Ready or not– the holiday season is here. Cue chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose, and seeing mommy kissing Santa Claus.

Whether you’re the type of person who puts their holiday decorations up before Thanksgiving, or if you’re still struggling to get into the holiday spirit– the Lowcountry has oodles of events to help you channel your inner Buddy the Elf.

From parades to holiday shows, the whole month of December is packed with fun for the whole family.

Looking for our complete 2019 holiday guide? Find it here.

Buddy the Elf | .gif via GIPHY

Parades

○ City of Charleston Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting | Dec. 1 | 3 p.m. | Downtown Charleston | Free | The Parade will start on Broad Street at Rutledge Ave., travel north on Meeting St., + conclude on Calhoun Street. Will conclude with the lighting of the 64-foot Holiday Tree of Lights on Marion Square.

○ City of North Charleston Christmas Festival + Parade | Dec. 7 | 4-8 p.m. | Felix C. Davis Community Center, 4800 Park Place East., North Charleston | Free | This holiday bash will have vendors, live music, hay rides, a petting zoo, visits with Santa Claus + more. Park Circle will be closed off to vehicles at 2 p.m.

Holiday Lights

From the annual Holiday Festival of Lights on James Island to the Christmas Tree in Marion Square, click here for all the places around town that are lighting up for the holidays.

Meet Santa

○ Citadel Mall – Pet Photos with Santa | Dec. 3-17 | Citadel Mall Charleston | Free | Bring a food donation for Pet Helpers and receive a free 5” x 7” with any photo package purchase.

○ Butcher & Boar – Pet Photos with Santa | Dec. 8 | Butcher & The Boar, 730 Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant | Free | Homemade treats will be available for purchase + all proceeds will benefit the Charleston Animal Society.

○ Holiday Festival of Lights | Daily through Dec. 31 | Times vary by day | James Island County Park, 871 Riverland Dr. | $20 per vehicle (up to 15 people) | Drive through three miles of two million shimmering lights. Then explore the enchanted walking trail, visit with Santa, spoil your sweet tooth with hot cocoa, + more.

○ Kids Teeth’s Visits With Santa | Dec. 5 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. + 2-4 p.m. | Kids Teeth, 1073 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Mount Pleasant (a.m.) + 1130 Professional Ln., Mount Pleasant (p.m.) | Free | Families can come take photos with Mr. + Mrs. Claus, and can bring non-perishable food donations for I Heart Hungry Kids.

○ Photos with Santa at Tanger Outlets | Dec. 5-24 | Times vary by day | Tanger Outlets, 4840 Tanger Outlet Blvd., North Charleston | Free, professional photo packages available for purchase.🎅

○ Tinsel and Tales with Santa | Dec. 7 | 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | South Carolina Historical Society Museum, 100 Meeting St. | $5 per child for members, $7 per child for non-members

○ Meet Santa in the Library | Dec. 8 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | The Restoration, 75 Wentworth St. | Free

○ Storytime with Mrs. Claus + Cocoa with a Cop | Dec. 9 | 7 p.m. | Citadel Mall | Free | “Share Santa’s favorite treat, chocolate chip cookies & milk, while enjoying a holiday story read by Mrs. Claus and sipping on hot cocoa with our neighborhood police officers.” 🍪

Family Friendly

○ Holiday Hoedown | Dec. 5 | 6-8 p.m. | North Charleston Wannamaker County Park, 8888 University Blvd., North Charleston | $5 | Country-style holiday event for people with special needs + their families and caregivers. Guests are encouraged to dress in western outfits.

○ Christmas on the Battery | Dec. 5 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Edmondston-Alston House, 21 East Battery | $25 | Candlelight tour of this historic home on the Battery accompanied by theatrical performances to represent Charleston Christmas pasts.

○ Christmas in the Park | Dec. 22 | 5 p.m. | Hampton Park, 30 Mary Murray Blvd. | Free

For Kids

○ Christmas Adventure | Dec. 11 | 3-4 p.m. | Hampton Park, 30 Mary Murray Blvd. | $15 | Children ages 18 months-6 years will participate in a Christmas scavenger hunt + activities.

○ Christmas in the Park | Dec. 18 | 3-4 p.m. | Hampton Park, 30 Mary Murray Blvd. | $15 | For children ages 18 months-6 years to participate in Christmas activities + cookie decorating. 🍪

Arts and Crafts

○ Wreathmaking Workshop with Flowershop | Dec. 5 | 6-8 p.m. | Fritz Porter Design Collective, 701 East Bay St. | $85

○ Wreath Design Workshop | Dec. 5 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Tiger Lily Florist Headquarters, 1614 Camp Rd., James Island | $75

○ Gingerbread Creation Contest | Dec. 7-31 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | Antiques and Artisans Village, 619 Old Trolley Rd., Summerville | Free | Entries must be made out of all edible materials, but does not need to include gingerbread. Prizes for top three gingerbread houses.

○ Sip and Paint: The Grinch | Dec. 9 | 6:30-9:30 p.m. | Frothy Beard Brewing Co. | $35 | Price includes first beer.

○ Sip and Paint: Jack’s Christmas | Dec. 16 | 6:30-9:30 p.m. | Frothy Beard Brewing Company, 1401 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., West Ashley | $35 | Grab your first beer for free + paint with professional instruction by Art with Andre.

