Hey there Nicole,
Welcome to planDisney and thank you for your question! I love this one because it's totally subjective and there isn't an official "correct" answer! Plus, the
Holiday season is my absolute favorite time to visit the Happiest Place on Earth. The long story short here is that you really can't go wrong however you go, but I'm thrilled to give you my two cents - feel free to take it or deposit it in your Mickey Mouse piggy bank.
First, let me start by saying that you could consider adding on the
Park Hopper option to your tickets and this becomes a completely moot point for your trip since you'll be able to hop between both parks starting at 11:00 AM each day.
However, if that's outside of what you were hoping to spend on this trip, which I totally get, then my opinion would be to visit Disney California Adventure Park on Christmas Eve and Disneyland Park on Christmas Day.
To me, Disney California Adventure Park during the Holiday season feels "Christmas expectant" - it reminds me of when I was a kid and would stare at the presents under our tree wondering what was in them. In particular, the decoration "vibe" on
Buena Vista Street and
Hollywood Land, which mimics the 1920s Hollywood Christmas glam, feels celebratory and anticipatory. Plus you can learn about how other people celebrate all over the world through
Disney Festival of Holidays and enjoy all the other attractions and entertainment that this park offers. You can cap the night off with a viewing of
World of Color - Season of Light, and while you're watching you can keep an eye out to see if you can find Santa up in the sky out delivering gifts.
Then there's Disneyland Park! When I walk down
Main Street, U.S.A. during the Holiday season, it just "feels" like Christmas Day. It's hard to beat the magical feeling of Walt's original park mixed with the magic of Christmas Day. Plus, you can catch
A Christmas Fantasy Parade and might even see Santa making a stop - despite a hard prior night's work delivering gifts around the world!
I hope that helps, Nicole! Thank you again for the opportunity to answer your question. I'm confident that you and your family will make new magical memories on this upcoming special trip.
Have a Magical Day,
Greg