It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Charleston…well as much as it can. It may not feel wintry, but the city sure looks festive.
As with most holidays, the Holy City is going all-out. Here is a list of Christmas and holiday plans for you to enjoy this year! Keep checking back as the list will be continually updated.
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Multi-Day Events
- Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Advent Calendar – New deal released daily!
- Visit Santa – Citadel Mall and Northwoods Mall – Mon-Fri: 10 am – 9 pm (with breaks from 1-2 pm and 5-6 pm), Sun: 12 pm – 3 pm and 4 pm -6 pm.
- 23rd Annual Holiday Festival of Lights – Fri/Sat: 5:30 pm -11 pm, Mon-Thurs, Sun: 5:30 pm – 10 pm. Through 12/31.
- Charleston Sleigh Ride – Daily, 12/7-31 at 5 pm – Shem Creek
- Santa Sleigh Ride – Olde Towne Carriage, 20 Anson St.: Daily (except Christmas)
- Holiday Exhibits – The Nathaniel Russell House and Aiken-Rhett House Museums: Daily
- Holiday Pub Crawl – Downtown: Daily
- Holiday Walking Tour – Downtown: Daily
- Christmas in Charleston Private Tea Party Tour – Downtown: Daily
Thursday, 12/6/12
3:30 pm – Holiday Workshop – Charleston Museum
7:30 pm – A Christmas Story – Dock Street Theatre
8 pm – A Christmas Carol – Wolfe Street Playhouse
Friday, 12/7/12
10 am (until 6 pm) – Holiday Magic Entertainment and visits with Santa – Marion Square
5 pm – 4th Annual King Street Shop Walk – King Street
6:30 pm – Christmas 1860 – Edmonston-Alston House
7 pm – 23rd Annual Cabooty Holiday Party – Memminger Auditorium
7 pm – The Sound of Charleston Holiday Edition – Circular Congregational Church
7:30 pm – A Christmas Story – Dock Street Theatre
8 pm – A Christmas Carol – Wolfe Street Playhouse
Saturday, 12/8/12
8 am – 2012 Mt. Pleasant Jingle Bell Run/Walk – Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital, 3500 Highway 17N, Mt. Pleasant
8 am – Holiday Farmers Market – Marion Square
8 am – Legare Farms Holiday Open House – Legare Farms, Johns Island
9 am – Holiday Breakfast Cruise with Santa Claus – Fountain Walk Dock at Aquarium Wharf
9 am – Winter Wonderland Art Workshop – Bottles ‘n Brushes, Summerville and West Ashley
10 am – Create Homemade Gifts: Taper Candle Dipping – Caw Caw Interpretive Center, 861 Riverland Drive
10 am – Grinch Pictures – Moncks Corner Train Depot
10 am (until 4 pm) – Holiday Magic Entertainment and visits with Santa – Marion Square
11 am – Cookie Decorating – The Morning Room at The Sanctuary, Kiawah Island
11 am – Mt. Pleasant Holiday Market & Craft Show – Farmers Market Pavilion, Coleman Blvd.
