Weather's usually nice in Pasadena at that time of year. That's the main thing.
Weather in Dallas, on the other hand, is often terrible. I've spent the month of December in Minneapolis, but I've never been colder than I was in the 37 degree drizzly rain on January 1, 1991. Watching the Horns get their tails whipped 46-3 by the CoCanes didn't help, either.