Holiday House Tours
Dates: November 22nd-January 5th
Time: Check website for tour times based on day of the week
Cost: $15 per person
Location: Robert Mills House
Details: See a variety of holiday decorations and experience past traditions at the Robert Mills House and Hampton-Preston Mansion. Admission includes a guided tour of both properties.
https://www.historiccolumbia.org/events/2019/2019-11/holiday-house-tours-begin
Lights Before Christmas
Dates: November 23-December 30th (Closed Mondays, Tuesdays, Christmas Day)
Time: 5-9pm
Cost: $12 adults/$10 children (ages 2-12)
Location: Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
Details: Check out the nearly one million twinkling lights, decorative images, and Animated Story Tree. Experience the Holly Jolly Christmas Parade. Meet Santa. Enjoy holiday treats around the Jingle Bell Bonfire.
https://www.riverbanks.org/events/lights-before-christmas
Hollow Creek Tree Farm (Gilbert)
Dates: November 24th-December 17th
Time: 9am-5:30pm
Location: Gilbert, SC
Details: Come see over 12 varieties of Christmas tree and pick out the perfect one for your home. Free hot chocolate served daily. Free hay rides on weekends!
https://www.hollowcreektreefarm.com
Holiday Lights on the River
Dates: November 27th-December 31st
Time: 6-10pm
Cost: $20 per car
Location: Saluda Shoals
Details: Experience the magic as Saluda Shoals comes alive in a blaze of more than 1 million sparkling lights. For nominal fees: ride the Saluda Shoals park train, slide on the Winter Wonder tube slide, Stroll the wetland trail and enjoy a laser light show, make a craft, roast marshmallows, visit Santa (December 14-23rd only)
https://www.icrc.net/event/holiday-lights-river-115
Winter Wonderland (Lexington)
Dates: November 29th-December 30th
Time: Check store hours online
Cost: Free! (drinks and holiday treats available for purchase)
Location: Second Wave Coffee and Books
Details: Second Wave Coffee and Books is an Arc of the Midlands employment initiative that provides employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Set along a creek with plenty of outdoor space, kids and adults alike will enjoy sharing a treat while exploring the Winter Wonderland filled with artificial snow and outdoor games!
https://www.facebook.com/SecondWaveCoffeeBooks/
Rudolph’s Winter Review
Dates: November 30th, December 7th, 14th, 21st
Cost: $7 per person
Location: Columbia Marionette Theater
Details: This brand new variety show features musical numbers and showcases different puppetry styles.
https://cmtpuppet.org/shows/rudolphs-winter-revue/
Light Up NOMA Cookie Crawl
Dates: December 5th
Cost: $15
Location: North Main Street
Details: Receive a professionally designed cookie tin and crawl to nine locations to pick up freshly baked holiday cookies. The Cookie Crawl is in conjunction with the Light Up NOMA district-wide event occurring Thursday December 5th, 6-9pm, in the heart of the North Main District. NOMA will officially kick-off the holiday season. Merchants will open their doors and offer samplings of products, show off their goods and invite the public in for a festive evening. The NOMA tree will be lit at 7:00PM at the corner of Confederate and Main Street along with stage performances by local students from the various schools.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/light-up-noma-cookie-crawl-tickets-7313196969?ref=eios
Snowball Festival Weekend (Lexington)
Dates: December 5th-8th
Cost: Free!
Location: Downtown Lexington
December 5th: Christmas Craft Fair (4-8pm; Icehouse Amphitheater)
December 6th: Tree Lighting & Carnival in the Square (6-8pm)
December 7th: Movie at Ice House: Rudolf (6-9pm; Icehouse Amphitheater)
December 8th: Christmas Parade (3pm; Main Street)
Details: Be a part of the official start of the holiday season in the Town of Lexington! Friday night events in the square will include face painting, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, holiday treats, a concert, a caricature artist, and the lighting of the Christmas tree.
http://www.lexingtonsc.org/community-event/snowball-festival-Tree-Lighting-Movie-Christmas-Parade
Midtown Milestones Family Night: Christmas Game Night
Date: December 6th
Time: 6-8pm
Cost: Free!
Location: Midtown Fellowship (1800 Blanding Street)
Details: Come kick of the holiday season and participate in minute-to-win-it style games. This Family Fun night is a great opportunity to invite neighbors and friends!
https://midtowndowntown.com/events/christmas-game-night
The Living Christmas Story Drive-Thru Pageant (Irmo)
Dates: December 6th-8th
Times: 6:30-9pm (cars line up early!)
