Here’s a list of must-dos during the Las Vegas Christmas season

There's something for everyone happening around the Las Vegas Valley during the holiday season. Looking for a festive activity for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? The View staff offers top picks for getting you in the spirit.

ROCK RINK AT DOWNTOWN SUMMERLIN

Outdoor ice skating? In the desert? That's right, and Downtown Summerlin, 1980 Festival Plaza Drive, has it. The outdoor shopping center's Rock Rink, located in Winter Wonderland near the Pavilion, returns with fun for the entire family. You can enjoy the outdoor skating rink through Jan. 18, and it's open until 6 p.m. Christmas Eve (closed Christmas Day).

Don't be surprised to see your favorite characters take to the ice alongside you: Rock Rink offers Skate with Characters from noon to 3 p.m. Saturdays, with a Chipmunks theme set for Dec. 26, a Superhero theme for Jan. 2, a Princess theme for Jan. 9 and characters from "Frozen" Jan. 16.

Themed nights also are planned from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays: Superhero for Dec. 19; Princess for Jan. 5; Jack Sparrow for Jan. 12 and "Frozen" for Jan. 18. In addition to themed nights, Friday and Saturday nights are slated to have a disc jockey from 6 to 10 p.m.

A few facts about the rink: It measures 120 feet by 60 feet, and the ice is approximately 3 inches thick. It's kept frozen by a 200-ton chiller that constantly pumps propylene glycol through several miles of PVC tubing. The system keeps things at a temperature between 9 and 14 degrees. The ice is initially built up by spraying thin layers of water over the tubes, a process that takes repeated passes over a period of several days, and it's maintained by an ice resurfacing machine that shaves off a thin layer, then lays down a fresh layer of water, which freezes to give a fresh, smooth surface.

If the chill hits you, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is slated to have a truck there serving refreshments.

The cost to skate is $15 and includes skate rental. If you buy nine skate sessions, you get the 10th one free. Groups of 35 or more can get a 15 percent discount. For group rates, email summerlin@icerinkevents.com.

Rock Rink is scheduled to be open from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Hours during school holidays are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. All times are subject to change and weather permitting. Call 702-832-1055 or visit downtownsummerlin.com.

MAGICAL FOREST AT OPPORTUNITY VILLAGE

Not ready for Christmas to end yet? Extend the season with a trip to Opportunity Village's Magical Forest, 6300 W. Oakey Blvd. Opportunity Village representative Marty Wood said one of the best ways to skip the crowds is to come after Christmas.

"We are still open through Jan. 3, and traffic does slow down a little bit," he said. "It's actually a great time to visit. There aren't quite as many people here, but everything is still up and running at full speed."

The attraction is open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and is set to host a New Year's Eve countdown to the East Coast's midnight at 9 p.m. Dec. 31.

On slow nights at the beginning of the holiday season, the forest averages around 2,000 visitors a night. Wood said capacity crowds are close to 5,000.

"It's also a lot of fun to be here on those nights because you can just imagine the energy and the excitement that's happening," he said. "You might have to stand in line a little longer for the train, but we actually have three trains, so we can run two trains at a time. We try to accommodate the crowd regardless of the size."

Visitors can stroll through the forest walkthrough, a pathway packed with trees, wreaths and holiday cottages decorated by area residents and businesses. Santa poses for photos, and live entertainment is offered nightly.

In addition to the train that winds its way through the forest, attractions include Cheyenne's Enchanted Carousel, Boris the Elf's 3D Experience, the Avalanche Slide, Rudolph's Raceway and Rod's Mini-Golf.

While the forest does have a staff, Wood said for the most part, it's run by volunteers. About 100 volunteers are needed to operate the park every night. Many sign up together and come as school or work groups. But Wood said everyone is welcome.

"You don't have to sign up in advance," he said. "You can just walk up, and we'll find something for you to do."

