Christmas in Homewood 2026: Edgewood tree lighting Nov. 10, Samford's Hanging of the Green Dec. 3, Breakfast with Santa Dec. 5 and the menorah lighting Dec. 9.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address; the dates below are for the 2026 season. Sources: the Homewood Chamber of Commerce calendar, the Samford University arts calendar, the Homewood Public Library, Homewood Parks and Recreation and the City of Homewood calendar.

Homewood’s Christmas season runs from Edgewood’s tree lighting on Tuesday, Nov. 10, through the downtown parade on Thursday, Dec. 3, to the menorah lighting on Wednesday, Dec. 9. The parade, the lighting of the Homewood Star and the tree lighting at City Hall Plaza have their own page: Christmas parade and tree lighting.

Who to call

Christmas and Hanukkah events, in date order

When What Where
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Holiday Sip & Shop and tree lighting; the tree is lit at 6:30 p.m. Downtown Edgewood
Tuesday, Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m. Jazz Band Christmas Concert Brock Recital Hall, Samford University
Thursday, Dec. 3, 4 p.m. Hanging of the Green Reid Chapel, Samford University
Thursday, Dec. 3, 6:30 p.m. Christmas parade, Homewood Star and tree lighting Downtown Homewood
Friday, Dec. 4, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jingle All the Way with Dolores Hydock and Bobby Horton Homewood Public Library
Saturday, Dec. 5, 8 a.m. to noon Breakfast with Santa, ticketed Samford University Rotunda Club
Wednesday, Dec. 9, 6 p.m. Menorah lighting, on the city calendar Downtown Homewood

Santa visits

The official Santa rides in the Christmas parade; the parade rules say no other entry may include a Santa. For a sit-down visit, the Homewood Chamber of Commerce and Samford University hold Breakfast with Santa from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 5, at Samford’s Rotunda Club. The chamber listing says the ticket includes a breakfast buffet, activities and a photo with Santa.

Tree lightings and lights

There are two tree lightings in Homewood this season. Edgewood lights its tree at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, during the neighborhood’s Holiday Sip & Shop. Downtown, the Homewood Star at the top of 18th Street is lit as the parade enters downtown on Dec. 3, and the tree at City Hall Plaza is lit right after the parade. The city does not run a drive-through light display, and we found no ticketed light show in Homewood itself.

At Samford University

Samford’s Hanging of the Green is the university’s annual start to the Christmas season. Samford describes candlelit walks, anthems from the University Chorale and A Cappella Choir and the decorating of Reid Chapel. It starts at 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, hours before the downtown parade. Two days earlier, the Jazz Band Christmas Concert plays Brock Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1.

At the library

Storyteller Dolores Hydock and musician Bobby Horton bring back Jingle All the Way, an evening of holiday stories, Christmas songs and sing-alongs, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4. The library says the show is different every year. Event page.

Menorah lighting

The city calendar lists the menorah lighting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9. When the city last posted details, in 2023, it was held with Chabad of Alabama at the intersection of 18th Street South and 29th Avenue South, where the benches are, with games, food and songs. The city had not posted 2026 details as of Oct. 17.

Church Christmas services

Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, 1114 Oxmoor Road (pictured at its Candlelight at Dawson service), and Homewood’s other churches post their Christmas services on their own sites; Dawson had not posted 2026 dates when we checked. dawsonchurch.org, 205-871-7324.

Christmas Camp for kids

Homewood Parks’ Christmas Camp runs 7:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. on Dec. 21-23 and Dec. 28-31 at the Homewood Community Center, 1632 Oxmoor Road, for Homewood residents in kindergarten through sixth grade. It is limited to the first 50 paid campers. Registration packets can be dropped off from Wednesday, Nov. 4; families who register by Nov. 13 hear by Nov. 18 whether their child has a place, according to the registration packet (PDF).

Christmas week closings

City Hall is closed Thursday, Dec. 24, and Friday, Dec. 25. Amwaste does not run on Christmas Day, so Friday trash pickup moves to Saturday, Dec. 26. The library’s calendar shows it closed Dec. 24-27. Homewood City Schools’ winter break runs Dec. 21 to Jan. 4. See our trash and recycling guide and the New Year’s Eve page for the week after.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see Santa in Homewood?

The official Santa rides in the Homewood Christmas Parade on Thursday, Dec. 3. The Homewood Chamber and Samford University also hold a ticketed Breakfast with Santa, with a photo, from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 5, at Samford’s Rotunda Club.

When is the menorah lighting in Homewood?

The city calendar lists the menorah lighting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2026. In past years it was held with Chabad of Alabama at 18th Street South and 29th Avenue South.

Are there holiday light displays in Homewood?

The city does not run a drive-through light display. Its lit landmarks are the Homewood Star, lit as the Christmas parade enters downtown on Dec. 3, and the Christmas tree at City Hall Plaza.

Is there a Christmas camp in Homewood?

Homewood Parks runs Christmas Camp for Homewood children in kindergarten through sixth grade on Dec. 21-23 and Dec. 28-31. Registration packets are accepted from Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the Homewood Community Center.