Location: Union United Methodist Church
Details: Drive through a recreated street of ancient Bethlehem in Irmo complete with angels, shepherds, shop keepers, Roman soldiers, and those present at the first Christmas.
A Christmas Story (Lexington)
Dates: December 6-15th
Cost: $18 adults; $14 youth
Location: Village Square Theatre
Details: All the elements from the motion picture are in in this stage production of the beloved cinema classic
http://www.villagesquaretheatre.com/season.html
Twilight Train (Winnsboro)
Dates: December 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th, 20th, 21st
Time: 5:30pm
Cost: $20 per person
Location: South Carolina Railroad Museum
Details: This night time excursion is a Santa, hot chocolate, and cookie special. Enjoy holiday treats, stories, sing-a-longs, and visits with Santa. Pajamas are encouraged but not required. Tickets went on sale November 1st and fill up fast, so if you’re interested, book now!
https://www.scrm.org/ride-the-train/
Cradle to Cross Race Series
Date: December 7th
Time: 9:15am
Cost: $10
Location: Union United Methodist Church
Details: This first race of a 2-part series is a 1-mile race that takes you through a re-created street of ancient Bethlehem in Irmo, SC complete with angels, shepherds, Roman soldiers, and those present at the first Christmas. There will also be a ¼ mile race for children under 5.
https://runsignup.com/Race/SC/Irmo/CradletoCross
Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade
Date: December 7th
Time: 9:45am
Cost: Free!
Location: Sumter Street toward the Horseshoe and ending on Senate Street
Details: Grab a spot along the parade route to view the 66th annual parade featuring festive holiday entries from all across the state.
http://www.carolinacarillon.com
Backyard Christmas Market (West Columbia)
Date: December 7th
Time: 9am-3pm
Location: Our Savior Lutheran Church
Details: What started as a small craft fair in Midtown members Jen and Reese Landers’ backyard has grown into a great opportunity to knock out some holiday shopping and support local artists all selling their handmade goods! There will also be live music throughout the day.
Midtown Women’s Christmas Tea
Date: December 7th
Time: 10-11:30am
Cost: Free!
Location: Midtown Fellowship (1800 Blanding Street)
Details: Women’s Tea is an event for women across our family of churches to come together for a morning of tea, brunch, and fellowship. Feel free to invite friends and be ready to meet someone new! Childcare available upon request (RSVP by November 30th)
https://midtowndowntown.com/events/womens-christmas-tea-1
Story Time with Santa
Date: December 7th
Time: 10-11:30am or 12-1:30pm
Cost: $6 per person
Location: Seven Oaks Park
Details: Participants will listen to Santa read his favorite story while they decorate Christmas cookies, sip hot chocolate, and make a holiday craft. Participants and their families can also shop at Santa’s Market Craft Show before or after the event.
https://www.icrc.net/event/story-time-santa-0
The Nutcracker (Lexington)
Date: December 7th
Time: 3pm, 7:30pm
Location: River Bluff Performing Arts Center
Cost: $15-$20
Details: Former Principal Ballerina for the Columbia City Ballet and owner of Lexington’s Academy of Youth Ballet, Regina Willoughby, brings the beloved Nutcracker to Lexington for the first time ever. The performance lasts 1.5 hours including a 15-minute intermission. (This cast is made up primarily of children and teens)
https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/34868
Santa Claus: The Musical
Dates: December 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th
Cost: $10, Free for children under 3
Location: Columbia Children’s Theatre
Details: A hilarious musical adventure to find Santa’s replacement
https://www.columbiachildrenstheatre.com/santa-claus-the-musical
Santa Train (Winnsboro)
Dates: December 7th, 14th, 21st
Time: 10am, 11am, 12pm, 2pm, 3pm
Cost: $15 per person (children under 2 are free if they sit on a parent’s lap)
Location: South Carolina Railroad Museum
Details: Enjoy the scenery as Santa walks the length of the train visiting with passengers and posing for pictures.
