Archive for the ‘Holiday’ Category

Christmas and New Year’s Magic at Hidden Pastures Unicorn Farm

If you’ve been a Kidding Around reader for any length of time, you’ve likely seen some of our coverage of Hidden Pastures Unicorn Farm in Fountain Inn, SC. While the farm is open year-round with varying hours, you don’t want to miss Yuletide Unicorn & Night Lights Festival. With Christmas celebrations leading up to New Year’s Day, you and your child are bound to make memories together during a visit to Hidden Pastures.

Be sure to read our entire review of Hidden Pastures Unicorn Farm.

Yuletide Unicorn & Night Lights Festival

After all of the rain we’ve had lately, we were ready to get out of the house at the first break of sunshine (despite the bite of cold air). We bundled up ourselves and our daughter and made our way to Hidden Pastures Unicorn Farm. Owner Kate greeted us with smiles and gave us a rundown of the history and what to expect once we walked through the entrance barn doors. As soon as we were done talking with Kate, our daughter took off.

Hidden Pastures Unicorn Farm at Christmas — Unicorn Farm Entrance & Gift Shop

My favorite part of the entire visit? The free-range animals that roam the grounds. Everywhere you turn, there’s either a friendly goat, eager chicken, adorable calf, or magical unicorn ready to greet you (and likely waiting for some snacks to gently eat out of your hand).

Christmas time at Hidden Pastures Unicorn Farm in Fountain Inn SC — Feeding the Goats at the Unicorn Farm

There are plenty of outdoor toys for your child to enjoy. There are see-saws, rocking horses, bouncing horses, a tiny toddler playhouse, slides, swings, and a giant inflatable bounce house with a slide.

But the best part about this time of year? The Christmas decorations, Santa, hot chocolate, live music (select days only), Christmas lights, and a night-time Christmas moving showing with a firepit. If our daughter was a bit older, we definitely would have visited at night. Since she’s a bit young, we made a daytime visit, but look forward to visiting in the evening when she’s a little older.

And if you need something to do on New Year’s Eve, the Unicorn Farm will be showing a special movie, will keep their Christmas lights on, and have a food truck available). (CANCELED Due to rain)

Animals at Hidden Pastures Unicorn Farm — Yuletide Unicorn & Night Lights Festival

Hidden Pastures Unicorn Farm Yuletide Unicorn & Night Lights Festival with Santa Details

Unicorn Farm Location:
245 Little Virginia Road
Fountain Inn

Visit Hidden Pastures Unicorn Farm

Hours of Operation:

December 19-23, 2022: open every day 11 am – 9 pm (no Santa visits)
December 24-25, 2022: Closed
December 26-30, 2022: open every day 11 am – 9 pm (no Santa visits)
CLOSED 12/31 Due to RAIN
January 1, 2023: Open 11 am – 9 pm (no Santa visits)

Pricing:

Adults 18+ – $12
Kids 3-17 years old – $14
Babies 2 & under – Free
*Cash and cards accepted

Planning your trip to Hidden Pastures? Tell us about it!

Unicorns at Hidden Pastures Unicorn Farm in Fountain Inn, SC

Experience Christmas Magic at the Greenville Zoo’s Holiday Lights Show

Holidays at the Zoo at the Greenville Zoo in Greenville, SC has thousands of lights, holiday music, and lots of surprises that are pretty much guaranteed to put a smile on anyone’s face this Christmas season.

Only in it’s second year, Holidays at the Zoo at the Greenville Zoo is already a must-see in Greenville for families and anyone looking to experience a bit of Christmas magic this holiday season. I tried it out and absolutely loved it for its amazing lights, relaxed and festive atmosphere, and great Christmas music.

About Holidays at the Zoo

This is only the second year for the big light display at the Greenville Zoo so if you haven’t heard about it yet, let us introduce you to this awesome show of Christmas lights.

The lights are strewn throughout the entire zoo, right from the entrance gate all along the paved paths. There are two huge light tunnels which are fantastic. One of them, the one nearest the farm animals and sponsored by the Little Gym, is synchronized to music. I’ll be the first to tell you that yes, I was a hundred percent dancing through this tunnel to the music. It was so much fun and my kids thought it was hilarious. I don’t know why they didn’t join me.

