To steal and slightly alter a quote by the late, great Tennessee Volunteer announcer John Ward, “It’s Christmastime in Tennessee!” Now, there are many awesome things to do in Murfreesboro and surrounding areas but, obviously, the holiday fun isn’t limited to our immediate area. The following is the result of a little research I did recently to find some cool Christmas ideas for you! Some of them may require a little travel, but I looked for the ones that I deemed the best bang for your Yule-time bucks.

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Christmas at Graceland

If I lived in Memphis, this would be a Christmas tradition. Christmas at Graceland shows how Elvis Presley decorated Graceland during the season. The mansion, decorated with red velvet drapes and Christmas decorations from the Presley family, has hundreds of blue lights, a life-size Nativity scene, Santa, and lights indoor and out. The house and grounds sparkle with cheer through Jan. 8, 2019. Graceland Mansion tour tickets are $38.75 for adults, $34.90 for ages 62 years old and older and children 13–18 years old, and $17 for children 7–12 years old. Children 6 years old and under are free. View Elvis’ airplanes for an additional $5.

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Enchanted Garden of Lights

Holiday dreams come true with one million lights during the Enchanted Garden of Lights through Dec. 31 at Rock City. Visitors can walk through 4–9 p.m. with the last ticket sold at 9 p.m. The attraction is closed Christmas Eve (night). Tickets are $21.95 for adults and $11.95 for children 3–12 years old Mondays to Thursdays and $24.95 for adults and $12.95 for children 3–12 years old Fridays to Sundays.

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Smoky Mountain Winterfest

The Great Smoky Mountains are your background for the annual Smoky Mountain Winterfest November through February, which includes Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Millions of lights and displays line the roads for a magical experience made in Tennessee. In Sevierville, buy 3D glasses and witness each light turn into a snowflake. In Pigeon Forge, all the attractions get festive, like The Old Mill with its two award-winning restaurants, shops filled with gifts, and tours of the 186-year-old working mill. In Gatlinburg, the Parkway is merry and bright with millions of lights and displays. Gatlinburg kicks off its leg of Smoky Mountain Winterfest with the Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade on Dec. 7. The award-winning parade has lighted floats, marching bands, giant balloons and Santa Claus for the more than 60,000 people who travel to see the parade each year.

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Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas

Dollywood, Tennessee’s No. 1 attraction, lights up like a Christmas tree with 4 million lights throughout the theme park in Pigeon Forge. A new addition that has brought even more holiday cheer is the Parade of Many Colors that makes its way down Showstreet. Charming floats, performers and quirky characters including happy peppermint sticks march their way into Christmas every night through Jan. 5, 2019.

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Fun in the Snow Ober Gatlinburg

If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, you’ll love spending Christmas in the Smoky Mountains! At Ober Gatlinburg, you’ll be able to have tons of fun in the “snow” regardless of the weather. The snow-making machines at the resort create a beautiful winter wonderland. Hit the slopes to spend the afternoon skiing and snowboarding. Don’t worry if you don’t know how; the resort offers lessons for beginners. If you don’t want to ski or snowboard, try out snow tubing for an exhilarating ride.

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Gaylord Opryland’s A Country Christmas

A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland Resort takes place through Jan. 1, 2019, and includes 3 million lights strung throughout the property inside and out, and ICE! featuring Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas carved from 2 million pounds of ice sculptures and displays. Cirque Dreams Holidaze returns by popular demand with 50 performances including new acts, costumes and music. Trace Adkins will perform Christmas classics, country hits and Celtic songs, and other festivities include ice skating, carriage rides, an outdoor nativity and more.

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Holiday in Lights at Cheekwood ~ photo by Caitlin Harris

Cheekwood Estate & Gardens is lit up with 1 million Christmas lights for Holiday Lights at Cheekwood, open every day through Dec. 30 from 5–10 p.m. except Christmas Day. Tour the gardens, meet Santa’s reindeer, visit the s’mores pits to create the beloved gooey snack, and enjoy music from carolers.