https://www.scrm.org/ride-the-train/
Drive-Thru Carolina Holiday Light Show
Dates: December 7th-28th
Time: 6pm-9pm (Mon-Thurs), 6pm-10pm (Fri-Sun)
Cost: Cars - $20, Mini Buses (9-24 passengers) - $35, Vehicles over 25 passengers - $70
Location: South Carolina State Fair
Details: The SC State Fair debuts its first drive-through light show, “Carolina Lights,” at the South Carolina State Fair Grounds December 7th-28th. The drive-through light experience is part of The South Carolina State Fair’s 150th Anniversary and will feature the Twelve Days of Christmas, a dancing field of Christmas trees, a 25-foot tall Frosty with dancing arches, and much more. There will be more than 100 individual LED light displays along a mile-plus stretch in the Lexington Medical Center Fair Park.
https://www.scstatefair.org/carolina-lights
Sounds of Christmas
Dates: December 8th
Time: 2:30pm, 7pm
Cost: Free but call to reserve your ticket
Location: Shandon Baptist
Details: Ring in the Christmas season with a special musical event featuring a 100+ person choir accompanied by a thirty-piece orchestra. Children are welcome to attend the performance.
https://shandon.org/event/1655534-2019-12-08-sounds-of-christmas/
Holly Jolly Hollywood
Dates: December 8th (White Christmas), December 12th (This Christmas), December 15th (It’s a Wonderful Life), December 21st (Home Alone), December 24th (Miracle on 34th Street)
Cost: $11 adults, $5 kids 12 and under
Location: The Nickelodeon
Details: The Nick is screening favorite holiday classics alongside new and exciting picks.
https://nickelodeon.org/series/hjh/
PJ’s with Santa
Date: December 9th
Time: 6pm-8pm
Location: Chick-fil-a Bush River Road
Details: Enjoy dinner, festive fun, and pictures with Santa
https://www.facebook.com/events/764083594025553/
Breakfast with Santa:
Date: December 14th
Time: 8am, 9am, 10am
Location: Robert Mills House and Gardens
Cost: $20 adult, $10 youth, Free for kids 3 and under
Details: Enjoy breakfast with Santa, make holiday crafts, explore the decorated halls of the Hampton-Preston Mansion, and see a Victorian Christmas tree.
https://www.historiccolumbia.org/events/2019/2019-12/breakfast-santa
Candlelight Tours and Carriage Rides:
Date: December 14th
Times: 5:30-9pm
Cost: $15 adult, $8 youth; carriage ride is additional $10 per person
Location: Robert Mills House and Gardens
Details: Enjoy live music with the Columbia Choral Society, children’s activities, and hot chocolate while celebrating the holidays with Historic Columbia. Before or after your house tour, take a carriage or wagon ride through the Robert Mills Historic District. Stop by the Gift Shop’s Holiday Open House for refreshments, holiday tunes, and giveaways. Other holiday vendors will be onsite beginning at 4pm
https://www.historiccolumbia.org/events/2019/2019-12/candlelight-tours-carriage-rides
Holiday Parade of Lights (West Columbia)
Date: December 14th
Time: 7:30pm
Location: 12th Street, Cayce, and West Columbia
Details: Come grab a viewing spot for the Greater Cayce-West Columbia Holiday Parade of Lights.
https://www.facebook.com/events/733588447158588/
Columbia City Ballet’s Nutcracker
Dates: December 14th, 15th, 21st, 22nd
Time: 3pm, 7:30pm
Location: Koger Center
Cost: $22-54
Details: Come enjoy Columbia’s longest consecutively running annual arts event. If you attend a matinee performance, you can meet the dancers after the show and take a backstage tour!
http://columbiacityballet.com/production/nutcracker/
Columbia City Ballet’s Nutcracker Tea Party
Dates: December 14th, 15th, 21st
Time: 1:30-2:30pm
Location: Koger Center Ballroom
Cost: $30 per person
Details: This magical afternoon features a sit-down tea, an abundance of treats, children’s crafts, and meet and greets with the cast of the Nutcracker.
http://columbiacityballet.com/production/nutcracker/
Midtown Downtown Christmas Gathering
Date: December 22nd
Time: 10am
Location: Midtown Fellowship (1800 Blanding Street)
Details: This family-friendly Sunday morning gathering will be a time of celebration and reflection as we conclude our giv series. Starting at 9:30am, there will be treats and activities for everyone to enjoy.
Midtown Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Date: December 24th
Time: 7pm
Location: Midtown Fellowship (1800 Blanding Street)
Details: The hour-long service will include singing Christmas songs, reading the story of Jesus’s birth, and lighting candles in celebration of Jesus Christ. Hot chocolate will be served before. Children are encouraged to wear their pajamas.
https://midtowndowntown.com/events/candlelight-gathering-x59zr