With Turkey Day 2013 officially behind us, we can begin to celebrate the holidays in full swing. And whether you prefer to savor the season with time-worn traditions, or enjoy some novelty to your Joyeux Noël, Metro can help you beat the traffic and the parking meter–the real Grinches of an L.A. Christmas.

The following list includes holiday activities for creatures of habit and adventurous souls alike — all of which are easily accessible by Metro Bus or Rail. Be sure to click the links for all the details.

It simply wouldn’t be the holidays in L.A. for many Angelenos without at least one of these events:

• Victorian Christmas at The Banning Museum (Wilmington): Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 7-8, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., FREE. (Metro Blue Line to Pacific Station, then Torrance Transit Bus 3 to PCH/Eubank, or Metro Bus 246 to Avalon/M)
• Pershing Square Winter Holiday Festival and Downtown on Ice (downtown L.A.): Saturday, Dec. 14, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., FREE. Get $1 off skating at Downtown on Ice when you show your valid TAP card at the ticket window. (Metro Red/Purple Line to Pershing Square Station, Metro Rapid 728 or 794, or various Metro local buses)
• 34th Annual Swedish Christmas Fair (Shrine Expo Center): Sunday, Dec. 15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., adults $10, children under 12 free. (Metro Expo Line to Jefferson/USC Station, Metro Bus 200 or 35/38 to Jefferson/Royal, 102 to 3rd/Flower, or 550 to Hoover/32nd)
• Las Posadas at Olvera Street (downtown L.A.): Monday, Dec. 16-Tuesday, Dec. 24, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily, FREE. La Placita Olvera also hosts the “Taste of Tamales Festival” Sunday, Dec. 15, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Metro Gold Line to Union Station, Metro Rapid 728 or 770 to Spring/Cesar Chavez, or various lines serving Union Station)
• L.A. Music Center Holiday Sing-Along (downtown L.A.): Friday, Dec. 20, *6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., FREE with ticket. Event tickets are distributed at 6 p.m. the evening of. (Metro Red/Purple Line to Civic Center/Grand Park Station, or various Grand Avenue buses)
• L.A. County Holiday Celebration at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (downtown L.A.): Tuesday, Dec. 24, 3 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., FREE. Show your valid TAP card at the hospitality table and receive a holiday celebration souvenir. Also, enter to win a pair of tickets to the Ford Amphitheatre’s 2014 summer season. (Metro Red/Purple Line to Civic Center/Grand Park Station, or various Grand Avenue buses)

Real talk: You’re taking mass transit in L.A. (and we love you for it!). You’re already an iconoclast, so embrace your inner adventurer and enjoy one of these less traditional holiday activities.

• Unique LA Holiday Mart at the California Market Center (Fashion District): Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 7-8, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., $10 for entire weekend. (Metro Red/Purple Line to 7th/Metro Center, Metro Blue/Expo Line to Pico Station, Metro Bus 66 to Main/9th, or DASH Route E to Los Angeles/9th)
• Charles Phoenix Retro Holiday Slideshow at Long Beach Art Theater or MOCA Grand (Long Beach/downtown L.A.): Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. in Long Beach, or Sunday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. in downtown L.A., $39.00. (For Art Theater: Metro Blue Line to 5th St. Station, then Long Beach Transit Bus 151 from 4th/Elm to Cherry/4th NE. For MOCA: Metro Red/Purple Line to Civic Center/Grand Park Station)
• 4th Annual Renegade Craft Fair Winter Market (L.A. State Historic Park): Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 14-15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., FREE. (Metro Gold Line to Chinatown Station, or Metro Bus 76 to Main/Ann)
• John Burroughs High School Acapella at the Natural History Museum (Exposition Park): Sunday, Dec. 16, 12 p.m., free with price of admission. (Metro Expo Line to Expo Park/USC Station, or Metro Bus 102 or 550 to Exposition/University)
  
• Reindeer Romp at the L.A. Zoo (Griffith Park): Tuesday, Nov. 26-Thursday, Jan. 2 during regular Zoo Hours, free with price of admission. (Metro Bus 96 to L.A. Zoo)
• Enjoy a “Winter Wonderland” without leaving L.A. at the Queen Mary’s Chill or the Beverly Center’s Ice Palace (Long Beach/Mid City West): Chill runs until Jan. 5 and tickets range from $15-$40, Ice Palace runs until Dec. 24 and is FREE. (For Chill: Metro Blue Line to Downtown Long Beach Station, then Passport at Pine/Ocean to Catalina Express/Parking Lot N. For Ice Palace: Metro Rapid 705 to La Cienega/3rd, DASH Fairfax to La Cienega/Beverly)
• SparkleBlob’s Doublewide Roadside Holiday Snowflake Show at Automata Gallery (Chinatown): every Thursday-Sunday, Dec, 12–Dec, 23, various times, $15. Here’s KCRW’s review of last year’s show. (Metro Gold Line to Chinatown Station, Metro Bus 45, 83, or 84/68 to Broadway/Chinatown, or DASH Route B to Hill/Gin Ling Way)
• Illuminate your Holidays at the Getty Center (Westwood): every Saturday starting Nov. 16-Jan. 4, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., FREE. (Metro Bus 2 or Big Blue Bus 14 to Church Wb/Sepulveda Fs)
• 2nd Annual East L.A. on Ice (East L.A.): Thursday-Sunday, Dec 12-15, hours vary, FREE. (Metro Gold Line to East L.A./Civic Center, Metro Rapid 770 to Mednik/Cesar Chavez, Metro Bus 258 to Mednik/3rd, or 84/68 to 1st/Mednik)

Above all, whatever you do, have a happy holiday season and thanks for riding Metro.

Metro fares are $1.50 per single ride on a bus or train or $5 for a Day Pass, which allows unlimited rides that day. Buses accept cash fares or TAP cards, Metro’s reloadable plastic fare cards. On Metro Rail, buy a TAP card at the ticket machine (the cards cost $1). More information on fares here and here’s an interactive Metro Rail map.

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