Moody Gardens invited my family to experience their 12th annual Festival of Lights this past weekend. What a magical experience as Galveston is aglow for the holidays! From fabulous shows and dazzling lights to edutainment journey and breathtaking scenery, Moody Gardens is a special gift for everyone in your family during this special time of year.The Moody Gardens Festival of Lights features a mile-long trail of 1 million holiday lights accompanying 100 animated light displays. Make sure to bundle up your family as you walk around the park. At the end of the walk, treat your family to some s’mores and hot chocolate by the fire. All proceeds for to local charities. You can also enjoy live entertainment, outdoor ice skating under the tent and the Texas-sized Arctic slide, where you can zip down a 100-foot-long ice slide on an inner tube. If you’re there the last three days of November, shop at the holiday gift market. The rest of Galveston will be dressed to the nines, too.

Head inside the Moody Gardens Visitor Center for the Festival of Lights Holiday Buffet, with its delicious variety of holiday soups, salads, entrees, accompaniments and desserts. Watching a holiday MG 3D film, and even better a holiday 4D movie, as you finish your visit to the Festival of Lights. We thoroughly enjoyed Santa vs The Snowman. With a house full of Star Wars fans, the recreation of the “Battle of Hoth” was one of the greatest part of the movie. And, don’t forget about stopping into the the “edutainment” pyramids to see the nocturnal rainforest and sea life creatures in action.The Festival of Lights will continue to shine throughout the holiday season Thursdays through Saturdays from now until December 7, 2013, before open nightly from December 12, 2014 to January 4, 2014, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Hours run from 6PM to 10PM. Admission to the Festival of Lights is $6.95. With the purchase of a Festival of Lights ticket, tickets to the Aquarium Pyramid, Rainforest Pyramid, Discovery Pyramid, holiday MG 3D film, holiday 4D Film, Ridefilm and Colonel Paddlewheel Boat can be purchased for only $6 each.

**DISCOUNT FOOD DRIVE FRIDAY**
Food drive Fridays offer the opportunity to enjoy the Festival and get a special discount to help those in need this holiday season. Bring a non-perishable food item every Friday throughout the Festival and receive a two-for-one Festival admission. The food will be donated to the Galveston County and Houston Food Bank.