December in Atlanta opens with a farewell and closes with a kickoff. On Dec 5, the city hosts the final SEC Championship Game. On New Year's Eve, the Hawks play a home matinee, and the next day the Peach Bowl brings the College Football Playoff to town. In between, the holiday shows fill the calendar.
We run furnished homes across intown Atlanta, so we watch these weeks closely. This guide covers the things to do in Atlanta in December 2026 one week at a time, tells you what to expect from the weather and the calendar, and points to the neighborhood that puts you closest to each week's main event. If you're still planning the rest of this month, see our November 2026 guide.
December 2026 in Atlanta at a glance
- Nightly through Jan 10: Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Weekends and holidays: Stone Mountain Christmas
- Through Dec 27: A Christmas Carol at the Alliance Theatre
- Wed, Dec 2 to Sun, Dec 13: ’Twas the Night Before at the Fox Theatre
- Thu, Dec 3: Hawks vs Pacers
- Fri, Dec 4: Hanukkah begins
- Sat, Dec 5: The final SEC Championship Game, 4 p.m.; Atlanta Ballet's The Nutcracker opens
- Sun, Dec 6: Falcons vs Lions, 1 p.m.; College Football Playoff Selection Day
- Thu, Dec 10 to Sun, Dec 13: Christmas with the ASO
- Sat, Dec 12: Celebration Bowl, noon
- Tue, Dec 15 to Sun, Dec 20: Mrs. Doubtfire at the Fox
- Sat, Dec 19 and Sun, Dec 20: Hawks home weekend
- Wed, Dec 23 to Sat, Dec 26: Christmas week shows and two more Hawks games
- Sat, Dec 26 or Sun, Dec 27: Falcons vs Buccaneers (date and time to be set)
- Thu, Dec 31: Hawks vs Bucks, 3 p.m.
- Fri, Jan 1: Peach Bowl, a College Football Playoff quarterfinal
What to expect in Atlanta in December
The weather. December is Atlanta's first truly cold month. The 1991 to 2020 NOAA normals for the airport put the average high at 56°F and the average low at 38°F. It's also one of the wetter months, at about 4.6 inches of rain, so bring a real coat and a rain layer for nights at the lights.
The calendar. Hanukkah starts at sundown on Friday, Dec 4 and runs through Saturday, Dec 12, according to Hebcal. Christmas falls on a Friday this year, which gives a lot of families a long weekend from Dec 25 to 27. Kwanzaa runs from Dec 26 to Jan 1.
The crowds. Expect two kinds. Game weekends fill downtown around Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena, and the week of Christmas brings visiting families. If you're bringing a group, decide early which weekend you're coming.
Week 1: The final SEC Championship and the Nutcracker opens (Dec 1 to 6)
The last SEC Championship Game. On Saturday, Dec 5 at 4 p.m., Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosts the final SEC Championship Game. The conference is dropping its title game as the College Football Playoff expands to 24 teams. We put together a full SEC Championship weekend guide with the schedule, MARTA tips and drive times from every campus.
Falcons vs Lions. The next afternoon, Sunday, Dec 6, the Falcons host Detroit at 1 p.m. in the same stadium. That makes it a two game weekend for anyone who stays a second night. Sunday is also College Football Playoff Selection Day.
Holiday shows open. Atlanta Ballet's The Nutcracker opens Saturday, Dec 5 at the Cobb Energy Centre and runs through Dec 26. Buckhead is the closest of our neighborhoods to the theater. At the Fox Theatre, the holiday show ’Twas the Night Before runs from Dec 2 to 13.
Also this week: the Hawks host the Pacers on Thursday, Dec 3 at 7 p.m., and Hanukkah begins Friday at sundown.
Staying close: for the stadium, Castleberry Hill is under a mile away. Inman Park is about two to three miles east, by the Inman Park/Reynoldstown MARTA station, where the Blue and Green lines run to the stadium and State Farm Arena. Old Fourth Ward is a short rideshare.
