The Cameron Park Zoo in Waco will host Christmas with the Critters from December 18 through December 23, 2025, offering visitors a seasonal program that combines holiday festivities with animal care education.

The event is part of the zoo’s Wild Lights celebration and is designed to highlight the importance of animal enrichment—activities and items that encourage animals to stay active and engaged. Guests will have the opportunity to create enrichment “gifts” for zoo residents, participate in an animal encounter, and learn more about how enrichment supports animal well-being.

Alongside the educational activities, attendees can enjoy hot cocoa and cookies, admission to Wild Lights, and receive a commemorative ornament. Adult tickets are priced at $35, which include a ceramic animal painting ornament, while children ages 3–13 can attend for $25.

The evening schedule includes:

• 5:45 p.m. – Doors open
• 6:15 p.m. – Animal encounter
• 6:45 p.m. – Enrichment activity
• 7:30 p.m. – Entrance to Wild Lights

Organizers describe the program as a way to combine holiday traditions with hands-on learning, while also supporting the zoo’s mission of conservation and education.