○ DIY Gift Making Workshops | Throughout December, times vary | AR Workshop, 280 W. Coleman Blvd, Suite B, Mt. Pleasant | $39-$75 | View the entire calendar of workshops here.

Holiday Races

○ The ARK’s Ugly Sweater 5K Dash | Dec. 14 | 8:45-11:45 a.m. | St. Luke’s Fellowship Hall, 206 Central Ave., Summerville | $10-$35 | Benefitting families living with Alzheimer’s + related dementia.

○ Reindeer Run 5k | Dec. 7 | 9 a.m. | Begins near corner of East Bay and Queen St. | $40 | Registration ends 12/6 at 11:59 p.m.

○ Brewery District Winter Wonderland Run | Dec. 8 | 1:30-8 p.m. | Start + end at Palmetto Brewing | Free | Take a running tour of the Charleston Brewery District – 10 stops for a total of 6.7 miles. The longest leg is only 1.75 miles so this pub run is possible for any level of running.

Shows

○ We Three Thieves | Shows all December long, schedule + times here | The Black Fedora Comedy Mystery Theatre and Shoppe, 164 Church St. | $24

○ White Christmas Screening | Dec. 2 + 3 | 1 + 7 p.m. | Terrace Theater | $11 | Come dressed in an ugly Christmas sweater.

○ Robert Earl Keen: Countdown to Christmas | Dec. 3 | 7 p.m. | Charleston Music Hall | $39.50

○ The Charleston School of the Arts Holiday Spectacular | Dec. 3 | 7-10 p.m. | Charleston Gaillard Center | $18-$25

○ Elf the Musical | Dec. 4-22 | 7:30 p.m. | Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church St. | $29-$71 | Tickets for this opening night performance will be available the day of.

○ Charlton Singleton’s Holiday Spectacular | Dec. 5 | 7:30 p.m. | Charleston Music Hall | $15-$25

○ Gospel Christmas | Dec. 7 | 7:30-9 p.m. | Burke Performing Arts Center, 244 President St. | $15-$35 | 20th Annual Gospel Christmas Show held by the Charleston Gospel Choir.

○ A Christmas Carol | Dec. 11 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Gibbes Museum of Art | $10-$30 | Performance reading by the Traveling Literary Theater.

○ Carol of the Belles Dinner Theatre | Dec. 13 | 7-9 p.m. | Montague Terrace, 5001 Coliseum Dr., North Charleston | $36-$40 | Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. followed by a holiday performance by local vocalists.

○ A Swingin Soul Christmas | Dec. 13 | 7 p.m. + 9:30 p.m. | Forte Jazz Lounge, 477 King St. | $10

○ The Charleston Christmas Special | Dec. 13-23 | 2 p.m. + 7 p.m. | Charleston Music Hall | $18-$40

○ The Ten Tenors- Home for the Holidays | Dec. 14 | 7:30 p.m. | Charleston Gaillard Center | $26-$86

○ The Best Christmas Pageant Ever | Dec. 14 | 10 a.m. | Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church St. | $31

○ Holiday Film Series: Elf | Dec. 16 | 7 p.m. | Charleston Music Hall | $10

○ Mike Quinn and Dirty Dub’s Holiday Jam | Dec. 16 | 9 p.m. | Charleston Pour House, 1977 Maybank Hwy., James Island | $8

○ A Christmas Carol | Dec. 18 | 7 p.m. | Charleston Gaillard Center | $16-$65

○ Holiday Pops | Dec. 20 + 21 | 7:30 p.m. | Charleston Gaillard Center | $25-$114

○ Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker | Dec. 21 | 3 p.m. + 7 p.m. | North Charleston Performing Arts Center | $29-$99

○ Holiday Film Series: It’s a Wonderful Life | Dec. 23 | 7 p.m. | Charleston Music Hall | $10

Food + Drink

○ Miracle at Handcraft Kitchen and Cocktails | Nov. 25-Dec. 31 | Handcraft Kitchen and Cocktails, 735 Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant | Menu prices vary | Through the end of the year, Handcraft will transform into a holiday pop-up bar with festive decorations + special holiday cocktails.

○ Holiday Pub Crawl | Nov. 29 - Jan. 10 | Times vary | Departs from Tommy Condon’s Irish Pub, 160 Church St. | $38

○ Yuletide Madrigal Feast | Dec. 4 | Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St. | $50+ | This dinner-theater-esque meal will be accompanied by the College of Charleston Madrigal Singers, who will be presenting various Christmas tunes.

○ Holiday Spirits at the Fireproof Building | Dec. 12 | 6-9 p.m. | Fireproof Building, 100 Meeting St. | $70-$75 | Hors D’oeuvres, open bar + bourbon tastings.

○ Holiday Candlelight & Sara Rutledge Dinner | Dec. 20 | 5:30-8 p.m. | Middleton Place, 4300 Ashley River Rd., West Ashley | $55 | Self-guided candlelight tours of the Middleton Place House Museum will begin at 5:30 p.m. + dinner reservations at the Middleton Place restaurant are available at 6 p.m.

Holiday Markets

Click here for a full list of 20+ holiday markets occurring throughout the month. 🛍

Non-Holiday Events

For our complete December calendar – including those events unrelated to the holiday season – check out our PlanAhead guide here.