I love the holidays. Everything about them. Yes, they can be stressful. But, there is also a lot of joy, a lot of light, a lot of music, a lot of laughter, and a lot of warmth.
This year, I set myself the goal of going to all of the major Christmas events in Delaware and the ones I loved outside of the state. It turned out to be quite a project. Every email I opened, everyone I talked to, every link I clicked turned me on to another celebration that I felt warranted inclusion.
Although it was a lot of driving (I put over one thousand miles on my car), I had the time of my life. Listed below are what I saw and did in alphabetical order. I couldn't rank them. They were all just too much fun.
Some of these will run into next week, so I hope you go see some. Otherwise, I hope you will bookmark this and use it next year when you are planning your festivities. If there is anything I forgot, please let me know. I will add it when I update the post next year.
APPLE ELECTRIC LIGHT SHOW, Rehoboth
Located just off Route 1 on Route 24, this company lights up its shop every year with a dazzling display of lights. Even better, the lights are synchronized to music. You can either park and walk around or just sit in your car and jam to Christmas songs while the lights work their magic.
Apple Electric does all this to collect toys for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. If you stop to look and listen, please bring a toy to donate. The collection bin is on the porch of main building off to the right. The company sets a goal of donating 1,000 toys every Christmas which I find remarkable. I was happy to help them out.
BLITZEN POP-UP BAR, Wilmington
This is a tiny place that has popped-up for the second year in a row. I didn't get to it last year, so I was determined to make it this year. I almost gave up on it.
Parking is an issue. The location is not in the greatest part of town, so if you are a single female (that would be me), parking more than a block or so away is just stupid. I circled several times before I got lucky and found a spot that I could live with.
The bar is fantastic and the drinks are fun. Local beer on tap; standard wine list at reasonable prices, and a really fun cocktail list. I sat at the bar for about an hour and met all kinds of fun people who were out for a festive night without being obnoxious. If this were a permanent bar, I would come back.
The best part? I got carded as I walked in. Put a huge smile on my face.
CHRISTMAS IN ODESSA
Traditionally held on the first weekend in December, this is a wonderful opportunity to explore an historic Delaware town. The houses go all out to decorate and the Historical Society puts together a wonderful map that takes you from home to home so you can marvel at both the history and the beauty of these old houses.
Back in the day, most of the homes were open so you could wander through and see the interiors as well. This year, however, Omicron had just hit so most houses were only visible from the outside. Not to worry, you still get a great walk and get to explore a few houses.
Every year, the Historical Society picks one book and showcases the house around that story. This year was Little Women, my favorite book of all time. I had a blast seeing how they had set up the various rooms that I have been picturing for the past fifty years.
Food is available, as are clean restrooms. Wonderful way to spend a few hours getting in the spirit.
EGGNOG COCKTAIL
Delaware Today does a Libation of the Month. This year, December's was an eggnog cocktail.
I was not able to find one in the venues suggested by the article, so I had decided that this entry was not going to happen and I had moved on. Then, by chance, I found one at Banks on the Wilmington Riverfront.
It is a wonderful dessert drink. Creamy and sweet, but with enough spice to give it a kick. I'm not usually a fan of these kinds of drinks. I loved this one.
FAUCHER HOUSE ON SANTA CLAUS LANE, Bear
When I was talking to people about doing this article, many told me to be sure to stop by this house. Additionally, as I was doing my research about what to include, this house is consistently listed as the most popular private light show in the state.
It is wonderful. Loads of lights cover every inch of the house; the yard is filled with inflatable Christmas characters; in the field next door were four or five stockings all created from light. It is lovely and it is obviously put together with a lot of care.
As I started to drive away, I passed their neighbor down the street. They have festooned their house in nearly as many lights, but their theme is all about the Grinch. I laughed out loud, loving the fact that these two neighbors are now competing.
It has not gone unnoticed. The News Journal did an article on it that made me smile.
HOLIDAY LIGHT EXPRESS, Wilmington & Western Railroad
An old fashioned steam engine pulls six cars through the night. The train is decorated to the hilt -- every outdoor spot covered in lights and an interior with significantly fewer lights, but lots of greens and garlands.
