On the first Friday in December, shoppers in downtown Temple can pick up a passport at any of roughly 30 participating businesses and start collecting stamps. One stop might be Cha Community at 7 N. Main St., then Parlour Antiques & Oddities at 111 N. Main, then Westphilla Market Butcher Baker at 13 S. Main. There is no set starting point. A full passport earns three raffle tickets toward a prize bundle called The Downtown Kringle Collection, and the Nice List drop-off runs from 7 to 8 p.m. on the lawn at Bird Creek Brewing, 8 S. 4th St.
That's Kringle Krawl, and in 2026 it carries more of the season than it used to. Temple Mall has been closed by the City since June 22, so the indoor shopping, Santa photos and coffee that families used to fit into one trip have been spread across downtown, the Santa Fe Plaza area and the railroad depot. Those places sit within a short drive of each other, and many of them within a short walk.
Most of the Mall Has Been Dark Since Midsummer
Here is the timeline as it stood in early fall:
- May 22: The City of Temple gave mall owner Kohan Retail Investment Group 30 days to correct fire and life-safety problems.
- June 22: The City ordered the mall closed. KWTX reported that the cited problems included an inoperable fire pump, impaired sprinkler and alarm systems, and electrical hazards. Dillard's was not affected because it has its own fire separation, alarm and suppression systems.
- July 31: Xtreme Jump became the first mall tenant cleared to reopen, after it repaired its fire alarm and restored its sprinkler waterflow detection, according to KWTX.
- September 29: KWTX reported that there was still no reopening date. The City said electrical, roof-area, gas-line and fire-suppression work was ongoing and that "there is still a considerable amount of work to be completed."
- Early October: The Temple Daily Telegram reported that, more than 105 days into the closure, the City still said more work remained before the building could safely reopen. Tenants said reopening would take weeks of lead time to restock before Black Friday and Christmas.
Some mall businesses had already found other ways to keep serving customers. Peggy's Coffee House moved to a temporary spot inside Neighbors on 7th, a neighborhood bar at 209 N. 7th St. with indoor and outdoor seating that serves coffee along with cocktails and craft beer. Starting July 1, US 105 reported, Peggy's ran there from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily under the same owner, Rob Brandenburg. Neighbors on 7th is also the Naughty List drop-off for Kringle Krawl. That puts a mall business's temporary home on the same downtown map as the rest of the season.
The Saturday Market Fills the Gap First
The first big shopping date on the calendar is Saturday, Nov. 21. That morning the Santa Fe Community Market holds its Merry Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 33 E. Avenue C. Admission is free.
The market opened this fall with a Sept. 19 grand opening, the Telegram reported. The City of Temple built it as an indoor-outdoor market around a renovated main building, open-air spaces and repurposed outbuildings, with room for craft vendors, produce and artisans. The November vendor list covers most gift categories.
| If you're shopping for | Vendors on the Nov. 21 list |
|---|---|
| Food gifts and pantry items | Zimmerman Pecan Farm & Nursery, Respite Bee Farm, Texas Bee, Buckley's Brittles, Amy's Chocolate Heaven, Reaper One Seasoning, Kick Ass Texas Beef Jerky |
| Baked goods | Sweet & Savory Seasons Bakery, Sweet Traditions Bakery, STSA Sourdough, The Duke's Pastries, Tuck & Ruby's Dough Co., William Hoyt Bagels |
| Candles and handmade goods | Glowing in Grace Candle Co, Three Petals Candle Co, Wildflower and Flame, Clay by Denae, 38 Leather Works, Yan Water Coloring |
| Farm and ranch | Mazoch Homestead, Lost Prairie Farm, Fannin Street Farms, Gilmore Beef and Cattle, Rocky Gutter Homestead |
| Something warm to drink | The Angry Corgi Coffee, Samba Bean Coffee Co., Village Grounds Cafe |
| Pets | Saradipitie Pet Accessories |
The market has another date on Saturday, Dec. 19. That gives anyone who misses November a second chance less than a week before Christmas.
Nov. 28 Stacks Three Events Into One Day
The Saturday after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the season so far.
The day starts with Christmas with Santa for Pets at Woods Flowers, 1415 W. Avenue H, from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring a pet-related donation and your pet gets a photo with Santa. The Temple Chamber calendar also lists an American Legion Auxiliary Unit 133 Artisan Market that day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
That afternoon, Christmas at the Plaza takes over Santa Fe Plaza at 301 W. Avenue A. The Discover Temple event page lists it from 2 to 8 p.m., with the tree lighting at 7:30 p.m. The plaza is a few blocks from the community market, which keeps the whole day in the same corner of town.
