Happy Tuesday, Tulsa. In today’s edition: Botanic Garden of Lights, Nutcracker Festival, 43rd Annual Darnaby Arts & Crafts Show, and more.

Let’s get to it — Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Sweet skills for holiday bakers: All Things Cake in Tulsa hosted a festive royal icing workshop covering consistencies, outlining, flooding, wet-on-wet designs, and detailed piping as guests decorated Christmas cookies — read the full story.

Community holiday kickoff: Owasso hosted its annual Lights On Owasso tree lighting at Redbud Festival Park with Santa, real reindeer, face painting, and food trucks. New free train rides ran along Main Street — see times and activities.

Winter support for animals: The Oklahoma Alliance for Animals reminds outdoor pet owners to protect pets in cold weather, urging insulated straw-filled shelters and clean water, with limited straw and dog house supplies available — get pickup and donation details.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Scams are rampant: My step-dad recently got a call from someone pretending to be his grandson, all beat up and asking for bail money. They knew his grandson’s name, how old he is, and what city he lives in. How? Data brokers. They sell your info to anyone willing to pay for it (yup… anyone). Incogni removes your info from all of those sites so scammers can’t use it against you. Cyber Monday discounts are available all week — check ’em out here.

Highlights this week

• Stroll through dazzling holiday lights
• Celebrate holiday lights at Guthrie Green
• Join the classic car holiday toy drive
• Experience a European-style Christkindlmarkt
• Explore Oklahoma’s largest indoor farm show
• Need new windows? Check out RBA’s latest deals

🫶 We got your back

Magical nights await: Philbrook Festival is back in midtown Tulsa, lighting up the gardens with thousands of lights, a musical light show, and make-and-take art. New this year: nightly live music from local artists, plus weekend holiday movies. Don’t miss the LEGO Villa. It runs through Jan. 3. Admission is $27 for adults, $12 for members, and $10 for ages 17 and under. Get all the details.

Your Santa stop guide: FOX23 rounded up places to see Santa around Tulsa County through Dec. 24, from Bass Pro’s Santa’s Wonderland and Woodland Hills Mall photos to Utica Square’s Santa’s House and weekend stops at Gathering Place. Special events pop up too, like Tulsa Botanic Garden photo nights, Breakfast with Santa at the BOK Center, and Skate with Santa at WeStreet Ice Center. See dates and locations.

Breakfast burrito kind of day: If your morning needs a win, Chimera serves hefty breakfast burritos with house-roasted coffee, and vegan or gluten-free options that taste legit. It’s a smart Tulsa play when you want to start strong and dodge the 11 a.m. snack spiral.

An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.

Wellness on easy mode: Most probiotics don’t work because they dissolve too early. Seed’s double capsule design means all the right stuff gets delivered to all the right places… at the right time. After decades of gut issues, it’s one of the few things that’s actually helped. Their Daily Essentials Duo covers nutrient gaps and supports everyday health + it’s 40% off right now so it’s a great time to give it a try.

📆 Around town this week

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

This week

✨ Botanic Garden of Lights @ Tulsa Botanic Garden | Wednesday (12/3) at 5:00pm – Trade mall chaos for a nighttime stroll at the Botanic Garden, all twinkly paths, s’mores by the fire, and photo ops that do not involve a plastic Santa. Think snowball pit, Sunday jazz, and actual peace. Timed tickets, comfy shoes, and cashless buys.

🎉 Bubbles Bash @ The Half Acre | Wednesday (12/3) at 5:00pm – Nothing beats a night of bubbles when the laundry can wait. Taste your way through over 50 sparkling wines from around the globe, each with a smart snack pairing, and explore bubbles from around the world like a pro. Fancy, friendly, and mercifully free of wedding toasts.

📚 Meet Argentine American Writer Hernan Diaz @ Tulsa Central Library | Thursday (12/4) at 5:30pm – Take a break from doomscrolling and hear Pulitzer Prize winner Hernan Diaz talk shop, field questions, and sign books. He’s the 2025 Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author honoree, so expect brains, charm, and a line you won’t mind standing in. Books will be on hand.

