The holiday season has not officially begun, but hints of Christmas are surfacing all around. Christmas decorations are on store shelves. Holiday books, music and gift ideas are being marketed. At church, the choirs are rehearsing for the upcoming Christmas musical and the children are learning their parts for the church Christmas play.
Favorite Christmas memories also emerge. Some remember playing an angel in the church play or singing Christmas carols around the tree. Other Christmas memories focus around the annual Christmas trips to go see grandparents and relatives. This season, why not get the whole family to travel together to see the Christmas sights and sounds in Nashville?
The fun begins in November at the Gaylord Opryland hotel, where this year marks the 22nd that the resort has been celebrating the holiday season with A Country Christmas, presented by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.
The largest nongambling hotel in the United States, Gaylord Opryland is also recognized as the holiday entertainment centerpiece in Nashville.
An annual outdoor favorite at the hotel is the outdoor Nativity Display — the world’s largest nativity scene — in the Magnolia Pool area. The display’s special lighting and an audio rendition of the Bible story of the birth of Christ draw crowds from around the world.
The true meaning of Christmas is evident in the larger-than-life white statues. You can visit the display during the day, but the dramatic lighting effects are especially touching after dark. The gazebo is a prime spot for reflecting on the scene.
Under the hotel’s climate-controlled glass atriums and throughout nine acres of lush indoor gardens, you will find holiday decorations galore. The hotel’s annual lighting ceremony kicks off the holiday season Nov. 16, with the illumination of more than 2 million lights.
The hotel’s four atriums each feature a different seasonal theme. You will find a 40-foot Christmas tree; Christmas wreaths, measuring 13 feet in diameter; and several miles of garland. The Cascades Atrium displays a 20-foot poinsettia Christmas tree in the fountain. There are also more than 15,000 poinsettias bordering the sidewalks and scattered throughout the hotel.
Bring your gloves and enjoy a chilly adventure with ICE!, presented by BellSouth. A favorite for the children, ICE! features incredible ice sculptures, thrilling ice slides and dramatic lighting, the work of more than 40 artisans from Harbin, China, who spend nearly a month creating the exhibit. Allison Lanquist, senior manager of public relations for Gaylord Opryland, said, “Visitors enjoy the hand-carved beauty of a ‘cathedral of ice;’ a breathtaking nativity scene; three fun-filled, slippery ice slides and much more.”
The Grand Ole Opry House is cooking up some holiday fun with The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the Radio City Rockettes. “This timeless tradition returns to Nashville with three new scenes, along with family favorites such as the ‘Parade of the Wooden Soldiers’ and the awe-inspiring ‘Living Nativity,’” Lanquist said.
The hotel serves up family entertainment and dinner with the Pam Tillis Christmas Dinner Party, presented by Christie Cookies, from Nov. 22 until Dec. 25. Enjoy a traditional holiday dinner with all the trimmings, while Grammy Award winner Tillis and her band perform her favorite Christmas songs, as well as her top 10 hits.
For more holiday music, stop by the Yule Log Ceremony at the Delta Fountain. The nightly event includes the singing of traditional Christmas carols.
To enjoy the decorations and lights outside the hotel, try a horse-drawn carriage ride. Also board a tour bus at the hotel to visit the homes of country music legends. For shopping, experience the craft, antique and art show Treasures for the Holidays Nov. 17–Dec. 23.
Additional shopping can be found in the mall adjacent to the hotel with more than 200 venues, as well as numerous other malls and specialty shops throughout Nashville. For information call 1-888-777-6779 or visit www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylordopryland.
Nashville is known as the Music City for good reason. According to the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), music publishing began in 1824, with the printing of the popular hymnal “Western Harmony.”
The most enduring radio show in America, the Grand Ole Opry, is currently housed next to the Gaylord Opryland.
But the Opry will return to its original home, the famed Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville, for a special wintertime run.
Featuring a variety of artists in seasonal performances, including the Skaggs Family Christmas, the Ryman will once again resound with the music of some of country music’s stars.
First built as a church in 1892, the Ryman hosted the Opry from 1943 until 1974. It was renovated in 1994 and named the top concert venue in America in 2003 and 2004 by Pollstar. For information on holiday performances call 615-889-3060 or visit www.ryman.com/events.
For information on Nashville attractions, call the CVB at 1-800-657-6910 or visit ww.MusicCityUSA.com.
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