I did get to talk to the guy who is responsible for the programming of the lights and a lot of the setup. He confirmed my suspicion that this display was no easy job to create. I really think the Greenville Zoo did a fantastic job with this display.

Santa and (Some) Sleeping Animals

The lights continue on throughout the zoo once you enter and stroll past the reptile house, which is open if you’d like to stop in to see the creepy crawlers, and up to the concession area where you can buy hot chocolate or popcorn and browse the zoo shop. They have really cute stuffed animals, ornaments, and other gifts.

Santa’s workshop is near there as well where guests are invited to take photos. Santa will be at the Zoo on December 22, 2022. Keep on strolling through the zoo, past the birds (you may see a huge owl like we did!), and around the small play area, which is closed for this special event. But don’t worry because once you round that curve, you’ll see a huge Holidays at the Zoo sign that you can use for pictures and then you get to walk through the big musical light tunnel – my favorite. Tag us in videos where you dance. Please.

We went at 6 pm and most of the animals were already sleeping so you probably won’t see many if you go in the evening. If you go during an earlier slot, you should be able to see the animals. One of our readers said she went a little before 5 pm and got to see the animals and then when it got dark, went through again, without exiting the zoo as your ticket does not include readmission, to see all the lights lit up.

The experience is such fun and absolutely worth it. It’s obvious how much work and effort the Zoo went through to make this an incredible experience for their guests.

Yummy Concessions

I definitely recommend getting a cup of hot chocolate while you’re at Holidays at the Zoo. I love hot chocolate and it’s even tastier on a chilly winter night.

You can also purchase tokens at the concession stand for milk and cookies, which you can eat while sitting at a little fire on some couches or pretty white wicker chairs that are very cozy and picturesque. There’s also a mechanical reindeer and really, who doesn’t love that?

Best Ages for Holidays at the Zoo

My kids are 8 and 11 years old and they loved this light display. I loved it as an adult. The tunnels and lights and music were my favorite and made me feel like a kid again. It was fantastic.

The Greenville Zoo is stroller-friendly and I saw lots of families making use of them while walking throughout the light display so if your kids are smaller, this is a great option to see some holiday lights and have that fun, family experience together.

I’ve always thought that the Greenville Zoo is such a manageable adventure for families with smaller kids and this event is no different. We spent about 45 minutes, maybe a little longer, going through the whole zoo, stopping to take photos and videos, and just to soak it all in. This is such a perfect excursion because it’s local so you aren’t driving far and also because it will easily capture the attention of kids at any age.

Tips on Enjoying Holidays at the Zoo

Here are a few tips to make your experience even more enjoyable at the Greenville Zoo during Holidays at the Zoo:

The Zoo is pretty much all outdoors so definitely plan your wardrobe accordingly. Be sure to have hats, gloves, scarves, and a warm jacket, especially when you go at night.
I’d recommend going around sunset or later so you can get the whole light show experience.
Bathrooms are conveniently located near the concession and shop area right in the middle of the Zoo. It’s always good to know where the bathrooms are!
The play areas inside the Zoo are closed during Holidays at the Zoo so just plan for that, especially if you know your kids love to play there.
If you have a stroller, you’re welcome to use it. There’s plenty of space to use strollers at the Zoo during this event.
Pets are not allowed on Zoo grounds so leave your furry friend home when visiting the light show.
Your tickets are one time entry only so you can’t leave and then come back later.

Holidays at the Zoo Dates & Tickets

Tickets to Holidays at the Zoo are $10/adult members and $8/child members; $12/adult non-members and $10/child non-members (online prices). If you choose to purchase tickets at the gate, the cost is $14/adults and $12/kids for non-members. The Zoo is encouraging guests to purchase tickets online to ensure your spot. Plus, it’s cheaper that way!

Holidays at the Zoo is happening at the Greenville Zoo:

December 15-23, 2022 from 3-8 pm
December 26-30, 2022 from 3-8 pm

The tickets are timed and the last time slot is 7:45 pm but as long as you are in line by 8 pm, you’ll get in.

