The holiday season is in full swing and there are so many ways to get in the spirit in Hoboken + Jersey City. Holiday events can sometimes feel like they are geared towards kids or families but people who are living child-free also have plenty of opportunities to make festive memories locally. Or, maybe you have a night off from your kids and want to enjoy a grown-up holiday celebration. Keep reading for some ideas to make child-free holiday memories in Hoboken + Jersey City
Cocktail Crawl
There are festive cocktail bars galore in Hoboken + Jersey City. Sleighs and Leis is an annual pop-up at Jersey City’s Cellar 335 where guests can sip tropical drinks from holiday mugs. Miracle on Mercer takes over Franklin Social in Jersey City each season and the menu features creative drinks like the Snowball Old Fashioned + Christmapolitan. The Lola in Hoboken turns into Santa’s Hideaway and there’s a Sugar Cookie Martini + White Christmas Martini on the menu. The Archer in Jersey City has a housemade egg eggnog and Sorellina in Hoboken has a peppermint mocha espresso martini. Boots + Bones in downtown Jersey City also has some holiday cocktails and an impressive display of lights + decorations outside.
Beyond the Plate also hosts a guided Holly Jolly Cocktail Crawl in downtown Jersey City for ages 21+ which could be a good opportunity to meet some other childfree adults while sipping boozy holiday drinks.
Read More: 10 Holiday Pop-Ups in New York City to Check Out
Donate Toys
It’s always fun to pick out toys even if you are child-free and there are tons of places in Jersey City + Hoboken to drop off new, unwrapped toy donations this holiday season. Soled Out, Grind Coffee, + Milk + Cream are teaming up for a raffle-style toy drive this year. Toy donations are being accepted until December 22nd and people who donate a toy will get two raffle tickets for a variety of prizes. Joey No Nuts in Hoboken is also accepting toy and game donations for the York Street Project until December 20th.
Go Look at Lights + Decorations
Jersey City + Hoboken go all out with holiday lights and it can be a great tradition for child-free people to plan a night to go look at some twinkling lights. Houses, apartments, restaurants + retail locations around Hudson County are decked out in lights so take a stroll and there’s sure to be some decorations.
Holiday trees are also set up in downtown Jersey City at the end of Newark Avenue + in the Grove Street PATH Plaza. The Exchange Place Plaza has a lot of decorations and there’s a tree in J Owen Grundy Park. Journal Square has a tree in Magnolia Landing Plaza, Newport + Hoboken has a tree at the intersection of 11th Street + Washington Street.
Holiday-Themed Trivia
Trivia nights around Hoboken are a great chance to put your holiday knowledge to the test. Trivia A.D. will host various holiday-themed trivia nights throughout December.
Ice Skating
Ice skating is a fun activity for all ages and childfree Hudson County residents can take part in this wintertime tradition at Newport Skates, an outdoor ice skating rink open from November to March. Skaters need to purchase tickets online in advance for $13 + ice skates can be rented for an additional $7. Newport residents also get discounted rates. Lessons are available on Saturday + Sunday mornings for anyone who wants some guidance before hitting the ice. Newport Town Square Park also has a ton of holiday decorations to check out before or after the ice skating experience.
Pick Out a Tree
There are great options for holiday trees in Hoboken + Jersey City. Childfree couples can make memories at Porta in downtown Jersey City. This restaurant has a special during the holiday season called “Pizza + a Porta Tree” which comes with a carafe of house wine or a pitcher of domestic beer + a Fraser fir tree for $75. Trees are also available in Jersey City at the 14th Street Garden Center + Kevin’s Tree Lot. Cal’s Christmas Trees, Silletti Bros. Xmas Tree + Tree Barn are go-to tree lots in Hoboken.
Sip Hot Cocoa
A cup of cocoa pairs nicely with a holiday lights walk + anyone in their hot chocolate era will want to try a few varieties around Hudson County. The pop-up Merry Hot Cocoa now has a kiosk in Pier A Park in Hoboken + Thomas Ice Cream Cafe serves hot chocolate with ice cream. In Jersey City, Milk + Cream Bar on Newark Avenue has cereal milk hot chocolate, Milk Sugar Love has hot chocolate with a handmade vanilla bean marshmallow. Maman in Jersey City has velvety hot chocolate which goes great with the seasonal pistachio croissant holiday tree.
See More: Holiday Markets + Pop-Ups in New Jersey for the 2023 Season
Shop for Gifts Locally
There are plenty of cute bookstores, gift shops, and local businesses in Hoboken + Jersey City to buy gifts for everyone this holiday season. There’s Little City Books + Symposia Community Bookstore in Hoboken along with WORD in Jersey City for bibliophiles. Shopping for a vinyl collector? Stop into Tunes in Hoboken or Rhythm Central. Local gift stores, like Kanibal & Co. in downtown Jersey City, The Lucky Honeybee in the Heights, + Washington General Store in Hoboken can be the perfect place to find something for that hard-to-shop-for person on the list.
Local markets are also a fun place to shop for gifts and the HDSID’s Happy Holiday Market is happening in downtown Jersey City on December 9th, December 10th, December 16th + December 17th. The Main Street Pops Holiday Market will also be held in Hoboken on December 3rd, December 10th, + December 17th.
Volunteer
The holiday season is a nice time to give back and volunteering can be part of anyone’s annual holiday traditions. Many organizations around Hoboken + Jersey City have volunteer opportunities like the Boys + Girls Club of Hudson County, Hoboken Family Alliance + Hoboken Community Center.
