5 Things to Do at Universal Studios Hollywood This Christmas (2022)

The “Awesomest Celebration of the Season” has returned to Universal Studios Hollywood!  Right now, Universal Studios is all dressed up for the holidays, and you can definitely feel Christmas cheer in the air. It's one of our favorite Socal Christmas celebrations, so we were thrilled to be able to check it out this week!

Fan favorites, “Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™” and “Grinchmas™” are back and just as amazing as ever!

Guests can enjoy the Universal Studios Hollywood Christmas festivities Friday, November 25, 2022 through Sunday, January 1, 2023. The great thing is that all the holiday festivities are included in the price of theme park admission!

Best Things to Do at Universal Studios Hollywood This Christmas

Here are my top picks for celebrating the Christmas holidays at Universal Studios Hollywood. There are enough things to spend an entire day at the park enjoying the holidays spirit...so make some time to go!

1. Check out All the Grinchmas Festivities

You are going to want your first stop to be Universal Plaza, this is where the Whobilicious adventures take place. The cheerful “Grinchmas” Who-bilation is a Grinch fest better than any you will find anywhere! Festive park-goers can marvel in amazement at the topsy-turvy 65 foot-tall “Grinchmas” tree decorated with hundreds of ornaments and thousands of LED lights.

If you loved the movie "The Grinch" starring Jim Carey, then you're going to LOVE Grinchmas. You actually feel like you are walking into the movie. There are Whos dressed up, a gigantic Who tree, singing, dancing, activities and food. Everything in Grinchmas is perfectly "Grinchified" to make you feel like you are part of the Wholiday events.

A variety of activities are available to guests looking to get into the “Grinchmas” spirit. Whos are dancing and playing all over Whoville and there are live stage shows and story times taking place every hour. At the end of the night, there's a beautiful tree lighting.

The Grinch will be available for photo opportunities throughout the day. The line to meet him can be quite long, but it is worth the wait. The Grinch is hilarious...pretty sure he is Jim Carey's clone. Unfortunately, we didn't have the time to wait to meet him this year, but we did say hi quickly from behind the rope!

I suggest if you want to see him more quickly, get to the park at opening and head straight there! Or wait till the end of the day.

Cindy-Lou Who leads daily story time for young visitors looking to learn of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and the Who-ville post office will be accepting postcards with holiday messages.

Meet Max the Dog - The highlight of Grinchmas was meeting Max the Dog...HE IS A REAL DOG!!!!! And oh sooooooo cute!

Our visit to Grinchmas was a big success. We loved everything about it - the decorations, the Whos, The Grinch, the snow....everything! Of course I recommend a visit...it's sure to warm your heart at least 3 sizes.

2. Enjoy Special Holiday Decorations Throughout the Park

Keep your eye out for special holiday decorations throughout the park —

You may even spot characters like Illumination’s Minions, Hello Kitty, or Shrek dressed up in their holiday best!

3. Enjoy Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

It would not be the holiday season at Universal Studios Hollywood without enjoying the sights and sounds of Hogsmeade against the background of snow-capped roofs, which take on an extra special holiday spirit this time of year.

"Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” brings the spirit of the holiday season to the village of Hogsmeade™, which is transformed with festive décor and merriment.

Activities also include holiday shopping for exclusive items within the village shops, including personalized ornaments and notebooks, and enjoy a special holiday a capella performance from the Hogwarts Frog Choir.

As night falls on the snowy town, Hogwarts™ Castle will come to life in a dazzling spectacle, “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle.”

See the The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle Light Show - The impressive light projection show has stunning imagery and animation as the castle infuses the land with joyous wonderment and features music and sounds from the Harry Potter film series.

Make sure to stake out your spot in front of Hogwarts castle early (the Triwizard stage is a great place to view the show!). If you are trying to see both shows on the same night, check times when arriving and map out your strategy early in the day. There are multiple viewings of each show, so you should be set! 

Need a Harry Potter gift for the holidays? First, make sure you know the giftee's Hogwarts house! And may I suggest checking out the 12 new wands in Ollivanders, including the exclusive wand that is only available at Universal Studios Hollywood.

4. Get a Holiday Treat

No visit to Universal Studios Hollywood during the holidays is complete without a yummy holiday treat.

Guests can savor a delicious Frozen, Cold OR even Hot Butterbeer™ in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Or fill your tummy by dining on hearty holiday fare at Three Broomsticks™. 

A special array of holiday treats and hot chocolate are available in Grinchmas and are ideal for a sweet treat break. These Grinch donuts were a BIG HIT!

For a more thorough guide to the Universal Studios Hollywood food offering, click here.

5. The Grinchmas Who-ville Tree Lighting Ceremony

Every evening, a jovial tree lighting ceremony will excite guests as they listen to the Grinch himself tell his story along with the Who-ville Whos, ending in a snowball flurry, bringing joy and merriment to all. 

What a GREAT holiday visit to Universal Studios Hollywood that we had as a family. We absolutely loved the Christmas and holiday shows and decor plus, we also got to spend the rest of the day at Universal Studios. We went on some awesome rides and the Studio Tour...which we all REALLY love.

If you haven't had chance to visit Universal Studios Hollywood yet, I highly recommend it. We can hardly wait to go back when the Super Nintendo World. It opens on 2/17/2023! And I'm pretty sure it's going to be amazing, so stay tuned.