Christmas in the Blue Ridge Mountains

There’s nothing quite like Christmas in the Blue Ridge Mountains—and after more than twenty family holidays here, we can tell you firsthand it never loses its magic. The air turns crisp, the peaks dust white, and small towns glow with thousands of lights. The scent of fresh pine and wood smoke drifts through the valleys, and you can feel the warmth of Christmas around every turn.

We’ve celebrated Christmas mostly in Western North Carolina: Waynesville, Hendersonville, Asheville, Boone, Blowing Rock, and Bryson City over the years. These towns are where our own family traditions were born: viewing Christmas lights, parades on wintry nights, candlelight strolls through historic downtowns, the Polar Express with singing and hot cocoa, and quiet mornings watching the mountains wake up. 

This guide brings together what we’ve learned and loved to help you plan your own mountain Christmas, whether it’s your first visit or your fifteenth.

The Magic of a Mountain Christmas

The Blue Ridge Mountains have a way of making the holidays feel simpler, warmer, and more meaningful. Each town celebrates a little differently, but they all share the same small-town mountain charm and sense of community that make the season here so special.

We’ve watched parades in the snow, sipped hot cider while listening to carolers downtown, and taken our kids to local Christmas tree farms to choose their own Christmas trees. No matter how many years go by, we still find fresh places to explore and new memories to make.

If you’re planning a visit, most Christmas lights and events begin in mid-November and run through early January. We usually find that early to mid-December is the perfect time. You’ll catch all the lights, the main events, and maybe even a little snow. Just be prepared, it gets pretty cold that time of the year.

Featured Christmas Guides

Ready to plan your perfect mountain Christmas? Explore some of our Christmas guides below — from small-town celebrations and light shows to cozy cabins, tree farms, and scenic drives. 

See all of our Christmas/Holiday Guides!

Best Christmas Towns in the Blue Ridge Mountains

After visiting dozens of mountain towns over the years, these are the ones we return to again and again during the holidays. Each brings its own kind of Christmas magic:

• Waynesville, NC – Our hometown! Waynesville’s A Night Before Christmas and annual Christmas Parade are one of our family’s favorites. The entire downtown glows with lights, music, and laughter during both events.
• Blowing Rock, NC – We love the old-fashioned candlelight shopping, horse-drawn carriage rides, and mountain inns decorated like postcards. It's also home to Tweetsie Christmas.
• Hendersonville, NC – Hendersonville truly shines during its Home for the Holidays celebration, which fills Main Street with twinkling lights, decorated storefronts, and plenty of small-town Christmas charm. 
• Boone, NC - Boone’s small-town charm shines during the holidays, with its Festive First Friday, lighted streets, and proximity to winter adventures like skiing and tubing. 
• Asheville, NC – Christmas at Biltmore is simply breathtaking, and the city itself transforms into a mountain Christmas wonderland. We also love visiting Winter Lights at the NC Arboretum.
• Burnsville, NC – A charming small town that truly embraces the spirit of Christmas. We’ve enjoyed visiting during their Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting, when downtown comes alive with music, hot cocoa, and festive lights. The shops and galleries around Town Square are beautifully decorated, and the sense of community here captures everything we love about a small-town mountain Christmas.
• Bryson City, NC – We’ve taken the Polar Express Train Ride. It’s pure Christmas joy, especially if you have kids or grandkids.
• Banner Elk, NC – One of our favorite small towns, with Christmas in the Park, live music, and nearby Beech Mountain festivities.
• Helen, GA – One of the most festive mountain towns in Georgia, Helen celebrates Christmas with its signature Bavarian flair. The entire alpine-style village is covered in lights, and holiday music fills the streets. We’ve always loved wandering through the Christkindlmarkt, sipping hot cocoa, and watching the annual Christmas parade wind through town. It’s like stepping into a storybook Christmas scene in the heart of the Blue Ridge.
• Roanoke, VA – Dickens of a Christmas is a popular event with street performers, Victorian carolers, and horse-drawn carriages fill the city with old-world cheer.
• Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge, TN – Though busier, these towns know how to put on a show, with millions of lights and endless family-friendly events.

See our full guide on the Top Christmas Towns in the Blue Ridge Mountains!

Christmas Lights and Holiday Events

One of our favorite holiday traditions is chasing Christmas lights across the Blue Ridge — we make it a point every year to see at least a few new displays. From massive shows to small-town parades, every community adds its own sparkle to the season.