As the train rumbles through the night, Christmas carols are playing and children are kneeling on their seats, their noses pressed against the window looking out into the night. The property owners along the railway go out of their way to decorate for those of us passing by and each house is more ornate than the one before.
The ride is only an hour and it is early enough that even young kids can enjoy it. In my car, there were eight families with many, many kids ranging from toddler age to teen age. Every one of them loved it. And, by the way, so did I.
HOLIDAYS AT HAGLEY, Wilmington
The original DuPont estate all done up for Christmas. It's fun.
There are two ways to visit Hagley over the holidays. The first is to go during their normal opening hours. You can see everything beautifully decorated and you can walk around the grounds which are impressive in themselves. Santa shows up on occasion.
The second way is to book a Twilight Tour. Because these take place after dark, the grounds are off limits. What you get in exchange, however, is a leisurely walk through the house that is softly lit and that is decorated as it would have been when the family lived there. It's always very interesting and it's a chance to see the house in true beauty.
Either way, be sure to stop by the Gingerbread House Contest entries. They always bring a smile.
JACK FROST WAY, Townsend
Fieldsboro Road in Townsend has a reputation of being one of the great Delaware light shows. I'm not so sure.
As you drive the length of the road, you will see lots of decorated houses, but none of them are as OTT as Lewes (below), the Fauchers (above), or the Smiths (below). It's a lovely drive, but don't go out of your way. If you're in the area, it is a quick ten minutes. Otherwise, I would give it a miss.
The photo is not mine, another sign that I was not all the impressed.
LEWES LIGHTS
The town of Lewes encourages everyone who lives within the 19958 zip code to decorate their homes and become part of a house light tour. Hundreds of home owners sign up to participate and those who go particularly over the top are eligible to win the The Clark Griswold of Lewes Award. I decided to just look at the ones who were eligible for that prestigious honor this year and to see what else I could as I drove around the zip code.
Well, the area covered by this zip code is immense! I was further north than the bridge into the beaches, as far south as the Rehoboth line, and as far west as Camp Arrowhead. I spent hours one evening tracking down the honorees, but it was worth it. Some were simply gorgeous; some were simply garish.
A word of advice. Before you head out, spend some time with a map app and plot your route. I had assumed that the town of Lewes had done that for me and I set out blithely without bothering to check. As a result, I spent way too much backtracking and crossing Route 1 over and over again. Well worth a trip, but do your homework before you set out.
NEMOURS ESTATE, Wilmington
I am ashamed to say that although I have lived in Delaware for most of my life, I had never visited the Nemours Estate. I can't wait for warmer weather so that I can explore it further. The gardens are fantastic, like something out of Versailles. However, they are all a bit shut down this time of the year.
What is open and worth exploring is the mansion. The staff go out of their way to decorate and it is something to see. A self-guided tour takes you from room to room, each more elaborate than the last. What is really fun is that part of the tour takes you through the servants quarters, which I always think is the most interesting part of the house. The entire tour will take you about an hour.
PARADES
Starting around the end of October, you will find online lists of all the towns in Delaware (and Delmarva more inclusively) that hold a Christmas parade. Nearly every town with a main street has one. They tend to run from the weekend after Thanksgiving until about halfway through the month of December.
My favorite is Selbyville's parade. No, it is not as extensive or as glamorous as some others, but it is small town nostalgia and it is the perfect way to see in the holiday season. It is usually run on the second Friday after Thanksgiving.
You'll get to see local marching bands, all the local fire departments with their trucks decked out for the event, local businesses and local organizations, some of which have quite impressive floats. It all caps off with Selbyville's Volunteer Fire Department giving Santa a ride through town. The cheers are heartwarming.
The Fire Department also runs a booth that sells quite good oyster fritters and out of this world hot chocolate. I know it's Christmas when I stand on Church Street, watch the first trucks go by, and have that wonderful dinner.
RIVERFRONT LIGHTS, Wilmington
This is a no brainer. String lights all along the Wilmington Riverfront so that, as people walk along it, they can enjoy some holiday cheer.
