The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

December is my favorite month of the year… only because of Christmas. I enjoy the warmer seasons, but there’s something about the month of the December and all of its magical, spirited wonder. This post is about two new Christmas traditions for us and to give you something to read that doesn’t involve hiking.

Thanksgiving was over. I had survived the crowds of Black Friday shopping, and I was ready to do something that would help to get me in the Christmas spirit. Nathan and I have been hiking at Natural Tunnel in Duffield, VA before, but I had heard through the grapevine that during the holiday season they displayed a large variety of LED lights at night.

The night that we decided to go it was a little rainy, which was great for crowd control. Our friends, Danielle and Brookney, also joined us on our adventure. We parked in the picnic area parking lot, which was only $4 per vehicle to park. There was a shuttle that drove us to the top parking lot (available for handicap parking only), where we could access the chairlift. The chairlift was $3 per person (round trip), and will also transport dogs up to a certain weight for a small fee as well. There is just something about riding a chairlift that feels so romantic. Anyway, once we got to the bottom of the decline, we took the ramp that led to the tunnel.

There we found the lit tunnel, beautiful Christmas lights, concessions, local artists singing carols, and several fire pits.

What good is a fire pit without marshmallows? They provided FREE marshmallows and sticks for roasting. The best part of this date night excursion… SANTA CLAUS was there!

Natural Tunnel at Christmas is perfect for kids of all ages. Nathan and I paid for parking, a round-trip chairlift ride, popcorn, and hot chocolate for less than $20. I think we’ve found a new yearly tradition.

Our other favorite Christmas outing this year was attending the Symphony of the Mountains- Peace on Earth Holiday Concert, located at the Eastman Employee Center in Kingsport.

When one of our coworkers offered us comp tickets, we couldn’t pass them up. We were also able to get two extra tickets so Nathan’s parents could join in on the fun with us. Would I have paid the $30 if our tickets hadn’t been complimentary? Absolutely! I love going to events like this, and I’ll look for any excuse to throw on a pair of heels and some red lipstick.

The show included performances by the symphony, adult choirs, children’s choirs, and ‘ole Saint Nick himself. It was the perfect mix of singing and entertainment from local talent.

Did we get dessert after the concert? Since the concert began at 3:00 p.m. and I had dinner already prepped at home, we went to Fermented in downtown Kingsport and settled for wine and a cheese board instead.

These events were a great way to celebrate the love of family and joys of Christmas.