11:30 am – Kids’ Christmas Cruise – City Marina
1 pm – Christmas Parade – Folly Beach
1 pm – Holiday Open House – Irvin House Vineyard
2 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special – Charleston Music Hall
2:30 pm – Holiday Storybook Tea with Mrs. Claus – The Morning Room at The Sanctuary, Kiawah Island
3 pm – A Holiday Street Celebration with Sol Driven Train, Fowler's Mustache and more – Front Beach at IOP
3 pm – Madeline's Christmas – Dock Street Theatre
3 pm – Spirituals Concert – Drayton Hall
5:30 pm – Family Yuletide – Middleton Place
5:30 pm – Spirituals Concert (second performace) – Drayton Hall
6 pm – Isle of Palms Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony with Sol Driven Train – Front Beach, Isle of Palms
6:30 pm – Holiday Cocktail Cruise – Charleston City Marina, 17 Lockwood Blvd
7 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special – Charleston Music Hall
7 pm – Holiday Fireside S’mores & More – The Terrace Lawn at The Sanctuary
7:30 pm – A Christmas Story – Dock Street Theatre
7:30 pm – A Lowcountry Christmas featuring Larnelle Harris – North Charleston PAC
8 pm – A Christmas Carol – Wolfe Street Playhouse
Sunday, 12/9/12
8:30 am – Breakfast with Santa – Charles Towne Landing
10 am – Holiday Farmers Market – Marion Square
10 am (until 4 pm) – Holiday Magic Entertainment and visits with Santa – Marion Square
2 pm – Summerville Christmas Parade – Summerville
3 pm – A Christmas Story – Dock Street Theatre
3 pm – A Tuna Christmas – Footlight Players Theatre
3 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special – Charleston Music Hall
3 pm – Jim Brickman: On a Winter’s Night – North Charleston PAC
3 pm – Spirituals Concert – Drayton Hall
4 pm – Chanukah in the Square – Marion Square
4 pm – Christmas Tea with Mr. Dickens – Cypress Gardens
5:30 pm – Mt. Pleasant Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting – Moultrie Middle School
5:30 pm – Spirituals Concert (second performace) – Drayton Hall
6 pm – Pet Photos with Santa – Mt. Pleasant Town Centre
7:30 pm – Madeline's Christmas – Dock Street Theatre
Tuesday, 12/11/12
6:30 pm – Chocolate, Beer, and Ugly Christmas Sweaters – Westbrook Brewery
7 pm – The Charleston Community Band Christmas Concert – Summerall Chapel, The Citadel
Wednesday, 12/12/12
5 pm – Men's Night Holiday Shopping Help – Croghan's Jewel Box, 308 King Street
5:45 pm – Holiday Stocking Workshop – Anthropologie
6:30 pm – 11th Annual Dickens Dinner – Circa 1886
6:30 pm – Santa Paws – Photos of your pet with Santa – James Island County Park
7 pm – Holiday Stocking Workshop – Anthropologie
Thursday, 12/13/12
6 pm – Festival of Wreaths – Charleston Place Palmetto Cafe
6 pm – Grand Illumination – Middleton Place
7 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special – Charleston Music Hall
7:30 pm – A Christmas Story – Dock Street Theatre
8 pm – The Christmas Will Be Televised – Theatre 99
10 pm – A Christmas Carol – Wolfe Street Playhouse
Friday, 12/14/12
10 am (until 6 pm) – Holiday Magic Entertainment and visits with Santa – Marion Square
5 pm – The Great Charleston Holiday Market, FoodTruck, Music, Art Showcase Bonanza Thing – Holy City Brewing, 4155 Dorchester Rd. (goes until 9 pm)
6 pm – Grand Illumination – Middleton Place
7 pm – 98 Rock's Not So Silent Night: Halestorm, In This Moment, Eve to Adam – Music Farm
7 pm – The Sound of Charleston Holiday Edition – Circular Congregational Church
7:30 pm – A Christmas Story – Dock Street Theatre
7:30 pm – Holiday Pops! – Sottile Theatre
10 pm – A Christmas Carol – Wolfe Street Playhouse
Saturday, 12/15/12
ALL DAY – Krispy Kreme Toys for Tots Drive – Krispy Kreme, Savannah Highway
8 am – Breakfast with Santa – Morgan Creek Grill
8 am – Holiday Farmers Market – Marion Square
9 am – Winter Wonderland Art Workshop – Bottles ‘n Brushes, Summerville and West Ashley
10 am – Create Homemade Gifts: Fire & Clay – Caw Caw Interpretive Center, 861 Riverland Drive
10 am (until 4 pm) – Holiday Magic Entertainment and visits with Santa – Marion Square
11 am – Cookie Decorating – The Morning Room at The Sanctuary, Kiawah Island
11 am – 5 pm – The Great Charleston Holiday Market, FoodTruck, Music, Art Showcase Bonanza Thing – Holy City Brewing, 4155 Dorchester Rd. (goes until 9 pm)
