Tis the Season – Holiday Fun on the Outer Banks

Outer Banks Kites & Lights

I’m not sure how this snuck up on us so quickly, but guess what?  It’s the holiday season!  Thanksgiving is long gone, and Christmas is fast approaching.  See ya later 2010!

Seems like a good time to run through some of the holiday fun that can be found on the Outer Banks.

While the OBX is best known for beaches and summer fun, there’s plenty to offer during the holiday season as well.

We’ll start with a few of my fav’s that tend to fly under the radar.

1. The holiday boat parade in Colington Harbor.  This one is definitely under the radar.  I think there were a total of 10 people there last year…including the 6 with me, but it’s a blast.  There’s something special about watching a sailboat with Christmas lights.  Colington is tucked away on the West side of Kill Devil Hills…take a right at the Monument and head straight until you hit the guard gate, welcome to Colington Harbor.  I can’t find the date for this year, but you may be able to get more info on this site.

2. Kites with Lights at Jockey’s Ridge, hosted by Kitty Hawk Kites.  Darn!  I just realized we missed this one.  I guess they moved it to Thanksgiving weekend this year.  Shoot, but I’m including it here anyway so we can all be reminded to mark our calendars for next year…plus, I like this video.  Kites and lights are a great combo!  :)

3.  Ahhhh…last but definitely not least, my fav; the famed Outer Banks Christmas House.   The Paulos family has gone all out with Christmas decorations for years, and they invite young and old to take in the spectacle.

The house/light display was voted number one in America in 2005 on the Today Show, and it’s been featured on HGTV!  Who knew?!  Local celebs right here on the OBX!

Feel free to park your car and wander around the yard to get the full effect and boost your holiday spirit.  A night viewing is optimal to get the full effect of the lights.

The time and effort this family puts into their decorations is astounding.

Here’s their FaceBook page if you want some more info or want share your love of their efforts.

Directions:
The house is located in Kill Devil Hills near the Nags Head Woods entrance

Heading South on Rt. 158 into Kill Devil Hills
1. Proceed to light at Ocean Acres Dr. (opposite MacDonald’s)
2. Turn right at Ocean Acres Dr.
3. The road will change from paved to gravel as you go up a hill. Just over the top of the hill you will find the Poulos home.

And for some of the more traditional (and “on the beaten path”) options…

December 3
First Friday
Downtown Manteo Waterfront. 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. First Friday is a fun-filled, family-oriented street festival. The sidewalks pulse with live music, magic, artisans, period-dressed actors, a rock climbing wall and much more.firstfriday-roanokeisland.com

December 3
Santa at the Roanoke Island Maritime Museum
5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Come visit with Santa! Free. (252) 475-1750 or roanokeisland.com

December 3 – 4
Town of Manteo Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade
Tree Lighting will be December 3rd at 6 p.m. with Santa visiting with the children afterwards at the Maritime Museum at the Creef Davis Boathouse. The parade will be December 4th at 11 a.m. in downtown Manteo.manteo.govoffice.com

December 4
The Jazz before Christmas
Comfort Inn North Oceanfront, Kill Devil Hills. Mix, mingle and celebrate the holidays with jazz! A Semi-Formal Affair Hosted by Gwendolyn Meekins. Performance by Chante Moore. Live Jazz Band. Catering by Basnight’s Lone Cedar. Heavy hors d’oeuvres. One specialty beverage. Full cash bar. Admission: Advance Purchase – $50, Door – $65. For additional information, call: 252-573-1014 or email: GM.Events@live.com. Ticket and Semi-Formal Attire Required for Admission. Please be responsible, DON’T DRINK & DRIVE! Hotel Rooms are available at a discounted rate. $55.00 plus tax (Regular), $70.00 plus tax (Oceanfront). For hotel reservations, call 252-441-6333 and reference “The Jazz before Christmas”.

