Hey Rhody Holiday Guide 2025

“Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays,” begins Perry Como’s 1954 song. We concur, and by home, we mean the state of Rhode Island, all 1545 glorious square miles of it. After all, where can you attend performances of five different versions of A Christmas Carol (at last count), see Santa Claus 20-plus times (at least three by boat), or attend tree lightings by land and sea, all within minimal drive times? Whether you want to fill your cup with hot cocoa and all the fixings, learn to fashion a wreath, or shop at a vendor market for handmade gifts, the smallest state has all of this and more. Our editorial elves and mensches have done all the rabbit-holing to compile a list that runs from November through New Year’s Eve.

Tips to Avoid the Naughty List

• New events will continue to pop up after we go to press, so follow our social media accounts and sign up for the Hey Rhody Newsletter for more merriment, less FOMO.
• Many events now require registration, even if they are free, for capacity and planning so if something interests you, sign up.
• Events are always subject to change, so always check with the venue.
• {SANTA SIGHTING} helps identify places to see Santa (or of course, his helpers)
• Help us discover new events by tagging Instagram photos with #heyrhodyphotos
• If we missed your favorite event or activity, let us know! Email Marketing@HeyRhody.com

Warm-A-Heart Gingerbread Program

Make sweet memories while helping others

If you’re looking for a sweet way to give back, coupled with a simple hands-on activity to bring home, you can’t do better than the annual Warm-A-Heart Gingerbread Program kit. Inside the kraft cake box tied with a red-and-white gingham bow, is a gingerbread person, a piping bag of icing, and six small packets of decorative candies. It’s like tossing a holiday party into your shopping cart.

This initiative was co-founded by Ellen Gracyalny, owner of well-loved bakery Ellie’s and high-end restaurant Gracie’s in downtown Providence, and her friend Joseph Conlan, in collaboration with the Miriam Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Quality Council. Their early efforts focused on using proceeds to help families pay their hospital bills and fulfill holiday wish lists. Over the years, the program has evolved, and now, in year 16, has 501(c)(3) organization status. Gracyalny has partnered with various non-profits and organizations, and is working with some schools.

Each kit begins with a team from Ellie’s, who spend hours baking thousands of gingerbread people. Volunteers from organizations and businesses across Rhode Island assemble the decorating kits at ReFocus, a non-profit human service agency in Providence that offers support for adults with developmental disabilities. The magic continues when people across the state purchase the boxed kits – 100 percent of net proceeds benefit families in need – and enjoy decorating a delicious, crispy cookie of their own. Find kits on sale through December at Belmont Market, Dave’s Fresh Marketplace, Ellie’s, Miriam Hospital, and online at ElliesProv.com –Anthony Joseph