The story below is an excerpt from our November/December 2017 issue. For the rest of this story and more like it subscribe today, log in to read our digital edition or download our FREE iOS app. Thank you!
Up and down the mountain region, preparations for Christmas and other winter holidays are building. Here’s a potpourri of people, places and things to enjoy.
Most everyone has a holiday tradition—whether it’s piling the family into the car to drive past twinkling lights and colorful displays, picking out a tree to cut and carry home strapped on the roof of the car, passing out a yearly ornament to family and friends, or digging a fork into a favorite family recipe that’s served only at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
You might even be looking for a new tradition to begin. We hope to inspire you with ten of our favorite holiday traditions in the Blue Ridge Country area.
WITNESS SPECTACULAR LIGHT DISPLAYS
It’s impossible to put a number on the multitude of lights that twinkle each holiday season in Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Suffice it to say crews have installed millions—maybe billions—of lights for the 28th Annual Winterfest celebration, which glow from early November until late February. Private attractions have their own displays—4 million alone at Dollywood for Smoky Mountain Christmas and a mile and a half of lighted displays at Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland in Sevierville. There are also special parades: The Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade is set for 7:30 p.m. on December 1 in Gatlinburg and Sevierville’s 55th Annual Christmas Parade starts rolling on downtown streets at 11 a.m. on December 2.
Singer Dolly Parton, owner of Dollywood, has long showcased her love of the region through her generous spirit. When fires broke out in east Tennessee on November 28, 2016, many families, especially those in Gatlinburg, lost their homes. Through the “My People Fund,” Parton’s Dollywood Foundation presented almost 900 families $10,000 each as a hand up in rebuilding following the devastating blaze. Her spirit provides inspiration for what is the best holiday tradition of all—helping others when they need it most.
Other notable light displays:
• ROCK CITY, Lookout Mountain, Georgia: The Enchanted Garden of Lights features nearly a million lights and 30 illuminated scenes, cookie decorating at the North Pole Lodge and a buffet dinner with Santa on December 2, 3, 11 and 12 (seerockcity.com).
• North Carolina ARBORETUM, Asheville, North Carolina: Winter Lights, Open 6 to 10 p.m. nightly November 17-December 31, 2017 (ncarboretum.org/exhibits-events/winter-lights). Walk through uniquely-lit displays with almost 500,000 LED lights. Tickets are date specific and must be purchased in advance.
• ROPER MOUNTAIN HOLIDAY LIGHTS, Greenville, South Carolina: It’s the 26th year of this event which includes a stroll through Winter Wonderland, which includes lighted walking trails, a chance to talk to Santa and food. Then, get back in the car for a mile-and-a-half drive through some awe-inspiring illuminated displays (ropermountainholidaylights.com).
• A quaint, yet magical, display of lights takes place each year in Dillsboro, North Carolina with the FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS & LUMINARIES. Town officials light more than 2,500 candles and place them in white bags lining the streets and merchants trim their vintage buildings in traditional white lights. The festival runs this year on December 1-2, and 8-9 (dillsboronc.info/events.html).
• HOLIDAY OF LIGHTS in Bluefield, West Virginia, begins on Thanksgiving night and continues to New Year’s Eve. Visitors drive through more than 40 acres of elaborate lighted displays. This event is free, but cash donations and canned food items will be accepted (bit.ly/2vDryyR).
PICK OUT A CHRISTMAS TREE
It might be quick and easy to plunk down cash for a tree at a roadside lot and tote it home, but you’ll create lasting family memories when you visit a Christmas tree farm, hike amid rows of Fraser firs and decide on the right one for your living room. Many Christmas tree farms also enhance the festive atmosphere with cider and hot chocolate, visits from Santa, wreaths and other holiday accessories. The following websites will lead you to places across the region where you can choose ‘n cut your own tree.
GEORGIA: gacta.com
KENTUCKY:
kychristmastreefarms.com
NORTH CAROLINA:
ncchristmastrees.com
SOUTH CAROLINA:
scchristmastrees.org
TENNESSEE:
tennesseechristmastrees.org
VIRGINIA:
virginiachristmastrees.org
WEST VIRGINIA: wvchristmastreegrowers.com/choose-and-cut
ADD SPECIAL ORNAMENTS TO YOUR COLLECTION
Once you get your tree, you’ll want special ornaments to make it extra special. Whether you go with themed decor or simply get personalized items for gifts each year, there are many places in the region to fulfill your wishes.
Enter the Craftsman’s Village at Dollywood and you might decide to go home with a glass blown ornament that you make yourself with the help of the experts there. It’s a fun way to have a hands-on experience and create a lasting memento as a gift or as a colorful orb for your tree.
“It’s become a fun tradition for our guests. We have some who make an ornament each year,” says Wes Ramey, public relations manager at Dollywood. Master craftsmen put the glass in the furnace, take it out, and dip that molten glass in a variety of colors selected by the guest. They then put it back in the furnace before beginning the process of blowing that ornament. “Guests can do this at any time of year,” says Ramey. “The master craftsmen allow the guests to literally blow the ornament.”
There are also specialty Christmas shops in the region offering ornaments and other seasonal items year round. Here are a couple:
• Christmas Shop at the Depot, Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, (bit.ly/2g2SxSq). Located in a historic train depot across from the entrance to The Greenbrier, this shop is open year round.
• In Biltmore Village, just south of downtown Asheville, North Carolina, the Olde World Christmas Shoppe delights with a stock of holiday collectibles from around the world. Christopher Radko ornaments are hot sellers (bit.ly/2vcPlGM).