Are you looking for the best Christmas towns in the South to visit over the holidays? Southern states are loaded with festive celebrations and unique holiday traditions from the mountains and foothills to coastal beach town celebrations. We gathered an awesome list of over 20 festive Christmas towns in South Carolina. But, we didn’t stop there!
North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee also have some amazing towns for Christmas celebrations. Many include everything from horse carriage rides and traditional downtowns to historic Christmas home tours.
Celebrate the holiday season at any of these southern Christmas towns. While you’ll rarely find a white Christmas here in the South, that doesn’t mean you can’t strap on those ice skates and head into a Southern winter wonderland.
Fill up on holiday spirit with light displays, Christmas carols, and a tree lighting ceremony. Now is the perfect time of year for a small-town Christmas or a giant city celebration with twinkling lights. Get that Christmas spirit bubbling at one of these southern Christmas towns.
Looking for a short trip?
Make the season even more memorable with a holiday day trip to one of these towns!
Looking for some free things to do this Christmas? Greenville, SC is a wonderful place for free holiday fun! We’ve rounded up top picks that are both friendly to your wallet and fun for your family during your holiday break. Add a few to your calendar to get you out of the house and away from the shopping frenzy.
Festival of Trees | Hyatt Regency Greenville
For even more holiday fun, don’t miss the Ultimate Holiday Guide to Greenville, SC. It’s packed full of things to do, gift ideas, events, and more!
Free Things to Do: Christmas in Greenville, SC
The St Francis Festival Of Trees This FREE event hosted by The St. Francis Foundation is with us again. Your family can stroll through one of two downtown locations to admire the decorated Christmas trees. These trees are great photo opportunities with your kids among some truly creative and inspiring trees! November 22nd – December 25th, 2024
Hyatt Regency Greenville, 220 N Main Street Greenville, SC 29601
Courtyard Marriot Downtown, 50 West Broad Street Greenville, SC 29601
Festival of Trees | Hyatt Regency Greenville
Santa At Cabela’s Winter Wonderland November 3rd, 2024 through December 24, 2024 Head over to Greenville to visit Santa at Cabela’s this holiday season! You can get your photo taken with Santa for free and kids can enjoy making a different craft every week leading up to Christmas. In Santa’s, Winter Wonderland kids can also write a letter to Santa for free!
Holiday Hop in Travelers Rest, SC (November 30th, 2024) Tree Lighting ceremony, Christmas make-and-take craft station for kids, Polar Express rides around the trail, photos with Santa, and even a snowball fight at the gazebo, all on Main Street in Travelers Rest, SC. Parents can enjoy the mini holiday market as well with local merchants at the event.
See a free/cheap holiday movie (December 1- December 24, 2024 select dates): Regal Cinemas is offering $5 holiday movies and NCG movie theaters have free holiday movies select dates in December.
Greenville Gingerbread Exhibit at Springhill Suites in downtown Greenville (December 4-26, 2024): Check out all the incredible gingerbread houses on display at the hotel. They also have special events, which you can see on their calendar.
Sheep Trail by Messy Church Aldersgate UMC (December 13, 2024 – January 5, 2025): Find sheep downtown using the trail card and write their unique names while exploring new shops & stores!
Ride the Trolley and Attend the FREE Holiday Happening Events in Downtown Greenville: Catch the holiday floats and marching bands at the Poinsettia Christmas parade, enjoy the light displays at the annual tree lighting, and enjoy the free trolley rides, postcard displays, window displays, and the Festival of Trees. You can also visit the Grand Bohemian and wander through their annual Greenville Christmas Market. These holiday events are full of holiday cheer and are totally free!
The City of Greenville will be gifting FREE parking on Small Business Saturday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day for 2024. Garages include:
North Laurens Street Garage
West Washington Garage
Broad Street Garage
Richardson Street Garage
West End Parking Lot
South Main Parking Lot
Over 900 free on-street spaces
More Holiday Fun With Kidding Around Greenville
Christmas Parades around the Upstate While many of these parades are happening before Christmas break begins, your time is still well-spent browsing the list and making at least one other holiday parade a key feature of your December. The parades are always epic holiday celebrations, many with live entertainment, gorgeous floats, marching bands, and a visit from Santa to end the parade!
