Credit: Charleston Daily Photo (2012).
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 events and parties for you to enjoy this year! Keep checking back as the list will be continually updated.
For those newbies just stumbling upon this website, be sure to follow me on TWITTER and like me on FACEBOOK.
Multi-Day Events
- Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau's Advent Calendar – New giveaway daily!
- Visit Santa – Citadel Mall and Northwoods Mall
- 24th Annual Holiday Festival of Lights – James Island County Park
- 4-D Immersion Theater Featuring The Polar Express – South Carolina Aquarium
- Charleston Strolls Holiday Walking Tour – Broad & Meeting St in the Historic Market District
- Holiday Decorations – Joseph Manigault House (12/7 – 12/29)
- Holiday Dinner Cruise on the Carolina Queen – Charleston City Marina
- Holiday Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides – Mt Pleasant Towne Centre (12/7 – 12/22)
- Holiday Magic in Historic Charleston – Downtown
- Holiday Pub Crawl – Downtown
- Holiday Train Rides – Mt Pleasant Towne Centre
- Photos with Santa – Mt Pleasant Towne Centre
- Scuba Claus – South Carolina Aquarium
- Sweet T. Christmas – Black Fedora Comedy Mystery Theatre
Wednesday, 12/11/13
4 pm – Joseph Manigault House Tour to Focus on Antebellum Christmas Traditions – Joseph Manigault House
6:30 pm – Chase the Santa – Beat the Grinch Fun Run – Fleet Feet Sports
9 pm – Big John Belly & BYOG: Bring Your Own Belly Ugly Xmas Sweater Party & Contest – Pour House
Thursday, 12/12/13
5 pm – Holiday Events and Shop and Stroll – The Art Mecca of Charleston, 427 King St.
5:30 pm – Annual Holiday Party – Charleston Medical Spa
6 pm – The 8th Annual Festival of Wreaths – The Palmetto Cafe in Charleston Place
7 pm – A Christmas Carol – Woolfe Street Playhouse
7 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special 2013 – Charleston Music Hall
8 pm – A Christmas Carol – Footlight Players Theatre
8 pm – Plaid Tidings – James F. Dean Theatre
8:30 pm – Santa’s Naughty & Nice Burlesque – South of Broadway Theatre Company Studios
Friday, 12/13/13
10 am – Cinderella's Holiday Ball – The Darby Building, 302 Pitt St.
5 pm – Holiday Fair – 1 Riverwood Drive, Moncks Corner
5 pm – King Street Shop Walk – Starts at the Charleston Place Hotel
6:30 pm – Christmas 1860 at the Edmondston-Alston House – Edmondston-Alston House
6:30 pm – Holiday Dinner Cruise on the Carolina Queen – Charleston City Marina
7 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special 2013 – Charleston Music Hall
7 pm – The Sound of Charleston Holiday Special Edition – Circular Congregational Church
7:30 pm – Holiday Pops – Sottile Theatre
7:30 pm – Scrooge’s Christmas – Rollings School of the Arts
8 pm – A Christmas Carol – Footlight Players Theatre
8 pm – Plaid Tidings – James F. Dean Theatre
8:30 pm – Santa’s Naughty & Nice Burlesque – South of Broadway Theatre Company Studios
9 pm – Deuce Theatre’s Humbug Holiday Hour – The Charleston Acting Studio
Saturday, 12/14/13
9 am – Breakfast with Santa Cruise – Patriots Point
9 am – Breakfast with Santa – The Sea Island Grill
10 am – Historic Holiday Family Fun Event – The Charleston Museum
10 am – Village Antiques & Collectibles Holiday Market – Felix C. Davis Community Center
11 am – Cookie Decorating at The Sanctuary – Kiawah Island Golf Resort
11 am – Mixson Mingle Jingle – Mixson (at the Barn)
12 pm – Holiday WinterFest – Avondale
12 pm – Holiday Open House with De Gullah Singers and Stono Café – Irvin~House Vineyards
1 pm – Folly Beach Christmas Parade – Center Street
1 pm – Fuel Your Favorite Holiday Traditions – Fuel
1 pm – 2nd Annual Gingerbread House Decorating Contest! – Fuel
1 pm – Holiday Tea at Magar Hatworks and Madame Magar – Magar Hatworks, 57 Cannon St.