Want more holiday lights? Check out our big Holiday Lights List for the best displays in our area!

Greenville Zoo
150 Cleveland Park Drive, Greenville
Website

Dan Hamilton’s Greenville, SC Holiday Bucket List

In this article, Top Rated Real Estate Agent and Team Leader Dan Hamilton takes a break from offering Greenville real estate advice to share his must-see Greenville events this holiday season. Keep reading to discover his family’s favorite Greenville traditions!

I have lived in Greenville since I was 5 years old, and Christmas has always been a special time in the city. This year, I’m sharing some of my family’s favorite Greenville holiday events and Christmas traditions that we never miss.

I’m just sharing a few of my favorite events here, but if you’re looking for more ways to spend time with your family this holiday season, check out my team’s holiday guide. Whether you’re looking for a Christmas Tree Farm, a Christmas Parade, or a New Years Eve Party, the Hamilton & Co. Holiday Guide has you covered with over 70 Greenville Holiday Events!

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Largest Nativity Scene in South Carolina at Church in Greenville, SC

Did you know South Carolina’s largest nativity scene with life-size figures is right here in Greenville, SC? See the beautifully carved figures at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Taylors through early February.

Christmas is centered around nativity scenes and for good reason, right? The birth of Christ is why Christmas is celebrated around the world and while there are many beautiful nativity scenes, the one at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Taylors is incredibly unique because the figures in the nativity are all life-sized and carved by an expert woodworker in Germany.

The Great Nativity

The Great Nativity was revealed last year after parishioners at Prince of Peace raised money through private donations to commission the pieces, which were carved by Johanne Albl of ALBL Oberammergau, who has been in the business of woodworking and sacred art in Germany since 1556.

There are 13 figures in total: the shepherd, Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, the camel, ox, donkey, three wise men, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, an angel, and a sheep.

The three wise men, also life-size, didn’t show up on time last year but they made it for this year’s nativity and are currently situated in the back of the spacious church, making their way to the nativity scene.

The biggest sculpture in the Great Nativity is the camel, weighing in at 1,600 pounds, which is actually more than most camels weigh in real life. You can’t climb on the camel (I asked).

About the Artist

Johanne Albl of ALBL Oberammergau carved the Great Nativity from polychrome Lindenwood. The set is the largest ever commissioned in the family’s history. They are also one of the world’s leading firms for sacred art and architecture.

The Albl family has been woodcarvers in Germany since the mid-1500s. They are currently in their 14th generation of artists and grew from a small village in the Bavarian Alps.

How to See the Great Nativity

The Great Nativity at Prince of Peace can be seen in the church anytime between 7 am and 7 pm every day, and will be up between Sunday, December 4, 2022 until February 2, 2023, the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple.

“Christmas is a busy time for everyone and if you want a moment of peace in the craziness of the holiday season, come to the biggest nativity in South Carolina so that we can all be reminded of the innocence of a child during this beautiful season of joy and peace,” said Father Christopher Smith, pastor at Prince of Peace Catholic Church.

Visitors are asked to be respectful when viewing the nativity since the church is a place of worship. The public is welcome at any time to visit, and is warmly invited to a candlelight celebration of Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve or any of the Masses held at the Church

For more in-depth knowledge of Prince of Peace, the public are welcome to join Church Tours, which will happen on Thursday, December 15th and Saturday, December 17th at 7 pm with Deacon Michael Thompson. All are encouraged to attend.

Prince of Peace Catholic Church
1209 Brush Creek Road, Taylors

Looking for more? See Live Nativities Near Greenville, SC

31+ Educational Gifts for Kids: Put a New Skill Under the Christmas Tree

Do you want to give an educational gift this year, giving something more than just amusement? Kids can learn loads when they are having fun, which makes educational gifts a double whammy, powerhouse, gift-giving option.

Give them the gift of fine motor skills, colors and shapes, hand-eye coordination, problem-solving skills, creativity, imagination, an inquisitive mind, and a break from screen time. Puzzles, science kits, games, learning toys, books, and building toys can do all that and more.