One Friday Night Covers Most of Downtown
Kringle Krawl starts at 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 4, and it's free. Participating stops serve holiday snacks and seasonal drinks, and many offer exclusive shop discounts. The Nice List shows how much of downtown is taking part.
- Gifts and home goods: Darling Décor & More at 100 N. Main St., Main St Design & Consign at 204 S. Main St., JT Thrift at 108 S. Main St., Parlour Antiques & Oddities and Sloane Bridal, both at 111 N. Main St.
- Kids: Salt & Light children's resale at 104 E. Central Ave., the Temple Children's Museum at 11 N. 4th St., and Village Grounds Café & Play at 122 S. Main St.
- Food and drink: S' Sweet Berry at 104 E. Central Ave., Sweet & Savory Seasons at 7 W. Central Ave., La Dalat at 17 E. Avenue B, O'Briens Irish Pub at 11 E. Central Ave., Treno Pizzeria and Taproom at 112 S. 1st St., and Bird Creek Brewing.
- Everything else: The Art Dept at 14 S. 4th St., The Wreck Center at 16 S. 4th St., The Hive Beauty Lounge at 4 S. 1st St., Cattleman's Downtown at 13 S. 2nd St., and the Arcadia & Hawn Plaza at 110 E. Central Ave.
The rest of that evening is already planned around the Krawl. Light Up for Literacy runs from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Temple Public Library, 100 W. Adams Ave., and Jingle Jam fills the Arcadia Theatre, 114 E. Central Ave., from 6 to 9 p.m. The Hub, a downtown shop at 7 S. 2nd St., marks First Friday with a Birthday Bash from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with outside vendors. The next day it hosts Pajamas, Peppermints & Passports, also from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
If you can't make the Krawl, The Hub is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Main Street Design and Consign is open Wednesday through Saturday on the same hours. Discover Temple's downtown shopping directory adds Bon Bon Asian Market at 2 S. Main St., Relics Antiques at 117 S. 1st St., and Precious Memories Florist and Gift Shop at 17 N. 2nd St.
Santa Has Several Temple Addresses This Year
With most of the mall closed, Santa shows up at several spots around town.
- By train, Dec. 5: Santa at the Depot runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum, 315 W. Avenue B. Santa arrives by train at 9:30 a.m. Photo tickets are listed as sold out, but anyone can come watch the train pull in.
- By parade, Dec. 7: The 80th Annual Christmas Parade runs Monday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Santa starts down W. Adams Avenue at 7:20 p.m. The route follows Adams Avenue from E. Adams and N. 8th Street toward N. 23rd Street and Temple High School.
- By mail, Dec. 12: Letters to Santa at The Hub sets up a mailbox for children's letters from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- For pets, Nov. 28: Woods Flowers, as listed above.
The season closes outdoors. Rink on the Rails, an outdoor real-ice rink at the MLK Festival Grounds, opens in mid-December and runs into early January, with theme nights during December. The Hub's Jingle & Mingle on Dec. 19 and the December community market fill the last Saturday before Christmas.
A Weekend-by-Weekend Way to Use It
- Sat., Nov. 21: Get to the Merry Market at 33 E. Avenue C close to its 9 a.m. opening. It closes at 1 p.m.
- Sat., Nov. 28: Start with pet photos at Woods Flowers in the morning, then head to Santa Fe Plaza for the 7:30 p.m. tree lighting.
- Fri., Dec. 4: Start at the library at 4 p.m. if you have kids, pick up a Kringle Krawl passport after 5, and turn it in at Bird Creek Brewing between 7 and 8 p.m.
- Sat., Dec. 5: Be at the depot by 9:30 a.m. for Santa's train, then walk to The Hub, which opens at 10.
- Mon., Dec. 7: Find a spot along W. Adams Avenue before Santa passes at 7:20 p.m.
- Sat., Dec. 19: Finish your list at the December community market, then go skating at Rink on the Rails.
If you've been thinking about living closer to those blocks, or you're curious how all this downtown activity is affecting nearby streets, Bradley Sheppard is happy to talk Temple with you over coffee, whether that's at a Krawl stop or a market booth. Get in Touch.