Whoever is responsible is not quite there yet. There are pockets of pretty lights, but not nearly enough and not along the entire walk. This could, and should, become the place to come see lights in Wilmington.
ROCKWOOD PARK AND MUSEUM HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE, Wilmington
This is the perfect event to take small children as it on a very human scale and is not overwhelming in the least. The grounds are filled with lights that sparkle and one can tour the house. Santa is there offering free photos (yes, I got one).
Food trucks are around and there is a market where you can purchase gifts and some things to eat. The lines are long. I would recommend coming here for a while and then eating somewhere else.
Rockwood also does an event on different weekends that is less extravagant. The house is lit by candlelight and you can walk through it either before or after you stroll through the gardens with all of their lights.
SCHELLVILLE ENCHANTED WINTER CELEBRATION, Rehoboth
If you have kids, this is the one Christmas celebration I would recommend you do not miss. The night I was there was thronging with kids aged brand new to teenager and each was loving it.
Whoever creates this space has an incredible imagination. Of course there are the things you expect to see -- Santa, a train ride, lights on all the trees. But, it is the extras that shoot this one right to the top.
As you enter, you walk onto Christmas Lane. This is a series of small, kid sized businesses from a "pet shop" to a "24 hour diner" to a "grocery store." Through them all, the kids can wander in and out and pretend that they are the shop keepers or the shoppers. I watched many younger kids having the best time with this.
For the older kids, there is a Snow Zone (soft "snowballs" that kids can hurl at targets or at each other) and a Roller Rink. I cannot recommend this one highly enough.
SMITH'S CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, Wilmington
One of the things I love most about the holidays is driving around and seeing all the houses decorated for the holidays. Some people have a few candles in the windows; some go all out.
The Smith Family is now famous for their display. Every year, they spend the two months leading up to Thanksgiving stringing greater than 700,000 lights around their property. Along with the lights are dozens of inflatable Christmas creatures -- everyone from Santa to the Grinch. These lights come with a huge electric bill, so there is a discreet box on the property which will gladly accept donations.
Just by chance, I live next door to this display and so get to drive by it every night. I did get out and walk around one night. It is amazing what one family can do to brighten up the holiday.
SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS, New Castle
I love New Castle. It is a beautiful small town with cobblestone streets, taverns that date to the 17th Century, and more history than you can learn in one visit. As you can imagine, the Historical Society goes all out at Christmas.
In the past, the day has included house tours as they are festooned for the holiday. Unfortunately, this year the houses were closed, but the exteriors of the houses and the shops around the entire town were decorated with care and looked gorgeous.
The museums were all open and the town was filled with people strolling around dressed in Dickensian garb. One of the churches was selling hot chocolate. They made a fortune just from me. It was the best I have ever had.
WINTER WONDERFEST, Milton
A light show that is worth driving out of your way to go through even though you will be able to see a fair amount of it from Route 1. The designs range from the standard to Delaware based to whatever the theme of the year is. This year, the theme was "Under the Sea." Loads of designs that made me smile.
The best, however, was a light reproduction of the Indian River Inlet Bridge. It was huge. From a distance, you could tell instantly what it was. As you got closer, you realized you were going to "cross" the bridge. It was something really special to experience.
This is not a cheap night out. The best way to see the lights is on the "hayride." Not exactly hay, but you are pulled in a decorated wagon behind a truck. It is very rough, but you ware outside and the lights are phenomenal from outside your car. I paid for both the hayride and the drive through. Ouch. But, every penny is going to support Sussex County charities, so I was OK with it. As you drive out, you get to see what you are supporting along with the amounts. It makes the hit to your wallet completely worth it.
YULETIDE AT WINTERTHUR, Wilmington
Another DuPont estate with magnificent gardens and a home that is partially open to the public. This time of year, the gardens are resting. The Enchanted Woods are still open, however, along with the Fairy Grotto. If you have children, be sure they spend some time here. Make sure you do as well. It is magic.
The mansion is always completely decked out for the holidays and you can tour it at your leisure. In each room is a tour guide, many of whom know quite a lot about what you are looking at. The collection at Winterthur is second to none, and seeing the dining room set for Christmas dinner with silver tankards that were made by Paul Revere (yes, the one who warned Boston that the British were coming) is worth the price of admission.
