Countdown to Christmas Eve High Country Holiday Events Continue By Jeff Eason You know it’s the holiday season when event the rock and roll radio stations are playing Christmas music. Everywhere you go, bells are jingling, colored lights are blinking, and the air is crisp with the cool anticipation of the countdown to Christmas Eve. There’s just so much to do. You’ve got to get your shopping done—that’s a must. Once the gifts are made or purchased, you’ve got to wrap them in paper, tie them with ribbons, and slap a big gold bow on the big one. And if the decorating of the gifts was not enough, you’ve also got to trim the tree, put lights on the house, and dust off those old Christmas stockings for the hearth. Plus there are all of the social, church and holiday functions to attend. It’s a wonder we get it all done by the time midnight on December 24th rolls around. Don’t forget, there are also plenty of big holiday events here in the High Country to keep you even busier than ever. Ongoing Events Caldwell Heritage Museum’s “Angels” The main floor display at the Caldwell Heritage Museum is “Angels We Have Heard on High,” a collection of ceramic angels collected by Wilmetta Crisp Crump. The display commemorates the holiday season and will be exhibited through January. The museum also features a gift shop with plenty of holiday items. The Caldwell Heritage Museum is located behind the Davenport A+ School in Lenoir. For more information, call (828) 758-4004. Appalachian Cultural Museum’s 2004 Ornament Nothing says new Christmas tree like a couple of new ornaments to join your beloved collection. The Appalachian Cultural Museum continues its tradition of releasing a new ornament every year with the Holiday 2004 Ornament. This year’s porcelain ornament has been crafted by Collie and Mollie Hooven and will certainly become a treasured family heirloom. The new 2004 ornament costs $14.95 and is available at the Appalachian Cultural Museum in Boone. For more information, call the museum at (828) 262-3117. Santa at Boone Mall Santa Claus will be making his yearly pilgrimage to the Boone Mall to get the “411” on who’s been naughty and nice and find out what the kids want for Christmas this year. From Friday, December 17 through Friday, December 24, Santa will be at the Boone Mall on a daily basis. For more information, call the Boone Mall at (828) 264-7286. 3rd Annual Gingerbread Contest The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts in Boone will host the 3rd Annual Gingerbread Contest sponsored by the Alcohol/Drug Awareness Council. The entries will be on display at the Turchin Center until December 23. For more information, contact the Alcohol/Drug Council at (828) 262-5051. Tanglewood’s Festival of Lights Witness one of North Carolina’s most amazing display of holiday decorations at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons. The ride takes you through storybook and holiday scenes in 72 lighted and animated displays. Admission is $8 and $12 for family vehicles, $15 and $20 for commercial vehicles. Decorations and lights will be on display through January 2nd.For more information, call (336) 778-6300. Biltmore Estate at Christmas Thousands of visitors tour the famous Biltmore Estate in Asheville each year. But it is at Christmas that the manor really impresses. From now until January 2nd, the Biltmore House will offer special day and night tours of the estate, grounds and winery. Decorations at the house include over 400 wreaths, 700 poinsettias, miles of evergreen garland, thousands of ornaments, and a 35-foot Fraser fir Christmas tree. Daytime tours are $39 for adults and $19.50 for children ages 6-16. Candlelight Christmas Evening tours are $40 for adults and $20 for children 6-16 Sunday through Thursday, and $45 for adults and $22.50 for children Friday and Saturday. To make reservations, or for more details, call 1-800-624-1575. Special Events Dec. 24—Santa at Sugar Santa Claus will be skiing and talking to all the good boys and girls at Sugar Mountain Resort on Saturday, December 11 and Friday, December 24. For more information, call (828) 898-4521. Dec. 17—The Lettermen Holiday Concert in Lenoir The Lettermen bring a traditional holiday concert to the J.E. Broyhill Civic Center in Lenoir on Friday, December 17th starting at 7:30 p.m. The band has 18 gold albums and many top-selling singles to its credit since it first splashed on the airwaves with “The Way You Look Tonight.” For more information, call the Broyhill Civic Center Box Office at (828) 726-2407. Dec. 17-19—The Snow Queen in Asheville Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre will present an original adaptation of The Snow Queen, the classic tale by Danish storyteller Hans Christian Anderson. This special winter ballet production will be presented December 17 and 18 at 8 p.m., and December 19 at 2 p.m. at the BeBe Theatre on Commerce Street in Asheville. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students. For more information, call (828) 254-2621 or visit the website www.acdt.org. Dec. 18—Santa Comes to Beech Mountain Visit with Santa at the gazebo at Fred’s General Mercantile on Beech Mountain on Saturday, December 18th starting at 4 p.m. Then you are invited to come by the Chamber of Commerce for some free hot chocolate and cookies. You can also bring your homemade ornaments to help decorate the tree next to the Chamber! The lighting of the tree will be at 6 p.m. For more information, call (828) 387-9283. Dec. 21—Watauga Library’s Crafts for Kids The Watauga County Public Library will host a December Crafts Workshop for kids on Tuesday, December 21 at 4 p.m. Kits will learn how to make traditional December crafts such as the candy cane mouse and jingle bracelets. The event is free. For more information, call the library at (828) 264-8784. Dec. 21-Jan. 2—BRSC’s Appalachian Christmas Homecoming The Blowing Rock Stage Company will present the holiday musical Appalachian Christmas Homecoming December 21 through January 2. The musical is steeped in the rich folklore of the High Country and filled with the sounds of traditional Blue Ridge Mountain music. Follow a young mountain man named Ryan as he returns to the High Country and journeys through Christmases past on his way home to family and friends. Shows are nightly at 7:30 p.m. (except for Dec. 24 & 25) with additional 2 p.m. matinees on Dec. 26, Jan. 1 & 2. For more information, or to reserve tickets, call the BRSC at (828) 295-9168. Dec. 22—Hickory Choral Society Christmas Concert on UNC-TV Taped during a live performance on December 3rd, the Hickory Choral Society Christmas Concert will air on UNC-TV on Wednesday, December 22nd at 9 p.m. The all-volunteer 120-voice choir was founded in 1978 and now sings at the Corinth Reformed United Church of Christ in Hickory under the direction of J. Don Coleman. The concert program includes “Night of Silence,” “Christmas Eve, 1913,” “How Far Is It to Bethlehem” and “Angels We Have Heard on High.” Dec. 24—Ski with Santa at Appalachian Appalachian Ski Mountain invites kids to ski with Santa Claus on Friday, December 24 from 1 to 4 p.m. The slopes will be closed for Christmas Eve night. For more information, call 1-800-322-2373. Dec. 24—A Chapel of Rest Christmas The Chapel of Rest in Caldwell County will hold a traditional candlelight holiday service on Friday, December 24th at 4 p.m. The Chapel of Rest is a restored 100-year-old church that was originally an Episcopalian Church that belonged to the Patterson School, a boarding school for grades seven through twelve. The chapel’s cemetery is the final resting place of many Civil War soldiers including General Collette Leventhorpe. The Chapel of Rest is located on Hwy 268, 2.5 miles from Hwy 321. For more information, call (828) 758-0906. Dec. 28—Beech Mountain Bonfire & Hayride Join your friends on Beech Mountain on Tuesday, December 28th at 6 p.m. for a heartwarming cup of hot chocolate or apple cider at the bonfire. Hay wagons will take you on a starlight tour of Beech Mountain. The night will also feature some seasonal caroling. The event is free. For more information, call the Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce at (828) 387-9283.