The 2024 Holiday Light Tour The family fun doesn’t have to leave the car because Kidding Around® has created a map with suggested driving routes to make this tradition easy! Load the family in the car and follow these routes for a super simple, yet super special, night (or nights) of enjoying Holiday lights together.
Personal Home Light Shows and Drive-thru Professional Displays around the Upstate Kidding Around has put together a handy-dandy list of homes and businesses in the upstate that allow for drive-by holiday lights at a masterful level. While many of the professional displays cost money, there are lots of free opportunities as well. Nothing beats free and warm inside your car during December. You can check the list by scrolling down to “Home Synchronized Light Shows.”
Live Nativities around the Upstate We have also assembled all the MVPs hosting Live Nativities this year. The live animals and actors are always entertaining and slightly unpredictable—just a great tradition for your family to begin all around.
More Things to Do During the Holiday Near Greenville, SC
Looking for holiday events in Anderson, SC? You’ve found the right place! We have information on parades, ice skating, shopping, where to find Santa, and more are all waiting for you in this list of holiday events and things to do in Anderson, SC.
Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Day | 5:30 – 10 PM 150 Rose Valley Boulevard, Anderson Anderson Lights includes 2.5 miles of light displays, a Christmas village, an opportunity to see Santa, and unique entertainment scheduled on select nights. $15 a car.
Shop From Local Vendors
Pendleton Christkindlmarkt Fridays and Saturdays November 29th, 2024 through December 14th, 2024, 4:30 to 8:30 pm An outdoor market located in Pendleton’s Village Square. Hot spice wine, apple cider and beer available for purchase, vendors change weekly.
The Holly Jolly Holiday Fair November 15th-17th, 2024 This holiday fair includes lots of local vendors you already love, plus demonstrations, food trucks, live music, and visits with Santa! The tickets start at $8 per person, and there are VIP options available.
Holiday Ice in Carolina Wren Park– Anderson On select dates from December 2nd 2024 – January 5th 2025, Enjoy ice skating in the park! Admission is $5 per person ages 6 and older (skates included). Kids 6 and under skate free on the kiddie rink .
Free Fun To Have During The Holidays In Anderson
The holidays can stress our wallets, so free and cheap fun is always a welcome sight! We’ve found ways to celebrate the holiday season that won’t break the bank.
November 20th through November 23rd, 2024 View the decorated trees, wreaths, and centerpieces available to purchase to benefit the Anderson Free Clinic. Viewing the decorations is free but there are many ticketed special events.
There are plenty of places to sit along the parade routes, and it’s always a good idea to bring a bag to catch any candy thrown out to the kids from floats. Also, don’t forget that hot cocoa and a comfy chair and blanket to stay toasty depending on the weather!
City of Anderson Christmas Parade December 8, 2024 | Starts at 3 pm Line up on Main Street to see the Christmas parade. The parade route runs from Greenville Street starting at 3 PM and runs to Highland Avenue where it finishes at approximately 4:45 PM.
Clemson’s Magic of Christmas Parade December 5th, 2024 | Starts at 5 PM The City of Clemson’s Parade festivities begin at 5 pm, with the actual parade kicking off at 6 pm. The parade route runs from College Avenue to Strode Circle.
Libraries are always a great source of free fun! While you’ll need an Anderson library card to check out books, you don’t need one to attend the fun, free events they have planned.
See Santa in Anderson
We asked the elves for Santa’s appearance schedule this season. Here’s a list of places where you find Santa this year in Anderson. Snap a photo, enjoy some cookies, and don’t forget to share your Christmas wish list!
The “how early is too early?” Christmas season debate is on. Decorations are going up all around the Upstate. Do you think November decorations are too ambitious? How about Christmas music? What album is Alexa playing on repeat at your house? Here’s Kidding Around Contributor, Taryn, with her take on the early start to the holiday season.
An Amble with Gamble—a parenting column with Taryn Gamble -Come take a stroll down memory lane with me-
I love the Christmas season. All the décor and holiday festivities make me positively giddy. I am not, however, in favor of all this early decorating. I genuinely adore Autumn and bringing in the Christmas spirit early tends to put me in a Winter state-of-mind. Now, if you like the feeling that Winter extends from November until mid-March, by all means.