There are some events taking place beyond our borders that are worth the drive. Here are a few of my favorites:
BRANDYWINE RAILROAD, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
The Brandywine River Museum of Art is one of the unsung treasures of this part of the world. Worth a visit at any time, it is truly special during the holidays.
They set up a model railroad that is spectacular. Multiple trains on multiple tracks, dozens of houses and businesses to look at, many with figures doing their jobs as you watch. There are a few interactive things as well which the children I watched (OK, and me too) loved playing with. The best bit is Santa who flies overhead.
In addition, the museum creates "Critters" every year. These are beautiful tree ornaments made by hand every year for nearly fifty years. They are made from all natural materials. The great flood of this year destroyed them all. The museum sent out a call and people who had been collecting them for years donated or loaned them for this year. I bought one for my tree.
CHRISTMAS CANDLELIGHT HOUSE TOUR, Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is always a wonderful place to visit, but it is especially special during the holiday season when all the houses are decorated. The Candlelight tour is not to be missed.
Houses throughout the town are brilliantly lit and the interiors are gorgeous as well. Thanks to COVID, significantly fewer houses are open than there have been in the past. Not to worry, you can still peek in the windows and get a glimpse of the beauty of the season.
GERMAN CHRISTMAS MARKET, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
When I lived abroad, I made a point of going to a Christmas market every year. They have been going on for centuries and they are a wonderful way of celebrating the season. Stall after stall selling things you didn't realize you needed, great food, and hot mulled wine. What more could you possibly want for an afternoon?
Philadelphia puts on a market every year that is truly reminiscent of the European ones. Spread between Love Park and City Hall, there are over one hundred stalls selling some really unique items. I love just window shopping, although I was unable to resist several things. There are rides for the kids (the carousel is a thing of beauty) and lots of warm wine and cold beer for the adults. I spent an afternoon here and had a great time, although I came home in a food coma from all the goodies I had eaten.
LIGHT SHOW AND DICKEN'S VILLAGE, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Going to see the Light Show and walking through Dicken's Village to see Santa Claus has been a tradition in my family since Macy's was Wanamaker's and I was so small I still believed that the wonderful man in the red suit was going to bring me exactly what I asked for (he very often did, by the way).
Narrated by Julie Andrews, the Light Show has been enchanting everyone who sees it since 1956. It is simply wonderful with great songs, stories, and lights going wild. Dicken's Village is a lovely retelling of A Christmas Carol with animated puppets and loads of Christmas cheer.
Because of the surge this year, the light show was only shown once a day and Santa was not at the end of the Village. No matter. Both of them still brought a huge smile to my face.
LONGWOOD CHRISTMAS, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Although Longwood Gardens is worth a visit at any time of the year, they save the best for last and go wild for the holidays. Where there is usually fountains, you'll see a light show set to music. The outdoor trees are all festooned with lights and there is a huge tunnel of changing lights to walk through.
Indoors, the Conservatory is a place of magic. Everywhere you look is decorated trees, Christmas flowers, and music. The organ is very often being played and the sound travels through the building as you are walking around.
One of my very favorite places to visit any time, but the holidays are in a league of their own.
WINTERFEST OF LIGHTS, Ocean City, Maryland
A light show in Northside Park on 125th Street. It used to be that you climbed a tram and were driven through the exhibit, but the organizers changed it to a walking tour during the pandemic. I much prefer it this way. You are able to pause and admire the lights you like and blow past the ones that don't impress you as much.
There are all kinds of things to see, but make sure you don't miss the Twelve Days of Christmas and the blue bridge. Great for kids as the walk is not too massive and dogs are permitted on Wednesday night. Buddy loved it.
LOGISTICS:
Many of the events listed above are free and easy to access. Some, however, require some advanced planning (Odessa, the Wilmington Railroad, Longwood, and Cape May all sell out early!). Once you decide what you want to see, buy your tickets as soon as you possibly can.
Otherwise, just drive around and look at the lights. It's the most wonderful time of the year.
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