Colonial Williamsburg, a living and working American history museum in Virginia, celebrates the Christmas holidays with festive decorating, music, holiday foods and entertainment. Visitors at Christmas time can learn about colonial traditions and experience colonial Christmas events and celebrations. A holiday planner is available on the Colonial Williamsburg website to help visitors organize and find information in regard to Colonial Williamsburg Christmas events.
Beginning at the end of November, Colonial Williamsburg is decorated for Christmas with natural garlands of fruits, pine, feathers, nuts and thousands of Christmas lights. Christmas Decoration Walking Tours run daily and demonstrations on Christmas wreath making and holiday table decorations are given. Decorated Christmas trees abound in all areas. The Colonial Williamsburg website also offers directions on how to construct and display holiday decorations.
Christmas time features numerous concerts, plays and file and drum performances. Colonial Williamsburg's cobbled streets set the stage for traveling bands of performers playing colonial Christmas tunes. Live Christmas-themed theater is performed. Several examples include "Acoustic Christmas," "Brass Christmas" and "Celtic Whispers and the Nativity."
Colonial Williamsburg sets a grand holiday table. Historic dining rooms feature elaborate Christmas table settings, and there are demonstrations on colonial holiday foods. The Colonial Williamsburg website lists dining events such as "Breakfast with Santa Claus," "Holiday Tea with Dickens" and "An Old English Holiday Brunch." Many Christmas food activities are geared for children and adults.
Grand Illumination is celebrated several times during the Christmas season. It features musical performances on multiple stages and three firework displays throughout the historic districts of Colonial Williamsburg. Grand Illumination events are free and include fife and drum music, children's events and traditional carolers roaming the historic settings of Williamsburg.
