‘Tis the season to celebrate Christmas. Make this Christmas special by creating a new Christmas celebration. Across the Carolinas you’ll find a winter wonderland filled with Christmas celebration ideas. You can do more than take a photo with Santa, shop at the mall or go out to see a movie with family and friends. Some of the Most-liked budget-friendly Carolina Holiday Celebrations by city are:
Charleston, SC – Holiday Festival of Lights ($10)
Let there be Light and I mean a lot of bright lights as in more than 2 million lights displayed on a three-mile driving tour in Charleston,SC at James Island County Park. This 643 acre park is located at 871 Riverland drive. The light tour just started and will be open until Jan 2, 2011 from 5:30pm – 10 pm Sunday thru Thursday and later till 11 pm on the weekends Friday – Saturday with a per car charge of $10 you know that will help pay the light bill.
There’s a lot you can do at this festival. You can take a stroll to see the handmade holiday crafts and the 50 ton sand sculpture at Santa’s village. Breeze thru the shops for handcrafted goods made by local artist at the Attic and the Gift Shoppe and do the train hop to view the light displays for only $2 per person. If you like music you’ll enjoy music from the local bands and ride the carousel.
- How to get there:
Once you’re in downtown Charleston you can take U.S. 17 west to Folly Road Boulevard, take Folly Road Boulevard south to Central Park Road turn right. Take Central Park Rd southwest to Riverland Drive, the turn left and you’ll see the signs to direct you into the park. For more details check out www.holidayfestivaloflights.com
Asheville, NC – Candlelight Christmas Tours ($59)
The Candlelight Christmas Evening tours will also warm your heart and take you back to the Vanderbilt Family’s 1st Christmas in 1895. The mansion which is built by George Washington Vanderbuilt II between 1889 and 1895. It is the largest privately-owned home in the United States at 135,000 square feet featuring 250 rooms. This year the mansion is lit with candles and fireplaces. You’ll see the Ballroom dancers dressed in vintage glide across the floor of the winter garden and the choir singing seasonal selections. Even the front lawn of the Biltmore is all aglow with a well-lit 55-foot Norway spruce surrounded by smaller lit trees and nursery shrubs…how cool is that! This event starts on Nov 12 and runs thru Jan 1, 2011. Candlelight Christmas Evenings are not offered on these dates Nov. 23, 25, Dec. 24 or 25 only. The price is $59 per adult and $29.50 per child ages 10-16. You can register online and save about $10 or call 800-411-3812 for more information.
There’s a lot to see with the seven-story high Banquet Hall prepared with tricycles, dolls, toy furniture, trains and hoops hanging from the HUGE 34 foot Fraser fir tree with garland and holly dressing. The Christmas tour also includes the gardens with the Biltmore floral team demonstrating how to create your own Christmas wreath. Tour the Antler Hill Village all the way to the winery with complimentary wine tasting. The Winery staff is famous for their seasonal seminars such as “Red Wine & Chocolate”.
And for a scrumptious Dinner idea, reserve your reservation at the Bistro or Deer Park Restaurant on the same site of the Biltmore (8000 acres of land).. it’s too far to walk so you can drive from one parking lot to the other. The Bistro soups and salads were delicious and fresh from their garden even our children enjoyed it! Their restaurants are so popular it’s highly recommended to reserve ahead of time to avoid a long wait!
- How to get there:
The Biltmore House is an easy drive that takes about 2 hours from Charlotte, NC. Follow Interstate 85 south to US Highway 321 in Gastonia (exit 17) and then follow US 321 north to I-40. Take I-40 west to Asheville, and take exit 50B (US Highway 25 North). After exiting stay in the left lane and follow the signs to the Biltmore entrance. The address is 1 Lodge Street Asheville, NC 28803.
Charlotte, NC – Christmas at the Billy Graham Library (FREE)
What was it like back during the ancient time period of the first Christmas? What animals would you see and what was the culture and atmosphere like? There is the one and only location in Charlotte that knows exactly what that historical time period was like so much that they have put together a spectacular theme to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas for the whole family at the Billy Graham Library. This is no ordinary library..this library brings history to life with live people and live animals as the Nativity scene that provides a look into the first Christmas night. Along with my favorite: the horse-drawn carriage rides down the road decorated with light displays. Hear the sounds of carolers singing to music of hope, love and joy to fill the air during 5pm – 9pm in the evening.
The entrance to the Billy Graham Library is FREE and during the Christmas season you can expect a long line of cars waiting to get in to see this spectacular Christmas event so you want to plan to come early by 3pm or earlier before dark when the night crowd arrives! For more details call 704-401-3270.
And what else can you do at the Billy Graham Library?
• You can visit Ruth’s Attic for exclusive ornaments and unique books, gifts for Christmas gift ideas or purchase some of Graham’s family favorite desserts like pound cake , cocoa and hot apple cider at the Dairy Bar.
• Hear the greatest stories ever told every 30 minutes for children of all ages starting at 5:00pm.
• Pet the Animals from 1 – 3pm
• Take tours of the Journey of Faith at the Billy Graham Library until 8:00 p.m. each night.
- How to get there:
The library is located at 4330 Westmont Drive in Charlotte. The library is located off Billy Graham Parkway which is near the Charlotte Douglas Airport of I-77 and I-85 in Charlotte.
Tell us your favorite Carolina Christmas celebration?
