A holly jolly time awaits when you celebrate Christmas in Georgia! While Georgia may be known for its impeccable oranges, the holidays are a must-see! Music, lights, and caroling are just a few of the festive things to do. Christmas in the south will give you a hankering for the holidays year-round!
The traditions of your family will continue thriving as you drive by all the merry sights. New traditions will be formed as you enjoy the tasty sweets of winter! Sipping hot cocoa, baking cookies for Santa, or just basking in the glow of giant Christmas trees are only a few of the joys the holiday brings. Whether you want to snuggle close or stroll through a winter wonderland, you will unwrap the next best place to visit on this list!
12 Festive Places To Celebrate Christmas In Georgia, USA
Christkindlmarkt
When you visit Christkindlmarkt, you will think Rudolph brought you there himself! Christmas in Georgia would not be complete without this quaint town of Helen, one of the cutest small towns in Georgia, making a festive entrance in the winter. The Christkindlmarkt mixes the foods, entertainment, and music of German traditions with the local markets and festive surroundings. There are so many activities to partake in that the whole family will adore!
Decorations from the ground to the top of the giant Christmas tree make for perfect photo stops! Christmas in Helen is the talk of the town (and surrounding towns!). The market will include handmade and locally imported gifts that will please almost everyone on your list!
Walking through the Christkindlmarkt is like being transported to Germany. You will learn about traditions, taste the divine foods or spirits, and have an overall remarkable time strolling through the market surrounded by the sights and smells of the holidays. Christmas In Helen truly should not be missed!
Stone Mountain Christmas
The magic of the holidays can be found at Stone Mountain Christmas! The summits are a year-round attraction, however, you will not want to miss Stone Mountain at Christmas time. The whole town is alive with holiday cheer and you will be smiling ear to ear!
Your itinerary can be jam-packed with a festive parade, a visit with Old Saint Nick, or a walk through the Musical Forested Forest! The glowing trail will put a sparkle in your eye as you gaze upon thousands of dangling lights. There are shows held at Stone Mountain Christmas that can put a smile on even a Grinch! Magic shows, caroling, and other plays put on.
Hop on a train that circles the mountain and becomes a lively sing-a-long journey at night! A laser show is put on and the lights dance with holiday tunes. If you stop by during the nightly tree lighting, you may even see Santa himself flying overhead! The enchantment of Christmas in Georgia is a heartwarming experience at Stone Mountain Christmas
Dahlonega’s Old Fashioned Christmas
Dazzling displays and times are to be had at Dahlonega’s Old Fashioned Christmas! The town of Dahlonega puts on the Ritz every year for the holidays and becomes quite the charming spectacle! Join the parade that rings in the holiday season along with a lighting ceremony.
This is truly one of the cutest Christmas Towns In Georgia!
The old-timey feel of life long ago echos down each street in Dahlonega at Christmas. Carolers dress in fashions long lost. The cities town square transports you into an enchanting season. All the shop windows are filled with lights and decorations.
You can shop, sip hot cider, and treat yourself to holiday baked goods. For getting a head start on your gift list, you can count on any of the festivities that happen during Christmas in Georgia!
Dahlonega’s Old Fashioned Christmas is just one of the amazing places to lavish in the holiday spirit! Make sure to check out some of the Best Things To Do In Dahlonega!
Savannah Harbor Holiday Series
The most wonderful time of the year is when you can visit the Savannah Harbor Holiday Series! The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa holds wondrous events along the Savannah River. The array of things to do will make Christmas in Savannah an anticipated tradition! The sights, the sounds, and the smells of the holidays are all you could ever want. There is no short supply of memories to be made here!
Keep toasty by the bonfire while munching on delicious smores. Visitors become captivated by the edible gingerbread displays that are entered in an annual competition. Snap a picture with Santa after shopping in the holiday market or sway with the tunes coming from the Equinox Orchestra while chowing down on a 3-course meal!
The Parade of Lights is an alluring display of expertly decorated boats. As they reflect off of the Savannah River the magic of Christmas in Georgia is mesmerizing. Having your ‘elf‘ a merry little Christmas at the Savannah Harbor Holiday Series!
Atlanta Chinese Lantern Festival
Oh, what fun it is to visit the Atlanta Chinese Lantern Festival! Handcrafted displays decorate the Centennial Olympic Park. Traditional Christmas meets the rainbow with a wide variety of colors and imagination. Each carefully crafted piece will spark a sense of wonder from childhood. From mythical creatures to land and sea animals, the creativity ignites intrigue to all who stroll by! Christmas in Atlanta will never be the same after your visit!
The glow from the lanterns and masterpieces illuminates the many booths where artisans await! Whether you are looking to score some beautiful artwork or chow down on a sugar dragon the marketplace is phenomenal. Among the many styles of entertainment are dancers, acrobatics, and live theatre.
For a more surreal view, ride the Ferris wheel! The birds-eye view is one you will never forget. Grab your camera, friends, and family and make your way to this unique holiday extravaganzas. Atlanta Chinese Lantern Festival is one of the best places to celebrate Christmas in Georgia!
The Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Christmas Parade
Tis the season to give back and there is no better place to experience this than at The Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Christmas Parade! Putting on one of the biggest holiday parades the southeast has seen each year is a grand way to celebrate Christmas in Atlanta. Floats have decked their ride with elaborate holiday glam for all to see!
Towering character balloons will float above you and be led by talented marching bands. The Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Christmas Parade makes Christmas in Georgia a tradition that locals and visitors anticipate each year! Since 1981 this event has benefited the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Before the festivities begin you can join Santa Clause for breakfast at a nearby hotel! Other establishments will also offer a delicious breakfast and feature some holiday characters that will take you back to your childhood! Of all the things to do in Atlanta at Christmas, this will warm the heart.
Callaway Gardens Fantasy In Lights
It’s ‘snow‘ joke that Callaway Gardens Fantasy In Lights is a marvelous location to celebrate Christmas in Atlanta! It was declared one of National Geographic’s Top 10 Light Displays in the world! Extravagant light displays adorn the already gorgeous natural gardens. There are over 2,500 acres to explore and enjoy the fall foliage mixed with the radiant glow of the holidays.
You will ride by rows of nutcrackers, colorful displays, and one of the largest Christmas trees! Sip hot cocoa while you walk through the Christmas Village where you can do some gift shopping or grab a bite to eat. S’mores, popcorn, and other delightful treats await. There are photos with Santa who can make sure you are on the nice list! When it comes to Christmas in Georgia, you are certain to have a blast at the Callaway Gardens Fantasy In Lights.
Annual Lighting of the Village
Christmas in north Georgia gets kicked off at the Annual Lighting of the Village! During the day the town of Helen, Georgia is masterfully decorated and can be enjoyed by the thousands of people who tour the area. At dusk, the village of Helen is illuminated in a vibrant display.
The sounds of laughter and live music performed by local musicians fills the air at the Annual Lighting of the Village. Santa and Mrs. Clause will make an appearance as well! Take advantage of the charm of the town by snapping family photos for your next holiday card! Christmas in Georgia looks a lot like peering into a snow globe when you experience the Annual Lighting of the Village.
Enchanted Garden of Lights
Galavant through the Enchanted Garden of Lights located in Rock City, Georgia! Test your decorating skills at the gingerbread station or interact with the holiday characters that have been spotted at Rock City Gardens. The gardens are split into four realms for you to journey through. Each will provide you with the joys of the holiday season!
An assortment of scenes glows brightly as you sip cocoa and make your way to all four realms. There are over a million LED lights that will enrapture guests. This popular event is a show stopper where the whole family can create lifetime memories. Top your hot cocoa with marshmallows, put on your mittens, and head to the Enchanted Garden of Lights!
Savannah City Market
Even if it isn’t a white Christmas in Georgia, the Savannah City Market brings the warm fuzzy feeling of the holidays to you! In the midst of the holiday season, Savannah’s appealing market becomes much more admirable. Discover the Holiday Open House, which hosts over 500 gleaming lights that line the courtyard. You might even get a visit from Kriss Kringle himself!
If you’re looking for something more child-oriented, don’t miss out on the Kids Celebration! Children can make crafts, take part in holiday activities, get a photo op with Santa, and top it off with a rendition of How The Dancing Grinch Stole Christmas. You can also close the holiday season out by attending the New Year’s Eve Celebration with live music, great eats, and shopping from local markets all evening long.
Light Up Athens
Having only been presented in recent years, the Light Up Athens event has illuminated the community in Athens-Clarke County. The holiday program brightens storefronts in downtown Athens with numerous lights and decorations! Music may fill the area surrounding City Hall creating cheer for all to hear. Christmas in Georgia has everything you could wish for and you can find a number of gifts in any of the local shops!
The seasonal activities include Holiday Character appearances, a glorious Community Christmas Tree, and S”elfie” Spots. If you and the little ones in your group haven’t mailed jolly Saint Nick, it isn’t too late! Bring your Christmas lists to Santa’s Official Mailbox where they can be delivered to the North Pole in haste! Athens at Christmas is truly one the most wonderful places to visit!
Garden Lights, Holiday Nights
The Atlanta Botanical Gardens annually hosts Garden Lights, Holiday Nights, and oh what fun you will have! Encounter extraordinary plants that are dressed in their holiday best! Be amazed by the dramatic Ice Goddess who is displayed next to a fountain that glows from her flowing hair created by strands of lights. She transforms The Atlanata Botanical Gardens at Christmas into a whole new world.
Journey through the Tunnel Of Light that leads you to different sections of the fascinating gardens. A s’mores station and a cafe can be found at the event to extend your holiday excursion. To commemorate your visit to The Atlanta Botanical Gardens makes sure to stop by the Garden Gift Shop!
Your holidays are sure to be merry and bright when you celebrate Christmas in Georgia! Gather the family to take pictures with Santa or take a romantic stroll through any of these festive towns. The sights and smells of the holidays that you crave year-round can be found and enjoyed in Georgia!
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