Christmas brings wonderful traditions, beautifully decorated scenes and a feeling of joy and togetherness for many, but if you’re looking for a new way to enjoy the season then try one of these top Christmas events from around the country.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
New York, New York
The well-known Thanksgiving tradition of watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is an iconic way to kick off the Holiday season and a way for groups to take part in the “NYC experience.” Many tour operators offer Thanksgiving Day packages for groups. This year brought the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the parade that was formally known as the Macy’s Christmas Parade and the Macy’s Santa Claus Parade. Santa Claus and his float has been the finale every year except 1933 when he lead the parade instead.
http://social.macys.com/parade/
Ozark Mountain Christmas
Branson, Missouri
Christmas takes over Branson each year from the beginning of November through New Year’s Day for the Ozark Mountain Christmas celebration. One of Brnason’s most well-known attractions, Silver Dollar City, displays a staggering 5 million lights and events include the Holly Jolly Christmas Parade. Other favorites are the Adoration Celebration— which includes the lighting of the Adoration Scene, a nativity scene on Mt. Branson— and the Polar Express Train Ride.
http://www.explorebranson.com/christmas
Christmas at Biltmore
Asheville, North Carolina
Each year The Biltmore is adorned with more than 70 decorated trees and thousands of twinkling lights for their Christmas celebration. The 2016 theme is “Hearth and Home” centered around the Vanderbilt family tradition of hospitality and centers on the home’s many fireplaces, which have been intricately decorated. The Candlelight Christmas Evenings, special reservation-only events, feature live music and unique views and includes daytime admission.
Christmas Capital of Texas
Grapevine, Texas
Everything’s bigger in Texas— even Christmas. Each year, Grapevine, texas, is transformed into a winter wonderland with millions of lights and enormous decorations. Over the course of 40 days each year there are more than 1,400 Christmas events, including ICE! at the Gaylord Texan, a display of life-sized ice sculptures and frozen monuments.
https://www.grapevinetexasusa.com/christmas-capital-of-texas/
The Lights of Christmas Festival
Stanwood, Washington
During the month of December the town of Stanwood, Washington, is turned into the largest light display in the Pacific Northwest. Each evening of the festival there is live entertainment on five different stages as well as plenty of opportunities for holiday shopping and yuletide traditions like warm donuts and Christmas carols.