you can leave the car behind and be back by the fire for dinner.
Friday, December 18: A Scattered Light in Winter in Medford
For an evening of music, the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers perform A Scattered Light in Winter at the Holly Theatre in Medford, Oregon, from 7 to 9:30 PM. It is one of the group's most popular holiday programs, with Whitacre's "Stopping by Woods" and carols from around the world. Tickets run $13 to $62. Medford is about an hour and a half from Etna over the Siskiyou Pass on Interstate 5, which can close in storms. A late concert means a late drive, so this one is for a clear night only. Check QuickMap before you leave and again before you head home.
Mid-December: the Fort Jones Christmas Parade
Fort Jones, just down Scott Valley from Etna, has a long-running Christmas parade run by the Lions Club on Main Street. It is usually held on a Saturday in mid-December, but the 2026 date has not been announced, so confirm before you go.
The evening after
Whatever you went out for, the best part is often coming back. Shake off the cold, feed the wood stove and pull the chairs up to the round table beside it. The kitchen is a full one, set up for a dinner party, so a pot of something warm can go on while coats dry. Dim the voice-activated lights, settle into the cream sectional, and if the night is clear, step back out onto the lawn for the stars. The Geminid meteor shower peaks on the night of December 13 into the 14th, with only a thin crescent moon that sets early (meteor calendar), and the full Cold supermoon rises at sunset on December 23 (moon calendar).
A cut-your-own tree permit
The Klamath National Forest usually sells cut-your-own Christmas tree permits from mid-November through December 31. The 2026 dates have not been posted yet, so check Recreation.gov and the Klamath National Forest permit page before you plan on it. In 2025 permits were $10 per tree, up to five trees, and free for fourth graders with an Every Kid Outdoors pass. The rules ask you to cut trees under 4 inches in diameter, from dense stands, and not within 300 feet of streams. If you would like to bring a tree inside the house, text the concierge first.
Winter driving
Most of these evenings end after dark, and our season safety rule is to drive in daylight, stay together and check Caltrans QuickMap for chain controls and closures. Carry chains that fit and keep the tank full. When the forecast looks doubtful, choose the daytime events or the Avery, which is a walk from the house.
What a December stay costs
December is low season at $555 a night, three nights from $1,090 and a week for $2,000, with cleaning and every fee included and the 14% county lodging tax shown before you pay. For four adults, three nights come to $1,242.60, about $311 each. These are founding rates for members of the Sovereign Circle, free to join through December 31, 2026.
Good to know
Closest: the Avery holiday films on December 19 and 20 are in Etna, a short walk from the house.
Confirm first: McCloud's daily schedule, the Fort Jones parade date and the 2026 tree permit dates.
Who it suits: up to four adults, or a family of up to six. Children are welcome. No pets.
Check-in and checkout: 3 PM and 11 AM.
Questions: text the concierge at 530 572 1122.
Common questions
Is this a good Christmas cabin in California for a family? Yes, for a family of up to six. There is a California King, a queen, a full bed in the loft reached by a ladder, and a couch that makes a comfortable extra bed, plus a wood stove and a full kitchen.
What Christmas events are near Etna in 2026? Weed's Olde Fashion Christmas on November 28, Christmas in McCloud on three December weekends, Yreka Night of Lights on December 5, the Avery's holiday films in Etna on December 19 and 20, and the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers in Medford on December 18.
When is the Fort Jones Christmas Parade? It is usually on a Saturday in mid-December. The 2026 date has not been announced, so confirm before you go.
Can we cut our own Christmas tree nearby? The Klamath National Forest usually offers permits from mid-November through December 31. The 2026 dates are not yet posted, so check Recreation.gov first.
Small towns, bright trees and a warm house to come home to. When you are ready, check dates and price your stay, and see what's on around Etna on our events calendar as new holiday events are added.
Packing for slow mornings? The Vibes Valuta Winter Drop is six pieces in soft neutrals, embroidered in old gold thread: a ringer tee, rib tank, crew and pant, plus a yoga mat and bottle.