Week 2: Christmas with the ASO and the Celebration Bowl (Dec 7 to 13)
Christmas with the ASO. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's holiday concert plays Atlanta Symphony Hall on Thursday, Dec 10 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec 12 at 3 and 8 p.m., and Sunday, Dec 13 at 3 p.m.
The Celebration Bowl. On Saturday, Dec 12 at noon, the Celebration Bowl, the HBCU national championship between the MEAC and SWAC champions, kicks off at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Also this week: Georgia Tech's men's basketball team hosts The Citadel at McCamish Pavilion on Wednesday, Dec 9. The Jingle Jog 5K is listed for Saturday, Dec 12 in Virginia Highland, so check the race page before you register. Hanukkah ends Saturday.
Staying close: Midtown puts you near Symphony Hall, the Alliance Theatre and the Botanical Garden's lights. Virginia Highland is a short drive east, near the Jingle Jog start if the race goes ahead as listed.
Week 3: Mrs. Doubtfire and a Hawks weekend (Dec 14 to 20)
Broadway at the Fox. Mrs. Doubtfire plays the Fox Theatre from Tuesday, Dec 15 to Sunday, Dec 20.
Hawks weekend. The Hawks host the Orlando Magic on Saturday, Dec 19 and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, Dec 20, both at 7 p.m. at State Farm Arena.
Also this week: the ASO lists Handel's Messiah for Thursday, Dec 17, and The Nutcracker plays its third weekend at the Cobb Energy Centre.
Staying close: Midtown for the Fox, and Old Fourth Ward for State Farm Arena, a short rideshare downtown.
Christmas week in Atlanta (Dec 21 to 27)
Holiday shows. The Fox Theatre has Straight No Chaser on Tuesday, Dec 22, a second Nutcracker production on Dec 23 and 24, and The Hip Hop Nutcracker on Saturday, Dec 26. Atlanta Ballet's Nutcracker plays a Christmas Eve matinee at 1 p.m. and closes Dec 26. The Alliance Theatre's A Christmas Carol wraps up its run on Sunday, Dec 27.
Games. The Hawks host Detroit on Wednesday, Dec 23 at 7 p.m. and Charlotte on Saturday, Dec 26 at 3:30 p.m. Georgia Tech hosts Longwood on Tuesday, Dec 22. The Falcons' last December home game, against Tampa Bay, falls on the weekend of Dec 26 and 27. The NFL hasn't set the date and time yet.
Family time. With Christmas on a Friday, this is a popular week for visiting families. If your crew needs more than one hotel room, a whole house with a kitchen makes Christmas morning easier. We wrote about big group stays for the holidays earlier this fall.
Staying close: Midtown for the Fox and the Alliance. For a big family, look at Virginia Highland, Inman Park or East Atlanta, where we have some of our larger homes.
New Year's week and New Year's Eve (Dec 28 to Jan 1)
Shows and games. John Oliver plays the Fox Theatre on Monday, Dec 28. The Hawks host Chicago on Tuesday, Dec 29 at 7 p.m. On Wednesday, Dec 30, Georgia Tech hosts Duke at McCamish Pavilion at 7:30 p.m.
New Year's Eve. The Hawks host Milwaukee at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec 31, which leaves the evening free. Last year, the city replaced the Peach Drop with Countdown Over ATL, a citywide drone and fireworks show. As of mid November, no citywide plan for this New Year's Eve has been announced. We'll update this guide when one is. Stone Mountain Christmas runs through Jan 3 and lists a drone and light show for the holiday.
New Year's Day. The Peach Bowl hosts a College Football Playoff quarterfinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Friday, Jan 1. The matchup comes out of the playoff bracket.
Staying close: Old Fourth Ward and Castleberry Hill for the arena and the stadium. Inman Park if you want to walk to dinner on the BeltLine before midnight.
Holiday lights in and around Atlanta
- Garden Lights, Holiday Nights: nightly at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Midtown through Jan 10. It's one of the city's best known light shows, and it's next to Piedmont Park.
- Stone Mountain Christmas: weekends and holidays through Jan 3, with a parade, a tree lighting and a drone and light show at Stone Mountain Park, east of the city.