I want to be clear, though: I honestly feel that you should do whatever brings you joy this season. If enjoying your artificial tree and garland for a full 2 months is the way to do that, be my guest. I don’t want to poo-poo on your stale holiday décor (Kidding, kidding).
For the record, I will be hauling my family out on Black Friday to cut our regal, fragrant tree directly from the earth—a tree that will fill our house with authentic aroma and holy tradition.
I thought for years that I was allergic to live evergreens, but
two years ago, in a stroke of expensive chance, we tried out a real Southern
Pine and boughs with no ill side effects! No turning back now!
My twinkling, genuine December décor. I can smell this picture.
That was also the year that I discovered the wonder of a live
wreath. I don’t know what it is, folks, but that evergreen scent smacking your
guests in the face at the front door is enough to make you swear off artificial
greens for your remaining years.
At any rate, part of the early Christmas trend is the start of holiday
music as soon as the jack-o-lanterns rot out. Again, not a fond participator
until after Tom the Turkey has been packed up. My kids, however, in their
youthful optimism, adore Christmas music and have begun requesting it already.
I acquiesce because I’m equal-opportunity and encouraging like that.
In the beginning, I was slightly annoyed, but didn’t let on; I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade. But, my, how the tables have turned. IDINA MENZEL. Are you hearing me right now? Her Christmas album has me sure that I’ll be caroling straight through 2022 with no end in sight. Granted, only my eldest, perfect Einstein of a child is regularly requesting that specific playlist, but I’m claiming any and all victories at this point.
My parents and grandparents are all professional classical
musicians, however, so I grew up with traditional Christmas carols steeped in
religious tradition. I don’t know what it is, but I still prefer them—there’s a
beauty and nostalgia in carols for me that far exceeds my excitement over
“Silver Bells” or “Frosty the Snowman.”
[SPEAKING OF FROSTY (indulge me), is not the best line of that
entire movie when the children are tossing around name ideas for the snowman,
and the little guy suggests “Oatmeal?” Oh my soul. Oatmeal! Maybe it’s just me,
but I cackle out loud every single year. The whole movie peaks in that moment.]
I digress. Playlists and albums with just traditional carols are
not as easy to locate as I would prefer, but we do our best. I don’t want my
kids to grow up unfamiliar with some of the greats.
For example, right now, Alice, who is 3, has favorites.
Joy to the World
Silent Night
Santa Baby
Just ignore that last concerning selection. She is young and not
yet fully formed. Also, she does rather take on that Eartha Kitt tone when
creating her Christmas lists. I see the parallels, for sure. Just a full-size
medieval palace and a bright pink unicorn fleet? Don’t set your sights so low,
sweet girl.
The other night, she was singing along to “The 12 Days of
Christmas” in the van when I realized she was singing:
“Two Turtle Dumps, and a Partri-idge in a Peeaar Treeeeeeee”
Turtle dumps. This is a new one. Can you imagine your lover
sending you two turtle dumps as your second gift of the season? This is after
sending you a defecating bird to care for. Worst lover ever.
(Unless, perhaps, you’re a marine biologist. Then, perhaps, that
could be a valued commodity.)
Cecily, Alice, and Sullivan chirping out “Jingle Bells”
Sullivan, my 6-year-old, really enjoys all the options—secular and
sacred—but struggles with lyrics on many of them. “Jingle Bells” is one
Christmas song which he’ll belt out with confidence, though. One of my favorite
lyrical reinventions he is unwittingly singing right now is:
“Bells on cocktails riiiiinnngg Making spirits briiiiight. What fun it is to ride and siing A sleighing song tonight, OHHH”
We can all agree that jingling cocktails during a winter sleigh
ride would definitely brighten the spirit, am I right? Far superior to
bobtails! And the double word-play of spirit . . . really brilliant, Sullivan.
Bravo. Love your philosophy here.
All in all, I’m not regretting my decision to allow for early Christmas music in the least. Can you blame me? What a salve these children are to my pre-mature holiday soul. May we embrace all the turtle dumps and cocktails this season whenever they come my way.
Have you ridden the Polar Express in Spencer, NC? The North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, North Carolina is home to an impressive collection of trains, automobiles, aviation, and other transportation equipment representing over 100 years of transportation history. But every year as Christmas approaches, the North Carolina Transportation Museum transforms into a popular stop for the famous Polar Express. Climb aboard for a magical ride to the North Pole!