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Dancing Lights in Lebanon

Hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights are set to music in the Dancing Lights of Christmas event, held this year through Dec. 31 at the James E. Ward Agricultural Center in Lebanon. It’s Middle Tennessee’s largest drive-through holiday light and music shows. With the new location comes more than 1.5 million lights dancing to music, new displays, an extended route, an expanded Santa’s village and new Christmas songs.

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A Dickens of a Christmas

The annual tradition of Dickens of a Christmas, the largest outdoor Christmas festival in Middle Tennessee, comes to the streets of Franklin Dec. 8-9. Main Street is the site for 200 characters, dancers and entertainers and several Charles Dickens characters such as Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim Cratchit. The smell of sugar plums, roasted chestnuts and English fare waft in the air as attendees join in a town sing and musical performances beckon passersby to stop for a while.

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The Nutcracker

The Nashville Ballet’s rendition of “The Nutcracker” with Tennessee icons celebrates 10 years during its 2018 run Dec. 1–23 at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s Andrew Jackson Hall. Clara visits local spots like the Parthenon, Belle Meade Mansion and Shelby Bottoms and meets magical characters along the way. A youth cast of 191 dancers joins the 57-member professional dance company, making it the largest youth cast in Nashville Ballet’s history. Experience the magic of the season with special guests and surprises at this beloved event.

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Belle Meade Mansion

Tour the lavishly decorated Belle Meade Mansion and discover how holiday decorations evolved over the century from 1850–1950. Learn about Victorian holiday traditions and find out more about how the families who lived in the house at Belle Meade celebrated Christmas. Discover the changes brought to the house by 20th-century wars and emerging technology, from toys and games to the development of new electric Christmas tree lights. Make an ornament to take home to remember your visit. Admission rates are $10 for students, $15 for parents or chaperones and free for teachers.

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Chad’s Winter Wonderland

This is one of my personal favorites. Chad’s Winter Wonderland is on Highway 109, just outside of Lebanon, and this attraction offers an amazing amount of lights, all seen from the comfort of your own car. Do you remember when you were a little child, and the wonder, the amazement, and the splendor of seeing your first holiday light display? What a great family tradition to pile into the vehicle and spend the night going to area Christmas light displays. Wilson County has one of the nation’s largest Christmas light displays. Chad Barnard’s love for holiday lights started when he was still in school. He would grow his collection of lights every year by asking for lights for his presents. Chad’s now grown his light display to more than 2 million and they are spread over eight acres. As you drive through the public display you’ll encounter Santa’s house—featuring Santa himself giving away candy canes—stables with live animals, a mailbox for letters to Santa and much more. You may even get Frosty the Snowman to perform the running man for you. A carload of visitors can enjoy the wonderment of the lights for $15 at Chad’s Winter Wonderland, available for tours from 6–10 p.m. every night through New Year’s Eve (weather permitting).

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Country Music Hall of Fame

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is offering several programs celebrating the holidays, including a visit with Santa and a screenings of Bill Anderson’s Country Christmas on Sunday, Dec. 23, and Johnny Cash’s Christmas on the Road Featuring Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson on Sunday, Dec. 30. The Museum Store helps visitors cover that last-minute Christmas shopping with its “12 Under $25” promotion—a variety of holiday greeting cards, posters, CDs, cookie cutters and ornaments perfect for stocking stuffers. The 25-foot Christmas tree adorning the lobby, covered with 3,000 lights, might just be a perfect backdrop for next year’s family Christmas card.

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Celebration on the Murfreesboro Square ~ photo by Brent Moore

New this year is a permanent Christmas tree on the lawn of the Historic Rutherford County Courthouse. The annual tree lighting will be on Friday, Dec 7.

The Murfreesboro Christmas Parade begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9, at the intersection of East Main and Middle Tennessee Boulevard. The parade travels down East Main, around square to West Main and ends on Walnut Street. The theme of the 2018 Christmas Parade will be “A Christmas Story.”

Merry Christmas!