🎭 Nutcracker Festival @ Tulsa Expo Square | Friday (12/5) at 12:00pm – If you want the kids happily tired and your holiday spirit restored, the Nutcracker Festival takes over Expo Square with train rides, a petting zoo, live shows, the Mouse King market, a cake walk, inflatables, face painting, and a cameo from Santa. Festive chaos, but curated.

🎨 Tulsa Holiday Art Crawl| Friday (12/5) at 6:00pm – Whether you’re actually shopping or just browsing with a cocoa, the Tulsa Holiday Art Crawl packs kid-friendly galleries, live music, food, and loads of original art, free admission included. Chat up local artists, snag a gift, then pretend it’s for someone else.

This weekend

🏃 Jingle Bell Run 5K @ Oktoberfest | Saturday (12/6) at 9:00am – Think your holiday spirit can survive a 5K? Lace up, jingle a little, and trot with the Arthritis Foundation for a festive run that’s more cheer than chafe. Expect ugly sweaters, strollers, and a guilt-free cocoa after, plus the smug satisfaction of helping neighbors.

✂️ 43rd Annual Darnaby Arts & Crafts Show @ The UMAC | Saturday (12/6) at 9:00am – Holiday shopping at the UMAC means one thing, the 43rd Darnaby Arts & Crafts Show with 180 makers and zero mall chaos. Free to get in, snack on food trucks, snap Santa pics, and actually find gifts you’ll keep, all while backing Darnaby Elementary.

🏙️ Deco in December: Do You Know Your Deco?| Saturday (12/6) at 9:30am – Think you know your Deco, Tulsa? This stroll tests your Art Deco chops as you explore our oil-boom beauties, trade trivia, and notice details you’ve ignored for years. Bundle up, enjoy good company, and finally have a reason to say zigzag moderne out loud.

🦌 Reindeer Wooden Porch Leaner @ Wompa | Saturday (12/6) at 2:00pm – Skip the plastic yard inflatables and build your own Reindeer Wooden Porch Leaner at this cozy DIY workshop. Bring the kids, your neighbor, and your opinions on stain colors, then leave with porch cred, a little sawdust, and an actually charming holiday decoration.

🎶 8th Street @ Miracle of Faith Church | Sunday (12/7) at 10:00am – 8th Street is rolling back into town to join Bro. Randy Perry and the warm, welcoming crew at Miracle of Faith Church. Expect heartfelt music, familiar faces, and that Sunday-morning energy that hits just right. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to show up—well, here it is.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/2 James Robert Webb @ The Church Studio – 12 pm
• 12/3 Danielle Nicole @ The Vanguard – 7 pm
• 12/3 Trans-Siberian Orchestra @ BOK Center – 7 pm
• 12/4 Adam Bush and more @ Bricktown Comedy Club – 7 pm
• 12/4 Styx @ River Spirit Casino – 8 pm
• 12/5 The ’25 Christmas Show @ Chimera Cafe – 7 pm
• 12/5 Barron Ryan and more @ Asbury United Methodist Church – 7:30 pm
• 12/6 Christmas is Here @ Oneighty Auditorium – 7 pm
• 12/6 Emily Hollingshed and more @ The Shrine – 7 pm

🏠️ This house is wild

Listed by: For sale by owner

Luxury vintage-style estate in south Tulsa, 6,998 sq ft with 4 beds and 4.5 baths. A grand living room has vaulted ceilings and windows, five fireplaces, an office and library with built-ins, plus upstairs game room. Two bars with ice and three mini fridges keep spirits chilled. The primary offers dual closets, one with a storm shelter. Extensive storage and five HVAC systems, including a climate-controlled 4-car garage.

Outside, a new roof tops a fenced backyard with pool and waterfall, hot tub, and an outdoor kitchen with TV cabinet. Owner financing available, prime location near top schools and shopping.

Take a peek inside →