Ok. You’ve decided to give an educational gift, but now you need some ideas? No problem. We polled our readers and asked about their favorite gifts that encouraged learning something new. Then, we added a few of our own ideas. The result? This list of top-notch educational gift ideas.

This list contains Amazon affiliate links.

Educational Gift Ideas

When it comes to gift-giving, you’re going to see your kids receive a ton of toys. Some of the best gifts, though, are educational. These gifts and toys engage your child for longer periods of time, encourage imaginative play and critical thinking, and may even inspire a lifelong passion. My favorite educational gifts for kids are ones that store easily, encourage independent play, and can be enjoyed for a long period of time (bonus points: they don’t require batteries, haha).

We polled our readers and asked for their favorite educational gifts for kids, and have rounded up their answers for you below.

Tonies

I’ve seen these everywhere, and to be honest, the most I see them, the more interested I am in getting one for our daughter. These are essentially audio players for kids 3+ that play stories, music, and other educational things. The biggest draw to them is that they are screen-free and easy for little ones to play with. You buy the starter kit, and then you can buy as many extra “Tonies” as you’d like. Each Tonie character plays different things. Kidding Around readers highly recommended this.

Osmo

I had never heard of this before a couple of our readers recommended it. But after learning more about it, I’m now wanting to tell all my mama friends about it. You buy a starter kit that includes the Osmo Base that attaches to an iPad or Fire Tablet. There are various puzzle pieces, drawing pads, and games you can buy to accompany each kit. And everything is educational and fun for kids.

Hot Dots

Hot Dots is another great interactive and educational toy for kids. Kids simply take the “pen” and tap the dots throughout the books to help learn to read and get ready for school. Hot Dots come with different subjects, themes, and ages.

Magna Tiles

Time to work those fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination! Magna Tiles are an ever-popular toy for kids. The translucent tiles are magnetic, allowing you to build 2D or 3D shapes. They come in a variety of shapes and spark hours of imaginative play for children. I’ve also known a dad or two to play with these to see how big a structure they can build.

If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Picasso Tiles are also very popular.

Kiwi Box Subscription

A Kiwi Box Subscription is an educational gift that keeps giving. Each month, your child receives a box in the mail with a new project appropriate to their age and interest. When you fill out the subscription form online, you’ll answer a few questions so the perfect box is delivered each time. There are subscription boxes for ages 0-12+

Coding Robot like the Elenco Teach Tech

One of our readers highly recommends a coding robot like the Elenco Teach Tech. These toys help teach kids how to program, code, problem-solve, and use critical thinking skills. This particular robot is recommended for ages 3+.

Learning Wrap-Ups

When one of our readers recommended Learning Wrap-Ups, I was immediately swept back to my childhood. I would consider these a classic toy and definitely an educational one. You simply wrap the string from the problem on the left to the answer on the right and self-check yourself on the back. Learning Wrap-Ups come with different topics, including math, pre-algebra, science, and vocabulary.

More Educational Gift Ideas We Love

Books

Magazine Subscriptions: The gift that keeps on giving

Once a month or every other month, another installment of your educational gift arrives bringing fun and learning long after the holiday decor has been boxed up and put away.

Strategic Board Games

Work out your strategy and think ahead to win these games. Really get that brain working, growing, and thinking hard, and of course, have fun, too! Our readers suggest these strategic board games:

More Educational Games

Love board games? See our HUGE list of family favorite board games for all ages. Here are a couple of our favorite educational games from that list.

Zingo

Zingo is one of ThinkFun’s most popular and bestselling games, and is the winner of an Oppenheim Gold Award and Parents’ Choice Gold Award, among others. It’s a fun pre-reading game for ages 4 and up. There are versions for learning sight words, numbers, and using letters to make words. Like all of ThinkFun’s games, Zingo is built to develop critical thinking skills. Playing will improve language skills through fun and fast-paced play.

