Christmas at Biltmore (and a giveaway!)

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I’ve written numerous times about Biltmore. It’s practically in my backyard and a few years ago I bought an annual pass, which I’ve renewed the past two years. I love visiting the grounds and even after touring the house 10+ times, it’s still quite an experience. It seems that they’re always doing new events or opening new (to the public) rooms of the house, so despite having visited and toured so many times – I have yet to see the ENTIRE house. (I need to change that.)

biltmore One of the reasons I bought our passes was so that we could visit the grounds and walk whenever we pleased. The estate is beautiful in the spring with the Festival of Flowers, and the changing colors in the fall make it a desirable getaway spot.

Christmas at Biltmore, however, is a favorite of mine. Every room is decorated and the giant tree in the dining room is something that only the Vanderbilts could pull off. It’s quite an event to see the tree brought in on a horse-drawn carriage and then pulled into the house. (Photos were taken by me back in 2010.)

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biltmoretree3 (I’ve been on the other side of the ropes as media watching them pull the tree into place. It is seriously an orchestrated event.)

We’re actually going to be at Biltmore one weekend very soon, and Santa will be visiting with children on Saturdays and Sundays through December 22 from 1-5 p.m in Antler Hill Village. (Be sure to stop by the animals with your children – my boy loves them!) Not interested in Santa or the animals? Well, the winery is always open for a tour and tasting. Biltmoreā€™s floral arranging and gardening experts will also conduct free, daily seminars at A Gardenerā€™s Place retail gift shop. There is something for everyone this time of year.

NOW I’m excited for you, my super readers, to bring you a fun giveaway that my friend Susanna fromĀ Zealous Mom and I have been working on with the good people at Biltmore. You can win FOUR tickets just for commenting and liking/following me (and Biltmore) on social media. Even better, you have a chance to win one of TWO sets of tickets!

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This giveaway is going to end in two weeks (November 22) with two winners announced before Thanksgiving. You’ll be able to use the tickets during the Christmas holiday (which I highly recommend) or you can save them and use them at a later date – until August! So, do you understand my out-of-town friends? If you’re planning a vacation over spring break or during summer 2014, you can use the tickets then!

Here’s a little more run-down. The tickets include complimentary estate admission; a self-guided daytime tour of Biltmore House; access to the gardens; a guided tour of the Winery and free tastings; and access to Antler Hill Village and farm. Children 9 and under are admitted free, so if you’re considering bringing the kids (and they’re younger) you’re covered. (Win win for so many people!)

The only mandatory entry is a comment on Love Jaime or Zealous Mom with a favorite holiday tradition or memory or thought related to the holidays. You can then earn extra entries for following us on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. Good luck!!

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33 Comments

  1. My favorite holiday traditions evolve around food, both the eating and the smells of various things that I grew up with and made with my grandmother or my mother as a child.

    1. Same with my family! We always get together on Christmas Eve after church and have lasagna in celebration of my grandparents’ anniversary!

  2. We put our tree up on Thanksgiving weekend. I always listen to Amy Grant’s Christmas Album first while decorating the tree, and then all the other cd’s come out. Later, it’s sit back, sip hot chocolate, and admire the handiwork.

  3. We enjoy visiting a local church display of Nativities, all sizes and styles from many different countries….made of wood, marble, banana leaves, tin, gold, etc….more than 600 Creches on display! We visit and feel the spirit of Christmas, in a lovely tradition….in a small town. The Creches are borrowed from the townspeople and are returned in time for Christmas Eve in each home.

  4. My favorite Christmas tradition is the day we set up decorations. I love spending the time with family, I love the spirit it sets for the rest of the holidays, and I love just taking a step back and appreciating the time of year. Plus hot chocolate and Christmas music is always a good time!!

  5. Every year at Christmas we take a family vacation. We started a few years back and it’s became our favorite tradition šŸ™‚

  6. Baking sugar cookies with my daughter just for Santa. Drinking hot coco and watching Christmas classics with the family šŸ™‚

  7. Thank you for the fabulous giveaway! A Christmas tradition for my family is having a huge Christmas Eve dinner followed by Christmas movies:)

  8. My favorite tradition is going to look at the lights on Christmas eve. We put on our jammies, get some hot chocolate and head out to ooh and ahh. Lots of fun, I love it!

  9. Hoping to start new Christmas traditions with my grandbaby, Dylan! I always enjoy going to church on Christmas Eve, then driving around looking at the Christmas lights after. I would absolutely LOVE to visit Biltmore, especially at Christmastime. Maybe we can do a family get-together and have Christmas in July there next year if I win!! šŸ™‚

  10. Christmas Eve with my family. We have lots of good food and drinks and play dirty santa. It’s one of the few times my siblings and I are all together throughout the year and it is always memorable.

  11. I would love to win these tickets! I have not been to Biltmore since I was a little girl, and this would be a great trip for the holidays! It seems Christmas and News Years will be low budget affair this year, but I am dying to go see Christmas at Biltmore!

  12. My favorite holiday tradition is having Christmas with my entire extended family on Christmas Eve, then just the three of us driving around looking at lights, coming home opening Christmas PJs and an ornament and putting out a treat for Santa and the reindeer. Then we put our daughter to bed and my husband and myself stay up finishing up the wrapping.

  13. Christmas tradition is having lamb on Christmas Eve and a special Christmas breakfast after all the presents are open!

  14. My kids put together a large Christmas puzzle during the holiday. The intention is to always have it done in time for Santa to appreciate. We leave his milk and cookies right next to it. One year we didn’t we didn’t quite have it finished up and my son left a note apologizing to Santa. Believe it or not Santa actually added a few pieces himself, impressive for such a busy night. šŸ™‚

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