For the second year in a row, the Zilker Park’s Trail of Lights is canceled due to a lack of funding. Rumors are that it will be up and running for next December, but for now, Zilker Park is hosting HolidayFest Austin, a free week-long family friendly festival with Santa, food venders, live music and more. HolidayFest will be operating from Dec. 4 to 11. Zilker Park will be lighting the park’s 155 foot tree every night at 6 p.m. until Dec. 31. But never fear, though the Trail of Lights is down for the holidays, there’s much more to do in Austin.

If there is no way you can survive the holidays without a holiday light show, there is a very popular alternative, though it is a little further away than Zilker Park. Marble Falls has its very own Walkway of Lights that will be lit during December and is free. The Walkway of Lights resides next to Lake Marble Falls and is filled with sculptures. On the weekends, Santa will be there for anyone looking for some extra holiday cheer. The Walkway stays open from 6 to 10 p.m. nightly.

A little closer than that is the Bastrop River of Lights Promenade that spans half a mile on the Colorado River and is free for everyone. The light show has 120 lighted seasonal displays and features live music every night during the duration of the event, which runs from Dec. 8-11. On Dec. 10, Bastrop will have its Lighted Christmas Parade at 6:15 p.m. with more than 125 entries.

The Domain in Austin is making Christmas shopping more fun with some added entertainment each Friday and Saturday night until Dec. 23. Shoppers can take complimentary horse-drawn carriage rides and enjoy the mall’s holiday laser light show every hour from 6 to 8 p.m.

One of the biggest parts of the holidays are the holiday movies. Christmas is the perfect time to go see some holiday-themed movies in places you wouldn’t ordinarily see them. Austin’s Paramount Theater, which usually plays host to comedians, ballets and an array of other live shows, is screening “Scrooged” and “Love Actually” on both Dec. 18 and 19. Tickets are $8 in advance online or $10 at the door and can be used as a double feature ticket. Tickets can be purchased at www.austintheatre.org.

Most people go to Whole Foods Market to buy healthy, natural and organic food, but during the holiday season, the roof of the store on the corner of 6th Street and Lamar Boulevard is turned into downtown Austin’s only outdoor skating rink. The rink is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. all week until Jan. 15. The market will host live music every Thursday night as well as Disco Karaoke every Wednesday night. The cost is $10 per person for a 45-minute session, including skate rental.

Last but not least is St. Edward’s University’s very own Festival of Lights on Dec. 9. On the steps of the Main Building, the St. Edward’s community will pray together and join the university choirs to celebrate the Christmas season. The festival will start at 6:30 p.m., followed by a holiday concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Mabee Ballrooms. The university will serve hot chocolate throughout the event and invites students to donate non-perishable food, cleaning supplies, blankets, winter wear, household items or a monetary donation through cash, check or Topper Tender for the Bastrop Fire Relief. Any donations can be brought to Student Life until Dec. 9 or can be brought to the Festival of Lights.