Zingo Sight Words
Zingo Numbers

Gravity Maze

We played this with kids ages 8, 9, and 11 years old and they all loved it. I tried it also as an adult and it’s fantastic because it’s one of those games where you have to focus on the puzzle and nothing else. Gravity Maze is especially great for kids who like to play by themselves, for kids who love problem-solving, and for kids who are probably future engineers.

Gravity Maze

Puzzles

Gifts that Teach Science

If you have a science-loving kid, we have some tried and true classic ideas to share from personal experience! These teach things about real world, the natural world, physics, and lots more!

Marble runs: Try this simple wooden set called Blocks and Marbles for older elementary children. It’s a long-time favorite.
Magnifying glass, or pocket microscope
Backyard explorer set
Chemistry sets with test tubes and stoppers
Rock and fossil sets
Science kits and experiment kits
Telescope
Binoculars

More Gifts With Educational Value

Crafts
Construction sets
Building toys
Legos
Play Kits from Lovevery
Letter sets
Stationery sets
Shape blocks

Educational Experience Gifts

Children’s Museum Membership

A membership to The Children’s Museum of the Upstate is a WONDERFUL gift idea! I’m a big supporter of gifting experiential gifts to loved ones, and an even bigger supporter if it’s providing educational value. And TCMU is one of the best local places that offers constant and steadfast education and fun to kids of all ages in the Upstate.

If you’re looking for experiential gifts you can give to loved ones this year, be sure to read our list of experience gifts.

Don’t live in Upstate, SC? Educational experience gifts are everywhere. Look for local options this these for educational experiences you can give as a gift near you.

Local museums
Zoos
Nature Parks
Aquariums
Theaters
Science centers
Sports venues

What other educational gifts do you love giving kids?

Shop the Greenville Christmas Market at the Grand Bohemian Lodge

Have you visited the Greenville Christmas Market at the Grand Bohemian Lodge in Downtown Greenville, SC? Beautifully decorated with a merging of a southern Christmas with a micro version of a traditional European Christmas market, this open-air market is certain to spark holiday joy. The holiday market hosts a dozen local vendors, live music, serves holiday-themed food and beverages, and even offers the opportunity for your little one to visit with Santa to give him that very special list. You can explore the Greenville Christmas Market in Downtown Greenville on select dates from November 25th, 2022 until January 1st, 2023.

christmas market greenville — The Greenville Christmas Market

The Greenville Christmas Market at the Grand Bohemian Lodge

Located in the heart of Downtown Greenville at Falls Park, the Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville is hosting the first Greenville Christmas Market from November 25th, 2022 through January 1st, 2023. You know you are close when you smell the gorgeous Christmas tree near the exit of Liberty Bridge. Located outside on the lawn in front of the hotel, the market is open rain or shine. The market features local vendors, offering the perfect Christmas gifts, decor, and maybe even something special for yourself. Local vendors include:

Cook’s Station
Savannah Bee Company
Lumineux Chocolate
Greenville Goods
Bridge City Coffee
Charleston Candle CO.
Hollowed Earth Pottery
Oren Moon
Grand Bohemian Art Gallery
Sawyer Naturals
Grand Bohemian Treats

Along with all the wonderful shopping opportunities, guests can enjoy the decorations that adorn the already impressive architecture of the hotel. Vendors serve holiday-inspired food and beverages that complement the Christmas decor, making the market more of a holiday experience rather than a shopping venture. Be sure to check out the live music offered throughout the month, with musicians providing entertainment for guests as they shop. The Greenville Christmas Market is even open on Christmas Eve, in case you need to pick up a few special gifts before Christmas Day.

Shopping at the Greenville Christmas market — The Greenville Christmas Market

Meet and Greet with Santa

There is no better place to meet Santa than at a gorgeous ski lodge while sipping hot chocolate and relaxing under the mesmerizing lights of the Christmas decorations. The Grand Bohemian Lodge offers just that, but a little closer to home than European mountains. Santa will be meeting children on select dates throughout the month. Parents can snap the perfect photo to capture that special memory with the big man before doing some shopping. Don’t forget your camera during your visit, there are many holiday photo opportunities, especially in front of the brilliantly decorated Christmas tree on the market lawn.

