December in downtown Minneapolis brings a genuine first for the city’s newest major-league tradition: on Christmas Day, the Minnesota Timberwolves will host a home game for the first time in franchise history. Pair that with a packed Minnesota Wild homestand across the river and a walkable stretch of holiday lights downtown, and a furnished studio at Oakland’s on 9th makes a comfortable, flexible basecamp for however long you’re in town this December.
The Timberwolves’ First-Ever Home Christmas Game
On Friday, December 25, 2026, the Timberwolves host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center at 7 p.m. — the first Christmas Day home game in team history, and part of the NBA’s national Christmas slate. Target Center is an easy, flat walk from Oakland’s on 9th, so if you’re spending the holiday in Minneapolis, or just want to catch a marquee game without hunting for parking on a holiday, you can leave the car at the studio and walk over.
A Busy Wild Homestand in December
The Minnesota Wild play nine home games at Grand Casino Arena in December, including back-to-back nights on December 18–19. If you’re building a hockey trip around it, we’ve already put together a full guide to getting to a Wild game from downtown Minneapolis without a car — the short version is that a rideshare across the river is your best bet on game night, since Grand Casino Arena sits in downtown St. Paul rather than Minneapolis.
A Walkable Holiday Season Downtown
Nicollet Mall strings up its holiday lights for the season, and downtown’s skyway-connected shops and restaurants stay lively through the coldest weeks — useful when you’d rather not fight the cold between stops. If you’re bringing kids, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s outdoor ice rinks open across the city as temperatures drop; check their page closer to your date for which rinks are open and their hours.
A few blocks from the studio, Foshay Tower still anchors the skyline the way it has since 1929 — you can see it from our own restored window openings, a nice reminder that this stretch of downtown has been dressed up for winter for a very long time.
Furnished and Flexible for However Long You’re Here
Whether you’re in town for one Christmas game, a full holiday week with family, or a month while you’re between homes, Oakland’s on 9th books by the night, the week, or the month — no lease, no hotel-room kitchenette. Every studio comes with a full kitchen, free laundry, WiFi, and all utilities included, so you can cook a holiday meal in rather than eating out every night of your stay.
Ready to book your December stay? Check availability here, or call us at (612) 314-5124 — we’re happy to help you plan around the game or event that brought you downtown.
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