1 pm – Quilted Holiday Ornaments – Old Santee Canal Park
2 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special 2013 – Charleston Music Hall
2 pm – Edisto Beach Christmas Parade – Along Palmetto Boulevard from the 100-600 block
2 pm – Folly Christmas Parade After Party – Pluff Mudd Events
2:30 pm – Holiday Storybook Tea with Mrs. Claus – The Morning Room of The Sanctuary
4:15 pm – Holiday Event at Fort Sumter – Liberty Square
5 pm – Holiday Fair – 1 Riverwood Drive, Moncks Corner
5 pm – Sandlapper Water Tours Holiday Harbor Boat Cruise – Charleston Maritime Center
5:30 pm – Family Yuletide – Middleton Place
6 pm – Holiday S'mores – Kiawah Island Golf Resort
7 pm – A Christmas Carol – Woolfe Street Playhouse
7 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special 2013 – Charleston Music Hall
7:30 pm – Scrooge’s Christmas – Rollings School of the Arts
8 pm – A Christmas Carol – Footlight Players Theatre
8 pm – Plaid Tidings – James F. Dean Theatre
8:30 pm – Santa’s Naughty & Nice Burlesque – South of Broadway Theatre Company Studios
10:30 pm – Holiday Cabaret – Footlight Players Theatre
Sunday, 12/15/13
10 am – Village Antiques & Collectibles Holiday Market – Felix C. Davis Community Center
2 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special 2013 – Charleston Music Hall
3 pm – A Christmas Carol – Footlight Players Theatre
3 pm – Plaid Tidings – James F. Dean Theatre
4 pm – A Scrooge’s Christmas Tea – Cypress Gardens
4 pm – Charleston Symphony Orchestra Holiday Brass – First (Scots) Presbyterian Church
5 pm – Holiday Fair – 1 Riverwood Drive, Moncks Corner
Monday, 12/16/13
1 pm – Teddy Bear Tea – Charleston Place at the Thoroughbred Club
Tuesday, 12/17/13
5 pm – Christmas at Molly’s – Molly Darcy’s
7:30 pm – The Charleston Symphony Orchestra presents Holy City Messiah – The Cathedral St. John the Baptist
Wednesday, 12/18/13
4 pm – Joseph Manigault House Tour to Focus on Antebellum Christmas Traditions – Joseph Manigault House
6:30 pm – Dickens Dinner – Circa 1886
8 pm – 1st Annual Jingle Bell Ball featuring Avril Lavigne, The Fray, Daughtry & more – North Charleston Coliseum
Thursday, 12/19/13
12:30 pm – Visit with Santa – Darby Building, 302 Pitt Street, Mount Pleasant
6 pm – Grand Illumination – Middleton Place
7 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special 2013 – Charleston Music Hall
8 pm – A Christmas Carol – Footlight Players Theatre
8 pm – Plaid Tidings – James F. Dean Theatre
8 pm – The Christmas Will Be Televised – Theatre 99
8:30 pm – Santa’s Naughty & Nice Burlesque – South of Broadway Theatre Company Studios
9 pm – “MISTLETOE JAM” hosted by GUILT RIDDEN TROUBADOUR and SHONUFF – The Pour House
Friday, 12/20/13
5 pm – Holiday Fair – 1 Riverwood Drive, Moncks Corner
6 pm – Grand Illumination – Middleton Place
6 pm – Holiday Craft Bazaar – Tin Roof
7 pm – A Christmas Carol – Woolfe Street Playhouse
7 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special 2013 – Charleston Music Hall
7 pm – The Charleston Symphony presents Holy City Messiah – St. Theresa the Little Flower Catholic Church
7 pm – The Sound of Charleston Holiday Special Edition – Circular Congregational Church
7:30 pm – Scrooge’s Christmas – Madden Hall at St. John The Beloved Catholic Church
8 pm – A Christmas Carol – Footlight Players Theatre
8 pm – Plaid Tidings – James F. Dean Theatre
8:30 pm – Santa’s Naughty & Nice Burlesque – South of Broadway Theatre Company Studios
Saturday, 12/21/13
9 am – Breakfast with Santa -The Sea Island Grill
11 am – Cookie Decorating at The Sanctuary – Kiawah Island Golf Resort
1 pm – The Night Before Christmas – Sottile Theatre
2 pm – Visit from Santa and Cookie Decorating – Southern Season
2:30 pm – Holiday Storybook Tea with Mrs. Claus – The Morning Room of The Sanctuary
5 pm – Holiday Fair – 1 Riverwood Drive, Moncks Corner
5 pm – Sandlapper Water Tours Holiday Harbor Boat Cruise – Charleston Maritime Center
6 pm – Holiday S'mores – Kiawah Island Golf Resort
7 pm – A Christmas Carol – Woolfe Street Playhouse
7 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special 2013 – Charleston Music Hall
7 pm – Charleston Victory Christmas 1945 – Sottile Theatre
7 pm – “Jinglebang!”: Local musicians covering classic and original Holiday tunes – Tin Roof
8 pm – Misfit Toys Art Show – The Mill, Park Circle
8 pm – Plaid Tidings – James F. Dean Theatre
8:30 pm – Santa’s Naughty & Nice Burlesque – South of Broadway Theatre Company Studios
10 pm – The Christmas Will Be Televised – Theatre 99
Sunday, 12/22/13
2 pm – The Charleston Christmas Special 2013 – Charleston Music Hall
3 pm – A Christmas Carol – Footlight Players Theatre
3 pm – Plaid Tidings – James F. Dean Theatre
5 pm – A Christmas Carol – Woolfe Street Playhouse
5 pm – Holiday Fair – 1 Riverwood Drive, Moncks Corner
9 pm – Wallace Mullinax Holiday Jam – The Pour House
Tuesday, 12/24/13
Restaurants that are open on Christmas Eve
TBA – Movie Tuesdays: Four Christmases – Fuel
5 pm – Christmas Eve Celebrations – Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Wednesday, 12/25/13
Restaurants that are open on Christmas Day
All Day – Christmas Day – Kiawah Island Golf Resort
11 am – Christmas at the Citadel Stadium: Jesus’ Birthday Party – Johnson Hagood Memorial Stadium
10 pm – Christmas Karaoke – Recovery Room
Thursday, 12/26/13
8 am – Little Elves Tennis – Wild Dunes Tennis Center
2 pm – Little Elves Golf Clinic – Wild Dunes Resort
3 pm – Moscow Ballet’s 2013 Great Russian Nutcracker (1st performance) – North Charleston PAC
7 pm – The Sound of Charleston Holiday Special Edition – Circular Congregational Church
7:30 pm – Moscow Ballet’s 2013 Great Russian Nutcracker (2nd performance) – North Charleston PAC
Friday, 12/27/13
6:30 pm – Holiday Dinner Cruise on the Carolina Queen – Charleston City Marina
Saturday, 12/28/13
6:30 pm – Holiday Dinner Cruise on the Carolina Queen – Charleston City Marina
Monday, 12/30/13
7 pm – The Sound of Charleston Holiday Special Edition – Circular Congregational Church