Santa will be at the lodge on November 25-26, December 2-3, December 9-10, December 16-17, and December 19-24. The hours vary, with most dates having a meet and greet with Santa from 1 pm – 3 pm or 6 pm- 8 pm. Be sure to check the times before heading to the market so you do not miss him!

Greenville Christmas Market scenes — The Greenville Christmas Market

Other Holiday Happenings in Downtown Greenville

After checking out the market, there are a lot of other Downtown holiday happenings to enjoy! You can walk on over to Ice on Main, located at the Courtyard Marriott near the Peace Center. There is also the wonder-filled Festival of Trees found in Embassy Suites, Courtyard Marriott, and The Hyatt Regency Greenville which features festive trees decorated by dozens of organizations throughout Greenville County. While you are walking down Main Street, be sure to look for all of the delightful window wonderland displays. You can even vote for your favorite holiday display. You will also find dozens of free holiday things to do in Greenville, making the season a little more merry and bright!

When You Can Visit the Greenville Christmas Market

The Greenville Christmas Market at the Grand Bohemian Lodge will run from November 25th, 2022 to January 1st, 2023 on select dates from Thursday through Sunday each week. The market is open on Christmas Eve. Hours are 12 pm to 8 pm Thursday through Saturday and 12 pm to 5 pm on Sunday. The week of Christmas, the market is open Sunday, December 18th, 2022 through Saturday, December 24th, 2022.

Greenville Christmas Market
Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville
44 East Camperdown Way
Greenville, SC

Fire Truck Santa going to 73+ Neighborhoods in the Upstate, SC

Did you know that Greenville & Spartanburg’s fire departments have an honorary team member who lives in the North Pole? It’s true, and Santa is visiting neighborhoods around the Upstate by firetruck while he checks his naughty list one last time.

He’s really busy this time of year, so the most efficient way to get a last peek at all of the good boys and girls of the Upstate is to hitch a ride with first responders and zip through neighborhoods. Reindeer magic only works at night, in case you were wondering, so this is the best way!

We have the inside track on other places you can find Santa hanging out this Christmas season!
Where to Find Santa in Greenville this Christmas Season

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Parents: You Don’t Need to do All the Christmas Things

The Christmas season is supposed to be all about joy, peace, and a fleeting holiday spirit that seems to be gone quicker than a wispy trail of smoke once the dishes are done after Thanksgiving dinner. It’s all of a sudden a whirlwind of school holiday parties, making a list of gifts and going all out to fulfill that list, trying to create magic at home with an elf just because everyone else is seemingly doing it, taking a holiday overnight trip, and trying to see all the Christmas lights and displays because your family will be deprived if they don’t do that.

This is for all you parents who are hanging by a thread trying to make this season the most spectacular of all for your kids and just don’t know if you can hang on much longer. To all of you: you don’t need to do all the things.

Your Christmas tree doesn’t need a giant stack of presents under it. Your kids don’t need the latest toys. You don’t need to stretch yourself so thin trying to cram the most you can into this holiday season. You and your kids are not deprived if you don’t do it all, buy it all, and sacrifice your sanity for an experience, toy, or magical experience that will soon be forgotten.

You don’t need to do it all

Last year, parents estimated they would spend about $276 on Christmas gifts for each of their kids and a whopping 41% of Americans were willing to go into debt for gift-giving. Meanwhile, the estimated worth of unwanted gifts hovers around $15 billion. Those aren’t small figures, especially in today’s world where many families are struggling with everyday bills. Kids don’t need the latest toy, the most expensive phone, and all the other material things that they’ll forget in a month’s time. Smaller gifts or experience gifts, like memberships to places you and your family go often (hello, SC Parks Pass!) go a long way towards making great memories together all year long.

I’m not sure why we parents sometimes feel like we need to do all the things during the Christmas season. Maybe social media, maybe endless ads, maybe just talking with friends about all the cool stuff they are doing, or maybe it’s what our parents did with us that we are trying to replicate with our own kids. Whatever the reason, it’s totally fine – more than fine – to back off from the deluge of activities that come with this season.