December 4 – 5
Nights in Rodanthe Holiday Open House
December 4 from 10am – 6pm and December 5 from 1pm – 6pm. The Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation and the new owners Ben and Debbie Huss of Newton, NC, will host a Holiday Open House at Serendipity. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. islandfreepress.org/2010Archives/11.04.2010-HighlightOfTheSeasonWillBeNightsInRodantheHolidasyOpenHouseAtSerendipity.html

December 3 – 31
Holiday Show
Dare County Arts Council Gallery, Manteo. Over 500 works of art to fit every budget, including original paintings, pottery, glass, jewelry, fiber, metal, mixed media and wood. darearts.org

December 4
Manteo Preservation Trust Holiday Tour of Homes
Manteo Preservation Trust Holiday Tour of Homes 2 pm til 7 pm. 10-12 houses/Inns. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased the day of the tour at the Dare County Courthouse (located in downtown Manteo) which is also the first stop on the tour. For more information contact Grizelle Fearing at 252-473-7336.

December 4
RIFP Performance Series Christmas at the Park with Elizabeth City State University
7 p.m. Indoor Theatre The performances are free and open to the public. (252) 475-1500, roanokeisland.com

December 8
Grand Illumination
Join The Elizabethan Gardens as we kick off ten nights of lights and floral displays at The Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo, North Carolina. This kick-off event will feature holiday foods and festive drink in the Embellished Hall. Also featured are fire pits on the Great Lawn, where guests can roast marshmallows, drink hot cocoa and be entertained by Dockside Theatre Company and others. On this evening enjoy The Gardens’ Gift Shoppe and plant sales, offering 10% off all merchandise. Friends’ receive an additional 10% off. For the occasion, a special holiday promotion is planned featuring many gifts under $15.00 ~ pre-wrapped and ready to give for Christmas. Garden plant sales will feature winter annuals; ornamental vegetables; forced bulbs; rosemary Christmas Trees; and conifers with bows. Tickets for Illuminations for Non-Members are $14 for adults; $9 for youth (ages 6-17); $6 for children (5 and under). Tickets for Friends’ are $10 for adults; $7 for youth (ages 6-17); $4 for children (5 and under). Groups of 20 or more receive $1.00 off each ticket. Please call The Elizabethan Gardens at 252-473-3234 for more information or visitelizabethangardens.org

December 11
Christmas Past at Island Farm
5 p.m. – 8 p.m. In celebration of Christmas Past at Island Farm, bring your family to learn how Roanoke Island families celebrated Christmas a century and a half ago. Many of the holiday traditions we enjoy today began in the 19th century. A special event at Island Farm on Roanoke Island will bring them to life, 1850s style.

When Adam Etheridge and his family lived on the farm on the island’s North End, there was no electricity. Candles were placed on a freshly cut tree, and their glow made the season bright. The men celebrated by shooting off muskets. Children sang carols and ate cookies while their elders sipped hot mulled wine. It was a time for all families, black and white, to gather with their relatives and to enjoy time away from work. On Dec. 11, Island Farm will host visitors on a guided candlelight tour representing an 1850s Southern Christmas. Gather around a bonfire while muskets are fired to ring in the season. Warm yourself by a crackling fire as you sip a cup of hot wassail, and learn how Christmas traditions began.

The farmhouse will be decorated for the holidays, with flickering wax candles illuminating the Christmas tree. Carolers will sing Yuletide favorites. And costumed interpreters will present vignettes of island life, including the perspective of those who were enslaved.

“Christmas Past at Island Farm is designed to be fun, festive, and educational,” said Jonathan Failor, farm manager. “Why do we decorate trees at Christmas and hang garland on the mantel? How did the tradition of feasting begin? We hope families will make this event a tradition in the years to come.” Tickets are $10 per person and may be purchased on the day of the event. Children aged 5 and under are admitted free. Admission is paid at the door, beginning at 5 pm on the day of the event, Saturday, Dec. 11. The farm will close at 8 pm. Island Farm is open weekdays through Nov. 30 for the 2010 season. The Christmas Past celebration is the last event of the year; look for more special events in the spring. For more information, contact Island Farm, 252-473-6500, email:islandfarm252@gmail.com, or visit the website, theislandfarm.com