Magical Season Arrives at the Biltmore

Immerse yourself in the joy of this most beautiful time of the year.

Christmas arrives at the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina, for its 130th Annual Christmas celebration. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Biltmore Estate is America’s largest privately owned home. This is the time of year when it becomes a wonderland of lights, music, and history.

Enjoy traditions you will keep for years to come. The event pays homage to George Vanderbilt’s first Christmas in 1895, with unique decorations and a majestic 35-foot tree, inviting guests to relive a historic festive experience.

Sitting in the Banquet Hall, the 35-foot, 2,500-pound Frasier fir tree is now displayed. It took nearly 40 people to get it inside and place it just right. (pictured below)

Imagine immersing yourself in this yuletide oasis where fragrant wreaths, glittering garland, and thousands of sparkling ornaments fill you with wonder. It’s dazzling by day and becomes all the more magical during the Candlelight Christmas evenings.

A thousand poinsettias, miles of garland, and throughout the estate, you will find over a hundred decorated trees with 25 thousand ornaments, 500 wreaths and sprays, and so much more.

This year I’ll be going there with my family, and I am so excited. I look forward to sharing more about it with you when I return.

The Christmas Recipe Box

As a special gift to all Founding Members and Paid subscribers, I am sharing some of our favorite Christmas recipes. Each year, I love baking and cooking with my two grandchildren, who live nearby on Hilton Head Island. We start before Thanksgiving and create treats for neighbors and friends. This weekend, Virginia will be in the Annual Hilton Head Nutcracker. After that, the baking begins. Here are some of our favorites. Psst -they said it’s okay to share.

The original recipe is from Sue Moran, who bakes and cooks on the tiny island of New Castle, New Hampshire. She is an inspiration always and forever. I love you, Susan!