It’s been such an amazing year! It’s so hard to believe that the year is almost over and we’re about to enter into our final month of 2018, and all the festivities that that brings. This time of the year is all about the heart, making Virginia the absolute best place to spend December! With extra holidays providing excuses to spend more time with family and friends, to hunt for the perfect gift for someone special, and to feel the joy and love of just being with family and the family you choose, December is all about small things. Small annual events, small get-togethers, and small ways we show people we care, and all of it in a small town setting makes it even more perfect.

Now that we’ve made it through Halloween and Thanksgiving, have shopped our way through the big stores on Black Friday and locally on Small Business Saturday, it’s time to set our sights on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and all other holidays in December. This is the time to set your sights on experiences, chances for catching up with old friends via a holiday card or through a brief weekend getaway in the mountains, for extra time for cookie baking and another cup of hot cocoa while you share your plans for the future and the highlights from the past year. These are all things that I, personally, look forward to each year.

One of the best things about being in the Cabin Capital of Virginia is that even the name this time of the year inspires visions of a roaring fireplace, fuzzy socks, and delectable smells and rolling laughter from a kitchen as you relax surrounded by the love of your family. Whether your vision evokes timber-framed cabins, painted white cottages, or a vacation property of another design, the Cabin Capital has approximately 500 cabins available to suit your winter escape.

In the weekends leading up to the end of the year, the towns of Luray, Stanley, and Shenandoah will host a variety of tree lightings, window decorating contests, parades, and other festive occasions in which locals and visitors can embrace the coming holidays. In fact, the Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center kicks off our holiday season this Friday with our annual Holiday Open House. A free event for kids, families, and kids at heart, we offer Christmas cookies, photos with Santa, hot cocoa, gingerbread house decorating, coloring sheets, trains, and so much more. We love using this time to give back to our community, both business and the community as a whole, by hosting this event for Page County.

Then, we immediately move onto the Town of Stanley's Christmas Parade and 3rd Annual Christmas in Stanley event! We’ll have a float celebrating the season and theme and be tossing out candy and glow sticks to all attendees. The night is always festive with a huge turnout of kids and families looking to watch the lights, wave at friends and family, and share in the moments that make the holidays so special, including fireworks at the end of the night.

On the 8th, we’ll join the Town of Luray for their Christmas Parade and the Holiday Reception afterwards at the Performing Arts Luray. With dozens of parade floats, marching bands, and other entries making their way along Main Street in Luray, the Town of Luray’s parade is just as festive, bright, and filled with love and laughter as the Town of Stanley’s. Bringing your kids to both gives them a chance to see an entry that may have previously missed or that was unable to be entered into both. The post-parade reception at PAL is a chance to get inside and warm up a bit after the floats and, if you’re so lucky, it’s a chance to redeem your golden ticket for a special gift from the town.

The month is filled with small church plays, visits and photo opportunities with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and plenty of musical performances around the county. With specials benefiting our local non-profits, like the Warm, Mulled Wine at Wisteria each weekend and a canned food drive for Page One, there are numerous opportunities to feel good about shopping local and giving back at the same time.

At the end of the month, celebrate Christmas Eve dinners, Christmas Day brunches, and New Year Eve’s at one of our amazing restaurants, such as the historic Mimslyn Inn or the delectable Moonshadows Restaurant in Luray. A meal at these restaurants means amazing service, mouth-watering food, and a chance to skip the prep and cleanup.

Check out our complete calendar of events for December here or visit our website for the continuously updating calendar. And, as always, we wish you all the very best as your make your plans for the coming month. Please feel free to contact our office for additional information at (540) 743-3915 or info@luraypage.com.

All the Best,

Katie Long
Communications & Marketing Coordinator
Luray-Page County Chamber of Commerce