The San Fernando Valley’s central indoor shopping center wears its holiday décor through December — a large decorated tree, oversized installations, and the season’s Santa photo set inside the central court.
Each holiday season, Northridge Fashion Center decorates its central court with a large lit tree, oversized seasonal installations, and strings of lights that carry down the corridors — the densest holiday display in this stretch of the Valley, and a reason Northridge families turn to it for the lights-and-tree experience without driving over the hill.
Being fully indoors is part of the draw: a climate-controlled center holds up whether the December rain rolls in or the low Valley sun makes outdoor errands less pleasant, so a holiday afternoon here doesn’t hinge on the weather. The central court is the heart of it — the big tree, the photo set, and room for kids to take it all in — and looping the upper level gives a view of the tree from above.
The mall’s Santa photo set runs from late November through Christmas Eve, with reservations online to skip the line and, in recent years, pet-photo windows for families who want the dog in the picture. Around it sits everything a one-stop afternoon needs: Macy’s at the south anchor, a food court for breaks, and the cinema next door for a movie on either side of the visit — the kind of self-contained, easy-parking, central-Valley outing that has kept the Fashion Center the area’s holiday anchor for generations.
Yes — the mall is free to walk through. Santa photo packages have a charge if you want to take home a printed or digital picture, but you can visit the central court and see the decorations without buying anything.
Typically late November through Christmas Eve, with reservations available online. Exact dates vary each year — check the mall’s visit page for the current schedule.
9301 Tampa Avenue in Northridge, at the corner of Tampa and Plummer Street in the geographic center of the San Fernando Valley.
Yes — fully indoor with elevators between levels and family restrooms. Wheelchairs and strollers move easily between the central court and the anchors.
The cinema adjacent to the mall sits at hand for a movie pairing, and the CSUN campus is a short drive east for a wander through campus holiday lighting on the way home.
Northridge Fashion Center is the San Fernando Valley’s primary regional mall — an indoor center on Tampa Avenue at Plummer Street, anchored by Macy’s and a mix of national and regional retailers. Opened in 1971, it has sat at the geographic heart of Northridge for more than half a century, a short distance from the CSUN campus and the surrounding residential neighborhoods. The mall is part of local history: it was severely damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake — the quake that carries the neighborhood’s name — and rebuilt by the community over the years that followed, with the former Bullock’s reconstructed from the ground up as today’s Macy’s. It has remained the Valley’s central indoor gathering place ever since, and its go-to holiday hub each winter.
Step back to 1880s rancho California at Leonis Adobe’s Holiday Roundup — hands-on crafts, live music, farm animals, and Santa visits at one of L.A.’s oldest historic homes.
Brian J. Cook
Calabasas comes together for an annual Menorah Lighting Celebration at The Commons — live music, holiday treats, the official menorah lighting, and fireworks, free for all families.
Brian J. Cook
An immersive walk-thru holiday wonderland at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas — a curated village of light installations, characters, and seasonal markets created by L.A. event design pros.
Brian J. Cook
Burbank’s 30-plus-year community Holiday in the Park festival along Magnolia Boulevard — tree lighting, holiday music, carnival games, bounce houses, food trucks, and the Magnolia Park business community’s street takeover.
Brian J. Cook
Southern California’s holiday lights and festive outings are pure magic — but nothing compares to Santa Claus himself stepping through your own front door. House of Kringle brings a real-bearded, professionally trained Santa to homes and gatherings across SoCal for an intimate live visit your family will treasure for years.
Check Availability
Have a date in mind? Tell us when and where, and we’ll let you know whether Santa is open. House of Kringle brings a real-bearded Santa Claus to Live Visits and Group Experiences across Southern California, and December fills quickly, so the sooner you check, the better your odds of locking in your first choice.
This is a quick availability check, not a booking. Nothing is reserved and nothing is owed until we’ve confirmed your date and you’ve placed your retainer.