You aren’t depriving your kids if you don’t do it all

Your kids will be okay if they aren’t doing everything their friends are doing and it’s a good opportunity for them to learn that not doing everything their friends are doing isn’t something to be ashamed about. We all have our own struggles and priorities and I think it’s good to learn early on that kids don’t need to fit in to have fun. I wish I would have learned that a lot earlier than I did in life.

I didn’t grow up doing a ton of activities during the Christmas season. Sometimes our family would take a trip together, which was a blast. We would go during Christmas and experience it in another state or town and have fun together exploring a new city and making dinner together in a small kitchen in our hotel room. It was awesome.

We didn’t do parades but we did go drive around looking at Christmas lights in neighborhoods with popcorn that we cooked over the stove and tried not to let explode all over the kitchen. We had fun decorating our Christmas tree together. One year my dad found a tree that legit looked like the poor little tree from Charlie Brown’s Christmas and it turned into the joke that never ended year after year since we couldn’t do worse than that tree.

I don’t remember the gifts I got or gave. I don’t remember sitting for Santa photos. The memories from the Christmas season that remain are those with my family. I do remember one gift: it was tickets to a New Jersey Nets (a professional basketball team) the day after Christmas or so. I had played basketball with a passion as a tween and teenager and that gift was special. That’s really all I remember in terms of gifts.

Choosing sanity

Because of those memories and because I have zero desire to drive myself crazy during these weeks leading up to Christmas, I intentionally try to minimize what we do. While I love writing about new activities for Christmas for Kidding Around, aside from those excursions, I try to take these weeks of Advent to spend quality time together with my kids. We go look at Christmas lights, go ice skating, go to live nativities and remember the real reason for this season, take time to volunteer, and read books together on Christmas. And, I intentionally try to not go overboard on gifts for my kids.

I want to get to Christmas and not be completely worn out or fed up or just plain unhappy. After all, this is indeed a season of joyful expectation. If you’ve got to seriously scale back your calendar to be happier and less stressed, then by all means, do it. You truly don’t need to do it all so your kids can experience the magic of the season. They will remember the special moments with you above all else and that’s what matters.

Your Holiday Table: Here’s Where You Can Find Delicious Food for the Holidays Near Greenville, SC

Are you looking for something delicious and festive to add to your holiday table this Christmas? In Greenville, Spartanburg and Upstate, SC we have lots and lots of holiday food menus, sides, and treats from Greenville’s amazing food proprietors.

Local restaurants are serving up special dine-in holiday meals, as well as fabulous catered meal deals you can bring home for the holidays. Local bakeries are offering everything from freshly baked pies to cookie and cupcake kits you can bring home for a fun family activity. Local cafes and grocery stores are selling pre-made sides and desserts making your holiday preparations a little easier. Want something a little different? Try a festive charcuterie board or dig into the Mexican tradition of Christmas tamales. We know where you can find all this and more in Greenville!

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Visit Bryson City, NC for the Holidays

Are you searching for a family-friendly place to have a small getaway this winter? Have you ever been to Bryson City, NC? Most known for the Polar Express, there is so much more than just the train ride to do and explore in this friendly mountain town. They’ve got a drive-thru light show, outdoor ice skating, delicious food, and much more!

Bryson City: A Real-Life Christmas Wonderland

Bryson City is a quaint, peaceful mountain town along the Great Smoky Mountains. Just a quick 3 to 4-hour drive from Columbia, SC, this makes for the perfect weekend getaway. During winter each year, Bryson City transforms into a real-life Christmas wonderland with beautiful decor, twinkling lights, and Christmas magic all around. My family recently took a quick 1-night trip to the mountains and we spent one of our evenings exploring Bryson City. I left wishing we would have had more time to spend and know we will definitely be returning!

Things to do in Bryson City, NC for the Holidays

Take a Ride on the Polar Express

One of the most popular things to do in Bryson City over the holidays is the Polar Express Train Ride! My family recently got to experience this magical event and both of my kids (ages 4 and 1) absolutely loved it. Be sure to check out the Kidding Around Pplar Express review for more tips and info!