- Zoo Atlanta IllumiNights: Zoo Atlanta in Grant Park lists IllumiNights for select nights from late November into mid January. Check the zoo's site for this season's dates.
- Magical Nights of Lights at Lake Lanier: a drive through light show north of the city, listed from late November into early January. Confirm dates before you go.
Driving in for the holidays
Most of the Southeast can reach Atlanta in an afternoon. Estimated drive times without traffic, from each city's center to downtown Atlanta:
| From | Miles | Drive time (about) |
|---|---|---|
| Athens, GA | 72 | 1 hr 30 min |
| Macon, GA | 83 | 1 hr 35 min |
| Columbus, GA | 108 | 2 hr |
| Chattanooga, TN | 117 | 2 hr 15 min |
| Birmingham, AL | 146 | 2 hr 45 min |
| Augusta, GA | 148 | 2 hr 45 min |
| Greenville, SC | 145 | 2 hr 50 min |
| Nashville, TN | 247 | 4 hr 40 min |
| Charlotte, NC | 244 | 4 hr 45 min |
Drive estimates from OSRM routing, no traffic. Holiday travel days will add time.
Where to stay in Atlanta in December
| If you're here for | Stay in | Why |
|---|---|---|
| SEC Championship, Falcons, Celebration Bowl, Peach Bowl | Castleberry Hill; Inman Park | Walk to the stadium, or ride MARTA from Inman Park |
| Hawks games | Old Fourth Ward; Inman Park | A short rideshare, or MARTA from Inman Park |
| The Fox, the Alliance, the ASO, Garden Lights | Midtown; Ansley Park | A short walk or ride |
| Zoo Atlanta lights | Grant Park; Ormewood Park | Close to the zoo |
| Christmas with a big family | Virginia Highland; Inman Park; East Atlanta | Larger homes with full kitchens |
Hotel or home? A hotel works for a couple coming for one show. For a family at Christmas, or a group in for a game, separate bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen make the trip easier, and most of our homes welcome dogs too.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Peach Drop on New Year's Eve 2026? Not that we know of. Last year the city replaced the Peach Drop with Countdown Over ATL, a drone and fireworks show. As of mid November, no citywide plan for New Year's Eve 2026 has been announced.
What's the weather like in Atlanta in December? Cool and damp. NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals put the average high at 56°F and the low at 38°F, with about 4.6 inches of rain for the month.
When is The Nutcracker in Atlanta in 2026? Atlanta Ballet's production runs Dec 5 to 26 at the Cobb Energy Centre, including a 1 p.m. show on Christmas Eve. The Fox Theatre also hosts a touring Nutcracker on Dec 23 and 24 and The Hip Hop Nutcracker on Dec 26.
Do the Falcons play at home in December 2026? Twice: against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Dec 6 at 1 p.m., and against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the weekend of Dec 26 and 27, with the date and time still to be set.
Where can I see Christmas lights in Atlanta? Garden Lights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden runs nightly through Jan 10. Stone Mountain Christmas runs weekends and holidays through Jan 3, and Zoo Atlanta lists IllumiNights for select nights, so check its site.
What is there to do in Atlanta on Christmas Eve? Atlanta Ballet's Nutcracker has a 1 p.m. matinee, and the Fox Theatre hosts a touring Nutcracker. If you're planning on the lights, check Garden Lights' holiday hours before you go.
How Minty Living Can Help
Staying next to the week's anchor makes December easier, whether that is a show in Midtown or a game downtown. Our homes sit across intown Atlanta, including Midtown, Old Fourth Ward, Inman Park, Castleberry Hill, Grant Park, Virginia Highland and East Atlanta. Stays run from hourly to annual.
For a family at Christmas, homes range from one bedroom apartments to five bedroom houses that sleep 11, each with a full kitchen, and 16 have four or more bedrooms. Most of our homes are pet friendly. Support is available 24/7 during your stay.
Browse our homes, call or text 404.999.0841, or email [email protected].
