Celebrating Christmas in Charleston

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The first greenery and red bows showed up on street lampposts late last week. The lights went on at the Holiday Festival of Lights. And the calendar of holiday events in Charleston exploded. Christmastime in Charleston is here!

Start getting your holiday calendar in order so you don’t miss a single tree lighting ceremony, parade, historic holiday event or special show. Here are a few of our favorites coming up over the next month. And check out our full Calendar of Events for a complete list.

Photo/CCPRC

Holiday Festival of Lights – Through Dec. 31. James Island County Park is one major light show at this event featuring a light display plus marshmallow roasts, train rides, gingerbread house displays, a 50-ton sand sculpture, an enchanted forest walking trail, carousel rides, photos with Santa and a gift shop. www.holidayfestivaloflights.com | 843-795-4386

Holiday Market at Middleton – Nov. 23-24. Enjoy at open-air market with music, complimentary hot cider and treats and local artisan displays at Middleton Place. www.middletonplace.org | 843-556-6020

Summerville Christmas Tree Lighting and Snowball Drop – Nov. 27. Student band and choir will provide the music as the mayor lights the town Christmas tree in historic downtown Summerville. www.summervilledream.org | 843-821-7260

Christmas 1860 – Nov. 30. Celebrate the holiday season with special performances by candlelight at the Edmondston-Alston House. The historic house will be decorated for the holidays much as it would have been in 1860. www.middletonplace.org | 843-556-6020

CSO Gospel Christmas – Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. A performance of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and CSO Gospel Choir at the Sottile Theatre. www.charlestonspiritual.com | 843-991-1035

Photo/Charleston Stage

A Christmas Story – Nov. 30 through Dec. 16. The holiday adventures of young Ralphie Parker are played out on the stage at the Dock Street Theater. www.charlestonstage.com | 843-577-5967

Charleston Christmas Tree Lighting and Holiday Parade of Boats – Dec. 1. Head to Marion Square for lighting of the 60-foot tree of lights at 4:30 p.m. Then watch more than 30 sail and power boats decorated for the holiday season travel from Mount Pleasant to the Ashley River. www.charlestonarts.org | 843-724-7414

Wine Under the Oaks – Dec. 2. Wineries and wine distributors will provide samples, and Lowcountry restaurants will have food samples at this event at Boone Hall Plantation. Vendors will have gifts for holiday shopping. Boonehallplantation.com | 843-884-4371

Charleston Christmas Parade – Dec. 2. Bands, floats and performers will parade through downtown Charleston; parade begins at Calhoun and Meeting streets, proceeding down King Street to Broad Street and Lockwood Boulevard. www.charlestonarts.org | 843-724-7305

Photo/Middleton Place Foundation

Family Yuletide – Dec. 8. Enjoy storytelling, Christmas caroling and ornament and wreath making at Middleton Place. See craftspeople working in their shops by candlelight, and a live nativity scene featuring many of the plantation’s animals. Hot cider and seasonal refreshments included. www.middletonplace.org | 843-556-6020

Mount Pleasant Holiday Market and Craft Show – Dec. 8. Fresh produce, baked good, homemade preserves and handcrafted gifts of pottery, ornaments, crafts and art will be available at the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market Pavilion on Coleman Boulevard. www.townofmountpleasant.com | 843-884-8517

Mount Pleasant Christmas Light Parade & Tree Lighting – Dec. 9. More than 100 floats will travel down Coleman Boulevard. The tree lighting and fireworks are a 5:30 p.m. at Moultrie Middle School with the parade immediately following.  www.comeonovermp.com | 843-884-8517

Summerville Christmas Parade – Dec. 9. Through downtown Summerville. www.summervilledream.org | 843-821-7260

 

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Charleston FAQ's

Choosing a hotel and where to stay in Charleston all depends on your budget and goals. Do you want to stay Downtown, at the beach or in the outer areas such as North Charleston where you have to drive to get everywhere? For more help on deciding: https://travelerofcharleston.com/articles/hotels/

Charleston has 3 main public beaches which are: Folly, Isle of Palms and Sullivans. Each beach has it’s own atmosphere. The most common beach that people visit is Folly Beach and then Isle of Palms followed by Sullivans Island. For more info on Charleston’s beaches visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/

Charleston, SC is full of historical things to do. Everything from museums, to public sites and free landmark sites such as Rainbow Row and the Battery can be seen. For more info on Charleston’s top historical sites visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/places-to-learn-about-charleston-sc-history/

There are many things that will keep the kids and family entertained and educated in Charleston. There are historic sites such as Fort Sumter, a Children’s Museum, Aquarium and the USS Yorktown…a WWII era aircraft carrier you can tour. For more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-family-fun-activities/

There’s so many  things you could do in Charleston it can be overwhelming. We recommend that first time visitors, checkout the ultimate first-time visitor guide here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-first-time-visitors-guide/

Spring in Charleston, SC is an amazing time of year to visit. The flowers are blooming and the weather is mild and sunny. For more info, check-out our spring guide to Charleston here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-springtime-in-charleston/

Summer in Charleston is a great time to visit. There’s plenty of things to keep you busy and visiting the beach will probably….or should be on your short-list. Also water-based activities and tours are popular. Checkout this summer guide to Charleston for more info: 

Our 10 Favorite Summer Activities in Charleston

Fall is one of the best times to visit. The weather cools down a bit and the skies are typically blue and clear. In addition there are many great events, festivals and the large crowds of summer have gone back to school or work. For more info on visiting in the fall, checkout this article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-12-things-to-do-fall/

There are so many great things to do that it’s difficult to narrow the list down. This article does a great job with figuring out the must do things to do in Charleston

7 Can’t Miss Reasons to Visit Charleston, SC Now

The consensus is a minimum of 3-days is needed to settle in and experience Charleston. For instance, many people take 2 days exploring downtown and another day visiting sites outside of downtown such as the plantations, Angel Oak Tree or beaches. Checkout this page for a list of tours and attractions: 

Charleston’s Top Tours & Attractions | Things to do

Downtown Charleston was made for walking and for sure one of the best way to soak up and experience the history first-hand. This article goes over getting around Charleston with and without a car as well: 

Getting Around Charleston, SC

We’re of course partial to Charleston, but here’s the truth. There are many similarities however there are some differences in our opinion: 

  • Both cities are historic and beautiful. 
  • Both cities are extremely walkable. Savannah, with it’s park-like squares maybe more walkable than Charleston. 
  • Charleston has a more established and food scene with many more options. 
  • Charleston has better hotels and shopping.
  • Both cities have equally good tours.
  • Charleston has better beach options. Savannah has Tybee which is great, however it’s 1 beach vibe versus Charleston which has 3 beaches with different vibes. Checkout this Charleston beach guide article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/
  • In Savannah you can walk with alcoholic beverages on the street. This is not allowed in Charleston. This can be good or bad depending on your stance. 
  • Savannah is more affordable.
  • TourPass offers all-inclusive passes in both cities: https://tourpass.com

There are always great and world-class events happening in Charleston. For a calendar of events and things to do in Charleston, checkout our online calendar of events: https://travelerofcharleston.com/events/

Of course there are free money-saving coupons that you can use. Visit the coupons page for a bunch of ways to save: https://travelerofcharleston.com/coupon/

Charleston has some fantastic can’t miss tours such as Fort Sumter, carriage, ghost, harbor, historic and culinary tours. For a full list with more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/attractions/

Checkout the Charleston Relocation Guide page which will guide you during your move: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-sc-relocation-guide/

Additional Places to Explore

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