Happy 3rd day of Blogmas! When I conducted my reader survey a couple of months ago, quite a few of you said you wanted to see more D.C. content. I’ve been working on my massive D.C. guide for locals and tourists alike that will hopefully go live in early 2020. It’s been an enormous project that’s taken me a bit longer than anticipated to complete, but I can’t wait to hit publish soon!
We might not be NYC, but I still think the District is pretty magical during the holidays. Here are some of the best things to do if you’re celebrating Christmas in Washington D.C. — I’ll keep updating this list as I hear about new events/activations, so make sure to bookmark this post if you’re local!
Christmas in Washington D.C.
Events:
- December 6: Fashion Santa Returns to Georgetown. Swing by the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown for an unforgettable evening with Fashion Santa, from 5-7 PM. Mix and mingle with Kris Kringle over holiday-inspired cocktails by Barrell Bourbon with proceeds benefiting the Children’s National “Light Up Dr. Bear” campaign.
- December 13-16: See the Largest Clear Ice Maze in the U.S. at The Park at City Center. 110,000 pounds of ice. Three days of installation. Seven world champion ice carvers. You won’t want to miss this!
Activations & Pop-Ups:
- Visit the Largest Tree in D.C. CityCenter has the best tree in the District, IMO! Their 75-foot tree is decked with more than 150,000 lights and 4,500 ornaments. After viewing the tree, take a stroll around the shops and view their gorgeous installations (pictured above!)
- Apres Ski at the Conrad. In collaboration with Moncler, the Conrad’s third-floor terrace will transform into a luxurious Après Ski experience complete with mountain lodge décor and European-inspired specialty cocktails and shareable dishes. Guests are invited to snuggle up next to the outdoor fire pits with provided blankets and enjoy thermoses for two of Hot Buttered Rum and ‘Haute’ Toddies.
- The Miracle on 7th Street Pop-Up. This is one of my favorite pop-ups every year: the Drink Company has transformed its massive space in Shaw to a winter wonderland. Each of their three rooms has a different theme, and they have plenty of holiday-themed cocktails to enjoy. I’d recommend going on a weeknight if you can: it tends to get crowded on the weekends!
- December 6-23: Experience Light Yards. The annual nighttime festival will feature the world premiere of the installation “Airship Orchestra” by award-winning Australian artists ENESS. Airship Orchestra features celestial creatures that come to life with one touch through healing vibrations and sounds. Head inside the formation from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM, December 6th through 23rd, to enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience of volumetric sound and rhythmic light pulsation.
- December 6-January 5: Visit Georgetown Glow. Georgetown GLOW is a free light art experience that I look forward to every year, open from 5-10 pm every night. What I love about this installation is that it is massive, and takes over the entire neighborhood (put on your walking shoes for this experience!) This year, there are 11 installations you can view.
- December 7 – January 5: AURORA — The Spirit of Northern Lights. ARTECHOUSE has some of my favorite, interactive art exhibits in town, and their seasonal installations are always top-notch. Aurora is an exhibit that will transport you to a winter wonderland.
I’ll be updating this post over the next few weeks — stay tuned!
Have you ever celebrated Christmas in Washington D.C.? If so, what were your favorite things to do? Let me know in a comment below!
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