A Tinsel Touchdown

Dallas Cowboys kick off Christmas with a bang at The Star in Frisco

The Dallas Cowboys knows what North Texas wants: a return of the 7th annual Christmas at The Star (and a national championship, but we'll take this in the meantime).

These free, family-friendly events and experiences begin November 17 and run throughout the holiday season, all held at The Star in Frisco.

Cowboys Christmas Extravaganza
Powered by Reliant, this electrifying 20-minute show ignites The Star with a powerful mix of game-day excitement and Christmas cheer on Tostitos Championship Plaza. The show kicks off with a dazzling performance by the world-famous Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, followed by the lighting of The Star’s 67-foot LED Christmas tree.

A magical lineup of 65 game-day performers includes Dallas Cowboys Rhythm and Blue, Cowboys Rookie Squad, Rowdy, and a special appearance by Santa Claus. This event takes place every Friday and Saturday at 6 pm from November 17-December 16, outdoors on Tostitos Championship Plaza.

Special appearances by Dallas Cowboys football heroes include:

Friday, November 17: Tyron Smith & Family
Saturday, November 18: Darren Woodson & Family
Friday, November 24: Chad Hennings & Family
Saturday, November 25: Drew Pearson & Family
Friday, December 1: Bradie James & Family
Saturday, December 2: Tyrone Crawford & Family
Friday, December 8: TBA
Saturday, December 9: DeMarcus Ware & Family
Friday, December 15 :Gene & Jerry Jones
Saturday, December 16: Dat Nguyen & Family
And more to be announced soon (all appearances are subject to change).

Admission and parking for the event are free.

Santa at The Star
Monument Realty helps welcome Santa Claus to his Cowboys-themed set in the heart of The Star District, November 17-December 24. You can schedule an appointment to visit Santa inside his custom Dallas Cowboys cottage by visiting here. Walk-ins will also be welcome, but with limited availability.

Photo packages include a printed 5×7 photo and an exclusive Cowboys gift for each child. Save $5 when they book your appointment before December 9 using code STAR5. Santa’s cottage is located centrally in The Star District across from Ascension. Free parking is available in the Silver Parking Garage located off Gaylord Parkway.

Christmas Tours of The Star
Fans are invited to experience the magic of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters during Christmastime Tours of The Star, presented by SeatGeek. Tours happen November 17-December 16.

Tickets are $65 and include VIP viewing of Cowboys Christmas Extravaganza, a 45-minute Christmas-themed guided tour of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters, a takeaway Santa hat, and limited-edition Dallas Cowboys ornament.

Check-in will occur at 5:45 pm prior to the start of Cowboys Christmas Extravaganza. To book your tour for an individual or group, email TheStarTours@DallasCowboys.Net or call 972-497-4720.

Youth camps
Additional Cowboys-related holiday activities include Dallas Cowboys Holiday Youth Football and Dance Camps presented by Invisalign. These happen at AT&T Stadium on December 22 and December 23. To learn more and register visit here .

Feast for the fest
In addition to The Star’s marquee holiday events, The Star’s dining, shopping and entertainment district features 36-plus shops and restaurants which offer a a festive place to toast, break bread, and gift-shop throughout the holiday season.

To stay up to date on holiday menus, sales, events, and more, visit here.

Photo courtesy of The Star in Frisco

Are you ready for a Cowboys Christmas Extravaganza?

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Critics' choice

DFW film critics name One Battle After Another best movie of 2025

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association has voted Paul Thomas Anderson's action thriller One Battle After Another the best film of 2025, according to the results of its 32nd annual critics’ poll released on Wednesday, December 17.

The top award was one of five wins for the film in the poll, including Leonardo DiCaprio as Best Actor, Teyana Taylor as Best Supporting Actress, and Anderson for both Best Director and Best Screenplay.

After One Battle After Another, the rest of the top 10 films in the poll were, in order, Sinners, Marty Supreme, Hamnet, Sentimental Value, Train Dreams, Frankenstein, Jay Kelly, Bugonia, and It Was Just an Accident.

In addition to DiCaprio and Taylor, other acting awards included Rose Byrne as Best Actress for If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You and Stellan Skarsgård as Best Supporting Actor for Sentimental Value.

The two other behind-the-scenes awards both went to Sinners, including Best Cinematography for Autumn Durald Arkapaw and Best Score for Ludwig Göransson.

Sentimental Value also took home the award for Best Foreign Language Film, while Netflix got double wins with The Perfect Neighbor for Best Documentary and KPop Demon Hunters for Best Animated Film.

The Russell Smith Award, given annually by the DFWFCA to the best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film, went to It Was Just an Accident.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association consists of 26 broadcast, print, and online journalists from throughout North Texas. For more information, visit dfwcritics.com.
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Author Alex Bentley is a member of the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association.

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