Explore the Smoky Mountain Train Museum

The train museum sits right next to the railroad tracks and is a great place to pass the time while waiting to board a train ride! Inside the museum, there is a huge display of model trains that are so fascinating to watch! My son loved pointing out all of the detailed features he saw. With a train ticket, entrance into the museum is free!

Along with the model train display, the museum also offers a large gift shop area with plenty of trinkets and souvenirs.

Smoky Mountain Train Museum

Go Outdoor Ice Skating

Outdoor ice skating is such a fun, classic winter activity! Unfortunately, on the evening we were there, the ice rink was not open, but now that I know it’s there we will be sure to plan accordingly for future visits. Along with ice skating, there is also a food truck and full-time bar. For $20 per person you will get 1 hour of skating time, skate rentals (smallest size is youth size 9), and 1 hot chocolate! Hours are as follows:

Thursdays and Fridays from 4 pm to 8 pm
Saturdays and Sundays from 1 pm to 8 pm

The Yard Ice Skating

Drive-Thru the Smoky Mountain Christmas Light Show

If you’re looking to do something fun with the kids in the evenings, this drive-thru light show would be perfect for you! There will be several wintery, magical scenes to drive-thru and you’ll be able to listen to festive music along your route. A great way to get the whole family into the Christmas spirit!

They will be open from 6 pm to 10 pm, daily throughout December with the exception of being closed on Christmas Day.

Smoky Mountain Christmas Light Show

Visit the Local Shops

With so many locally-owned shops and businesses to choose from, picking a favorite would be hard! We popped into a few and really enjoyed all of the Christmas shops. We purchased an ornament from Uncle Bunky’s Christmas Cottage where they also had tons of holiday decor, small toys, sweet treats, etc. Loose Moose is another great gift store with lots of unique items to choose from.

Madison’s on Main and Humanite Boutique are both great options for trendy women’s clothing! There are also several antique stores around that are always fun to browse through – you never know what you might find!

Enjoy a Tasty Sweet Treat

If you’re anything like me, the sweet tooth is at an all-time high throughout the holidays. The good news is, Bryson City has so many opportunities for delicious treats! After our ride on the Polar Express we stopped into the Heavenly Fudge Depot and let me just say, it lived up to its name! The peanut butter fudge from here was divine. They also had several festive sweet treats for kids – chocolate “believe” tickets and trains, cookies, bite-sized sweets, and more!

The Chocolate Shoppe, Soda Pop’s Ice Cream, and Pop-N-Jacks Gourmet Popcorn are also great options to cure the sweet tooth! The popcorn from Pop-N-Jacks can even be brought onto the Polar Express with you and smells so good. I’m a little upset we didn’t stop in and give them a try, too!

Take Festive Pictures

Still need a family pic for this year’s Christmas card? There are tons of great holiday photo-ops everywhere you look in Bryson City! From the large, lit-up Christmas tree in the middle of the plaza to stationary train carts, a tractor, and more, you’ll have plenty of opportunities for family photos.

Get Your Live Christmas Tree

While there are no Christmas tree farms in Bryson City, there are several to choose from nearby. During our trip, we chose to get our tree at Smoky Mountain Tree Farm. They had a large variety of trees to choose from and even some that you could cut down yourself. The big red barn and beautiful Smoky Mountain scenery made for great pictures as well!

There are two other tree farms within a few minutes of Smoky Mountain Tree Farm: Boyd Mountain Christmas Tree Farm and Mehaffey Tree Farm. Boyd Mountain Farm has several log cabins available for families to stay in as well as stocked fishing ponds, 4 miles of hiking trails, biking, and more!

Have you ever been to Bryson City during the holidays? What is your favorite thing to do?

Archive for the ‘Holiday’ Category

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Things to do in Bryson City, NC for the Holidays

Take a Ride on the Polar Express

Explore the Smoky Mountain Train Museum

Go Outdoor Ice Skating

Drive-Thru the Smoky Mountain Christmas Light Show

Visit the Local Shops

Enjoy a Tasty Sweet Treat

Take Festive Pictures

Get Your Live Christmas Tree

Greenville Guides

Family Fun in Greenville, SC