There are several events to attend in the Tomball and Magnolia area this holiday season, including holiday performances and Christmas markets. 

Tomball German Christmas Market
The annual Tomball Christmas Market will feature over 150 vendors, contests and entertainment.

• Dec. 12 (6-10 p.m.), Dec. 13 (10 a.m.-10 p.m.), Dec. 14 (10 a.m.-6 p.m.)
• Free (admission)
• 201 S. Elm St., Tomball

• Dec. 13-14, 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. (performances), noon-7:30 p.m. (market), 12:30-1:30 p.m. and 4-5 p.m. (Santa visits)
• $20-$30 (admission)
• Tomball High School Auditorium, 30330 Quinn Road, Tomball

• Dec. 19, 6-9 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• 31611 Nichols Sawmill Road, Magnolia

While home sales decreased in three of the five Tomball- and Magnolia-area ZIP codes, total home sales in the area increased year over year in October, according to market data provided by local real estate firm The Renee Leslie Group.

The gist: Total home sales increased 11.7% year over year in October across the five area ZIP codes in Tomball and Magnolia. As for the median price of homes, year over year in October, the median home price increased in three of the five ZIP codes in the Tomball and Magnolia area. 77362 saw the largest percentage increase of 60.11%—going from $360,370 to $577,000.

Tomball City Council received an update during its Dec. 1 meeting on the city’s natural gas master plan, which outlines system vulnerabilities, capital improvement needs and a series of recommendations aimed at ensuring long-term reliability as commercial and residential growth accelerates.

What we know: Engineered Utility Solutions Inc., which led the study, said the city’s distribution system is currently “adequate” but faces a critical weak point at the North City Gate, where supply limitations have previously caused outages during winter weather. 

“It is inevitable … there will be no gas getting to North Gate,” Engineered Utility Solutions representative Jeff Rogers told council, referencing the city’s dependence on a CenterPoint-owned pipeline that serves other customers first. 

During a 2022 freeze, Tomball received more than 380 calls for appliance relights due to pressure drops, Public Works Director Drew Huffman said. 

The cost: The full set of recommended projects totals $33 million, phased across multiple years. City staff said implementation will align with growth-driven funding availability and enterprise fund capacity.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County was awarded more than $100 million in federal funding for several low-emission initiatives aimed at significantly improving air quality across METRO’s service area.

“This funding represents a major step in our effort to transition METRO’s fleet to cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles,” interim President Tom Jasien said in a Nov. 24 news release. “These improvements will strengthen our commitment to sustainability while ensuring we continue to deliver reliable service for the Houston region.”

Zooming in: METRO officials said the $100 million grant will allow for the following projects to be completed:

• Replacing at least 100 aging diesel buses with new compressed natural gas buses
• Building a new CNG fueling station
• Upgrading maintenance facilities to support expanded CNG operations

Despite the heat and humidity in Texas, Houstonians can go ice skating in the Greater Houston area this holiday season. This is not a comprehensive list.

Ice at Discovery Green
Green Mountain Energy presents Ice at Discovery Green, where park-goers can enjoy skating in the heart of Houston. There will be multiple theme nights, such as DJ Skate Night Saturdays, Skating with Santa and Inclusive Skaters Night.

• Open through Feb. 2; operating hours vary
• $20.99; includes skates
• 1500 McKinney St., Houston

• Open through Jan. 19; operating hours vary
• $7 (age 5 and under); $15 (ages 6 and older); includes skates
• 2005 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands

In a Dec. 2 news conference, officials with Airbnb announced that Houston will receive a $1 million investment that will go toward supporting major community initiatives, expanding green infrastructure and increasing youth access to soccer.

Airbnb's sponsorship will specifically help support two major initiatives—The Green Corridor and Grow the Game.

The Green Corridor: The Green Corridor will be a 14-mile sustainable transit loop that connects key FIFA World Cup 26 venues, including the FIFA Fan Festival site in East Downtown and NRG Stadium.

Grow the Game: Part of Airbnb's $1 million sponsorship will go toward the Grow the Game program to renovate soccer fields in underserved communities, launch free or low-cost youth clinics and tournaments, and create certification pathways for coaches and referees.

One more thing: The 2026 World Cup draw is set for Dec. 5 in Washington, D.C., at noon Eastern Standard Time. The draw will determine the groups and matchups for next summer's tournament.