11:30 am – Kids’ Christmas Cruise – City Marina
12 pm – Gingerbread House Making Contest – Fuel
1 pm – Holiday Open House – Irvin House Vineyard
2 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special – Charleston Music Hall
2 pm – The Nutcracker – North Charleston PAC
2:30 pm – Holiday Storybook Tea with Mrs. Claus – The Morning Room at The Sanctuary, Kiawah Island
3 pm – Madeline's Christmas – Dock Street Theatre
5 pm – 5th Annual Santa Bar Crawl – Various
6:30 pm – Holiday Cocktail Cruise – Charleston City Marina, 17 Lockwood Blvd
7 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special – Charleston Music Hall
7 pm – Holiday Fireside S’mores & More – The Terrace Lawn at The Sanctuary
7:30 pm – A Christmas Story – Dock Street Theatre
7:30 pm – Holiday Pops! – Sottile Theatre
7:30 pm – The Nutcracker – North Charleston PAC
10 pm – A Christmas Carol – Wolfe Street Playhouse
Sunday, 12/16/12
10 am – Holiday Farmers Market – Marion Square
10 am (until 4 pm) – Holiday Magic Entertainment and visits with Santa – Marion Square
1 pm – Gingerbread House Workshop – The Inn at Middleton Place
3 pm – A Christmas Story – Dock Street Theatre
3 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special – Charleston Music Hall
3 pm – The Nutcracker – North Charleston PAC
6 pm – A Christmas Carol – Wolfe Street Playhouse
6 pm – Jinglebang! – Tin Roof
7:30 pm – Madeline's Christmas – Dock Street Theatre
Monday, 12/17/12
5:30 pm – Holiday Progressive Dinner – Circa 1886
Tuesday, 12/18/12
7:30 pm – Christmas and Cowboys – Gage Hall
7:30 pm – Holy City Messiah – Cathedral St. John the Baptist, Charleston
Wednesday, 12/19/12
6:30 pm – Santa Paws – Photos of your pet with Santa – James Island County Park
8 pm – Super Deluxe's Funky Christmas – The Pour House
Thursday, 12/20/12
5 pm – Summerville Holiday Open Houses – Summerville D.R.E.A.M.
7 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special – Charleston Music Hall
7:30 pm – Holy City Messiah – St. Theresa Catholic Church, Summerville
8 pm – The Christmas Will Be Televised – Theatre 99
Friday, 12/21/12
9 am – Winter Wonderland Art Workshop – Bottles ‘n Brushes, Summerville and West Ashley
10 am (until 6 pm) – Holiday Magic Entertainment and visits with Santa – Marion Square
1 pm – Classical Kids Concert: The Night Before Christmas for String Quartet – Sottile Theatre
6 pm – A Christmas Carol – Wolfe Street Playhouse
7 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special – Charleston Music Hall
7 pm – Cocktails & Coats – Trio Club
7 pm – The Sound of Charleston Holiday Edition – Circular Congregational Church
7:30 pm – Holy City Messiah – St. Benedict Catholic Church, Mt. Pleasant
9 pm – Sick Tyte End of the World Christmas Extravaganza – Tin Roof
Saturday, 12/22/12
9 am – Winter Wonderland Art Workshop – Bottles ‘n Brushes, Summerville and West Ashley
10 am (until 4 pm) – Holiday Magic Entertainment and visits with Santa – Marion Square
11 am – Cookie Decorating – The Morning Room at The Sanctuary, Kiawah Island
2 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special – Charleston Music Hall
2:30 pm – Holiday Storybook Tea with Mrs. Claus – The Morning Room at The Sanctuary, Kiawah Island
6 pm – A Christmas Carol – Wolfe Street Playhouse
7 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special – Charleston Music Hall
7 pm – Holiday Fireside S’mores & More – The Terrace Lawn at The Sanctuary
10 pm – The Christmas Will Be Televised – Theatre 99
Sunday, 12/23/12
10 am (until 4 pm) – Holiday Magic Entertainment and visits with Santa – Marion Square
1 pm (until 7 pm) – Christmas Kids Show w/Hit or Miss, Miss Hazel, and Hungry Monks – Charleston Pour House
3 pm – Moscow's Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker – North Charleston PAC
3:30 pm – Dylan Thomas Christmas in Wales – Dock Street Theatre
7 pm – Moscow's Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker – North Charleston PAC
7:30 pm – Dylan Thomas Christmas in Wales – Dock Street Theatre
Monday, 12/24/12
Restaurants that are open today
9 pm – Matzo Ball – Tsunami
Tuesday, 12/25/12
Restaurants that are open today
5 pm – Misfit Christmas Party – Home Team BBQ
Friday, 12/28/12
7 pm – The Sound of Charleston Holiday Edition – Circular Congregational Church