Some of the most memorable ones we’ve experienced include:

• Winter Lights at the North Carolina Arboretum (Asheville, NC) – We go every year. The gardens glow with more than a million lights, and it never fails to get us in the Christmas spirit.
• Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade (Gatlinburg, TN) – We watched this one in light snow — a truly magical experience.
• Light Up Blue Ridge (Blue Ridge, GA) – We loved the small-town warmth, parade, and the lighting of the community Christmas tree.
• Dickens of a Christmas (Roanoke, VA) – A tradition we’ve made several times; it feels like stepping back in time.
• Olde Fashioned Christmas (Floyd, VA) – A cozy, homespun celebration full of handmade crafts and friendly faces.

Every one of these events captures the true spirit of Christmas — community, joy, and a touch of mountain magic.

Christmas Tree Farms and Holiday Traditions

For us, no Blue Ridge Christmas is complete without a visit to a mountain Christmas tree farm. We've gotten our trees from a local choose-and-cut farm every year since we've lived here, and it’s become one of our most cherished family traditions.

You’ll find countless choose-and-cut farms across the mountains, especially in Avery, Ashe, and Watauga Counties. Most open around Thanksgiving and offer wagon rides, hot cocoa, and the chance to pick that perfect Fraser fir straight from the field.

If you’ve never done it, trust us — standing in a quiet mountain field surrounded by evergreens while the snow begins to fall is something you’ll never forget.  If it snows ... it's pure mountain magic!

Cozy Cabins and Mountain Lodging

We’ve stayed in vacation rentals and cabins all over the Blue Ridge Mountains, from rustic log homes deep in the woods to elegant mountain inns decked out for the holidays. There’s nothing quite like waking up on Christmas morning to a crackling fire, a steaming cup of coffee, and mist rising through the valleys outside your window.

Many rentals and inns go all out for the season, decorating with lights, trees, and garlands. Some even leave small gifts or hot cocoa kits for guests. Whether you’re planning a family gathering or a quiet getaway, the mountains make the perfect backdrop.

Find the perfect Christmas vacation rental or hotel for you and your family:

Winter Adventures in the Blue Ridge

Even after two decades here, we still love getting outside during the holidays. The air feels fresh, the trails are quiet, and the views stretch for miles.

Here are a few of our favorite ways to experience the mountains in winter:

• Skiing and Snowboarding – Beech Mountain, Sugar Mountain, and Cataloochee Ski Area are our go-to spots for a snowy day.
• Snow Tubing  – Great family fun in Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, and Maggie Valley.
• Winter Hiking – Winter is a great time to hike, with great views, cool temps, and no bugs.   
• Scenic Drives – When the Parkway is open, it’s magical — frosty overlooks, quiet roads, and mountain views that feel endless.

Christmas Shopping and Local Gifts

One of our favorite things about Christmas in the Blue Ridge Mountains is wandering through the small towns and doing a little shopping. There’s just something special about stepping into a locally owned store, being greeted by name, and finding gifts that actually mean something.

Each town has its own personality — from the mountain art galleries of Asheville and Boone, to the cozy boutiques in Waynesville, Hendersonville, and Bryson City. The shop windows are decked out with garlands and twinkling lights, and most places have holiday music playing softly in the background.

We love taking our time, visiting local craft shops, bakeries, and general stores — picking up handmade ornaments, pottery, candles, and other one-of-a-kind finds. Shopping local not only supports mountain families and artisans, it also helps keep the traditions and creativity of these communities alive.

It’s a slower, more personal kind of shopping experience — the kind that makes you smile as you walk out the door, gift bag in hand, snowflakes beginning to fall.

See our full guide on the Top Christmas Towns!

Planning Your Mountain Christmas Getaway

After spending more than twenty Christmases here, we’ve learned a few tips for planning a great holiday trip:

• When to Visit: Mid-November through New Year’s offers the best mix of lights and events, but early to mid-December is ideal.
• Where to Stay: Book early — cabins and small inns fill up quickly.
• What to Pack: Layers, boots, and a warm jacket. Mountain weather can change fast.
• Getting Around: Roads can get icy, especially on the Parkway and higher elevations, so keep an eye on conditions.

The Blue Ridge Mountains are truly magical at Christmas — and after all these years, we still look forward to it as much as we did our very first holiday here.