The hot summer days have come to an end, planning and cooking for Thanksgiving are over and now it is time for the most festive time of the year, the Christmas season! I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…. Perhaps we don’t want to wish for that in Atlanta, nobody wants to get stuck on the roads for hours if that happens!
We have been lucky as the beginning of December started off unseasonably warm in Atlanta, which means we may have longer to enjoy the fall leaves and colors! Just this past weekend we spent the day in Piedmont Park and took some incredible pictures of the changing leaves. If you haven’t done that this season, I would head their soon before all the beautiful leaves fall and are subject to our numerous leaf blowers!
If you are looking for ideas of what to do in Atlanta this season, here are a few of our favorite:
1.) Enjoy the evening at Christmas with Atlanta Master Chorale at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts at Emory University– This has to be one of our absolute favorite things to do this time of year. This year the concert is December 15-16th (Saturday and Sunday). They are absolutely wonderful and this has been a yearly tradition for us the past 5 years. Their voices are heavenly and there is nothing better than spending the night listening to them sing.
2.) Stroll through the Garden Lights at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens– This is yet another one of our favorite traditions. We finally became members this year and every season the gardens surprise us with something new. I don’t know how they continue to make Garden Lights prettier every year. You can even enjoy a cocktail as you stroll through the garden in the evening. One of our favorite areas last year (which they have this year too) was Nature’s Wonders which includes 1,600 strands of lights with over 70,000 color changing lights that are synchronized to music and motion. Definitely a must see this holiday season!
3.) See a show at the Fox Theatre– We saw Irving Berlin’s White Christmas this year which was amazing! Unfortunately the last show for White Christmas has aired at the Fox, but you can still catch the Nutcracker and other shows to get you into the Christmas spirit this month.
4.) Join the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for their annual weekend of Christmas with the ASO. This year it will be held on December 8th and 9th with two shows each day at 3 and 8pm. A perfect time to enjoy Christmas carols and hymns!
5.) Attend Brookhaven Holiday on the Town– This is a great smaller holiday gathering, which includes Santa, reindeer (yes actual reindeer!), sleigh rides, store specials, Christmas tree lighting and more! It takes place in Town Brookhaven which is a smaller community allowing you to avoid crowds yet still see Santa (without reservations) and enjoy the holiday spirit.
6.) Drive to Christmas at the Biltmore– If you have time this holiday season take a drive out to Asheville North Carolina, which is about a 3 to 3.5 hour drive from Atlanta to visit the Biltmore House. It is about 180,000 square feet (unbelievable, right?), has 65 fireplaces, a Banquet Hall with 70-foot ceilings and so much amazing history and priceless artifacts within. It is truly a magical place this time of year so book your stay and tickets early! You can choose between the Christmas Daytime Celebration and the Candlelight Christmas Evenings or do both. The daytime and evening visits are beautiful, but if you would like to hear a live choir, soloists, view the house in candle light and enjoy the enormous spruce tree lit up in front of the house than the evening self guided tour is for you. You can choose to take a tour, rent an audio guide or do the self guided tour yourself. We did the self- guided tour this time, as we have already taken a tour on a previous visit. We read about each room through the pamphlet you can pick up at the entrance and there are knowledgeable guides in most rooms that can assist you with any questions and give you more information. Also, don’t miss the conservatory which is filled with absolutely beautiful and colorful plants which certainly brighten your stay in winter.
7.) Attend Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at the Shakespeare Tavern– The Atlanta Shakespeare Company has been performing this show for over 20 years. You can order food and beverages before the show to enjoy before or during the show and they offer drinks and desserts at Intermission. They do not sell food during the actual performance. You buy seats in a particular seating area and then it is first come first serve for the actual seat in that seating area once you arrive. If you would like a better seat, try to arrive close to when the doors open.
8.) Ice Skate at Park Tavern in Piedmont Park- Enjoy a daytime or evening skate at the rink at Park Tavern. If going during the daytime you can enjoy views of the midtown skyline and Piedmont Park while staying warm under the heated tent.
9.) Watch the Budweiser Clydesdales- They are making a one time appearance in Town Brookhaven on Saturday December 15th. They are arriving at around 3PM and participating in a parade around the town. I have never seen them, but this is something I will not miss!
There are so many more wonderful events going on in Atlanta this season, but these are just some of my favorites. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!