Improvements to the forest — set to celebrate its 25th season next year — are on the drawing board as part of a $150 million capital campaign to increase Opportunity Village's capacity at all of its campuses to serve more of the 500 people on a waiting list for services for the developmentally disabled. Wood said Magical Forest visitors can expect new shade structures and additional rides and attractions.

"Nothing has been finalized yet, but we are doing our research right now," he said.

Admission is $11.99 for adults and $9.99 for children 3 to 12. Passports that include admission and unlimited rides are $21.99 for adults and $18.99 for children. Visit magicalforest.org or call 702-225-9627.

ETHEL M'S CACTUS GARDEN

The Cactus Garden at Ethel M Chocolates, 2 Cactus Garden Drive in Henderson, has decked out its 300 species of plants with colorful holiday lights.

The decoration effort was led by Ethel M botanical garden custodian Steve Bowdoin and lasted from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily from Oct. 1 through early November. It involved stringing more than 600,000 lights. Plants include cactuses, succulents and desert trees and shrubs.

The 4-acre garden is open from 5 to 10 p.m. daily through Jan. 1, except for Christmas Eve, when hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and New Year's Eve, when the garden is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Also, Ethel M is closed Christmas Day. Visit tinyurl.com/h3h8w6z.

HOMES FROM HENDERSON'S HOLIDAY DECORATING CONTEST

Residents who want to be out and about on Christmas Eve or bolster their holiday spirit have a few options to do so in the Henderson area.

Those who want to view decorated properties in area neighborhoods can check out the 19 single-family homes that competed in the Henderson Commemorative Beautification Commission's annual outdoor decorating contest.

Debra Jacobson was one of the commission members who judged the homes.

"One house, they had a snow machine on the roof," Jacobson said. "Everything was covered with decorations. At another, there was a Santa we think was a hologram; we couldn't tell. Just really creative things that I can't believe that people have room to store all this stuff."

David and Carol Ruegge won first place for their home at 240 Fairway Road in the Griswold category, inspired by the film "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," and the second-place winners were Ricardo and Miranda Ramos, 2511 Vegas Vic St.

In the Most Innovative category, the winners included Jim Payne, 2246 Maple Shade St., first place; and the Hall family, 1054 Desert Olive Court, second place. Tied for third place were Ken and Judy Moorhead, 742 Triple Crown St.; and Jason Gacek, 2494 Sedona Cedar Ave.

In the Best Holiday category, the winners were Dave and Laurie Christian, 541 Junebug Place, first place; Juan Torres, 2718 Lochleven Way, second place; and Bob and Debi Thomas, 3018 Scenic Valley Way, third place.

The Children's category had one winner, Victor and June Leoncavallo, 801 Seclusion Circle.

"It was hard to pick a first, second and third because everybody was so good this year," Jacobson said.

A list of the winners and their addresses and a link to a map is available at tinyurl.com/henderson2015winners.

RESIDENTIAL CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN NORTH LAS VEGAS AND THE NORTHWEST

Northwest Las Vegas may not have extravagant holiday events like other parts of the valley, but there's still plenty of holiday cheer gleaming from its surrounding neighborhoods.

Christmas Eve is the perfect time to pack the family in the car, put on some festive music and check out neighborhoods draped in holiday lights. To make the hunt easier, View has compiled a list of some of the top private displays in the northwest area. (Editor's note: View has decided to feature cross streets rather than individual home addresses for these private light displays.)

McLennan Avenue and Letini Falls Court

This North Las Vegas home includes a decked-out roof with holiday laser lights.

Conterra Park Avenue and Pasito Canyon Street

This North Las Vegas home is known for its classic Christmas light displays set to music featured on 94.9-FM. On a recent visit, it seemed the owners were still working on the displays, which are said to get more elaborate with each passing year.

Pacesetter Street between Country Dancer and Little Crimson avenues

This North Las Vegas home brings the holidays to life with a penguin- and snow bear-themed lawn and glimmering lights.

