Show of hands: Who’s ready for holiday merry-making? We see those hands. Celebrate the season with an array of festive events that you can enjoy during your coastal vacation.
The Christmas Tree Festival at Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens in Mount Pleasant takes place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 25-27. Browse a huge selection of fresh-cut trees, handmade wreaths, and beautiful winter plants. The holidays come to life with cheerful holiday tunes, a classic Ferris Wheel, holiday cookie decorating, crafts, and more. Vendors will be on hand with plenty of food and drinks, including fresh hot chocolate and warm apple cider. Get a photo of Santa in front of vintage John Deere tractors, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Listen for the sleigh bells to ring as Santa Claus arrives from 9-10 a.m. on Nov. 25 at Night Heron Park on Kiawah Island. The St. Johns Fire Department escorts Santa through the island, so catch sight of him along the one-mile route.
Drop off Letters to Santa at the mailbox near the Christmas Trees at Freshfields Village on Kiawah Island. Letters are delivered to Santa and his elves in time for Christmas! Kids can visit with the Jolly Old Elf in Santa’s Surf Shack from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 25-26 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 27. Bring your camera!
Experience one of the most beloved holiday events in the Southeast, Nights of a Thousand Candles. See Brookgreen Gardens come to life amid the soft glow of more than 2,700 hand-lit candles and millions of sparkling lights. From 4-9 p.m. on Thursday through Sunday starting Nov. 26, visitors can walk the paths with a warm cup of cider, hear holiday music, and celebrate the season. Travel+Leisure magazine named it the “Best Christmas Lights in South Carolina.”
A Traditional Christmas at Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens takes place from Dec. 5 through Jan. 1 (closed on Christmas Day). Take a tour of the festively-decorated plantation home from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday-Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
The Holiday Festival of Lights takes place nightly from 5:30 to 10 p.m. on Nov. 11-Dec. 31 at James Island County Park. No Christmas event is complete without seeing Santa, so children can visit St. Nick and his elves at Santa’s Village from Nov. 19-Dec. 23. He’ll be too busy for photo ops on Christmas Eve, after all. The carousel runs each night with tickets available for $1 at Santa’s Village.
Kids can also visit with Santa during the Isle of Palms Holiday Street Festival, from 2-7 p.m. on Dec. 3 at Front Beach. The Festival includes arts and crafts vendors, food, children’s activities, and live entertainment.
The 27th Mount Pleasant Christmas Parade rolls at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 11 starting at Live Oak Drive and traveling south. The procession begins with a spectacular fireworks show.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas this year with a Charleston coast vacation.