Cheyenne Avenue between Torrey Pines Drive and Jones Boulevard

This Centennial Hills-area home has been decorated every holiday season for the last 40 years. The elaborate Christmas decorations this year include an animated Santa Claus with his sleigh riding high above, a manger and a lit-up roof.

Wavering Pine Drive and Timber Pine Avenue

This northwest home features popular cartoon character displays, and on a recent visit, the owners were just getting everything set up, but characters from "The Simpsons" could be spotted.

Chestnut Hollow Avenue and Pandur Street

This North Las Vegas home features shimmering lights that dance to music from a hip-hop station. Various lawn ornaments, including a blow-up Yoda from "Star Wars" and the infamous leg lamp from "A Christmas Story," can be seen. Of course, Santa and a manger are included to bring the spirit of Christmas to life.

GLITTERING LIGHTS

It might seem redundant to drive out to see lights in Las Vegas, but Glittering Lights at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 7000 Las Vegas Blvd. North, never fails to impress. The long-running, 2.5-mile, drive-through collection of animated light displays is a charity event benefiting Speedway Children's Charities and is set to run through Jan. 3 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday and holidays, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Admission is $ 20 per vehicle, and tickets can be purchased on site, in advance at any Walgreens location or at glitteringlightslasvegas.com.

MYSTIC FALLS WINTER WONDERLAND

Winter Wonderland at Mystic Falls Park Light and Water Show at Sam's Town, 5111 Boulder Highway, is the holiday event to check out if you're looking for a pioneer-themed aesthetic. Mystic Falls is a year-round attraction with regular sound and light shows in the evenings. During the holiday season, it transforms into a snow-covered indoor park with holiday music and a snowstorm augmenting the laser lights and animatronic animals. The animals participate in the Christmas songs by singing along, and each is decked out in an appropriately sized Santa hat, from the looming cliff-top bear to the squirrel hiding in the branches of the park's live trees.

The 15-minute laser light show is scheduled every hour from 5 to 10 p.m. through Jan. 1 in the Mystic Falls Atrium at Sam's Town. Visit samstownlv.com or call 702-456-7777.

IF YOU GO TO THE STRIP

Most of the Strip's resort corridor properties are decked out for the season and worth a stroll, but three holiday events really stand out: the Ice Rink at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. South; Winter Parq at the Linq, 3535 Las Vegas Blvd. South; and the Bellagio Conservatory and Fountains, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

At The Ice Rink — open from noon to midnight daily through Jan. 3 — you can see "snow" showers every half hour from 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday and enjoy holiday movie screenings, festive culinary offerings and curated cocktails, as well as s'mores over a fire pit. Admission is free, and all-day skating access is $15 or $10 for Nevada residents. Skates can be rented for $5, and skating aids can be rented for $10. Visit cosmopolitanlasvegas.com or call 702-698-7000.

Winter Parq at the Linq features entertainers for all ages and nightly "snowfalls." The annual holiday show is scheduled through Jan. 1, with live entertainment beginning at 5 p.m. Holiday performers are scheduled at the top of each hour through 9 p.m., and the mock-snow is set to fall nightly across the promenade every half hour from 5 p.m. to midnight. Elf Takeover Day is planned for Dec. 25, when elves are set to take over the High Roller observation wheel one last time and surprise guests with special giveaways. Visit tinyurl.com/linqparq or call 702-322-0560.

The iconic Fountains of Bellagio is set to mix holiday music into the usual fountain routine, with shows scheduled every half hour from noon to 8 p.m. and every 15 minutes from 8 p.m. to midnight on holidays. The Bellagio Conservatory is decorated for the holidays, with giant snowflakes, a Christmas tree, nutcrackers and more. Visit bellagio.com or call 888-987-6667.

— Compiled by View staff writers Jan Hogan, F. Andrew Taylor, Sandy Lopez, Cassandra Keenan and special to View writer Ginger Meurer