Take a break with Savannah Children’s Theatre! Savannah Children’s Theatre has two full-day theatre camp options for winter break; this one “Elves on Strike” for 2nd-7th grades & another for 8th-12th!
The new building features a shaded porch, gift shop and exhibits. Visitors will be able to rent bikes to pedal down Wormsloe’s well-known 1.5 mile-long Avenue of Live Oaks draped in Spanish moss.
Families and pets are invited for a hike on New Year’s Day Mon. Jan. 1 2024 10-11AM @ Wormsloe State HIstoric Site on Wormsloe’s historic Live Oak Avenue (1.5 miles). $2.50 – $11.25, Program fee: $2. 912-353-3023.
This Sat. Dec. 9 2023: You’re invited to a special holiday Colonial Christmas celebration @ Wormsloe State Historic Site in Savannah, 10AM-4PM.
General admission required.
Traditional festive activities including period music and living history demonstrations. Help find yule logs to be burned starting at 10AM. and 2PM $2.50 – $11.25 912-353-3023.
Posted in Holidays 2023, Outreach | Comments Off on (Savannah Holidays) Drop off gifts for Gilliard & Co. Foster Care Toy Drive @ Apollo Pharmacy locations
Frozen Fantasy Camp, Mon Dec. 18-Wed. Dec. 20, 9-11AM, Ages 4-6. This is a 3-day camp, the fee covers all three days. Deadline to register is 5PM Mon. Dec 18 2023. Sign up here.
Parent/Child Arctic Animal Adventures, Wed. Dec. 27 and Fri. Dec. 29, 10-10:45AM. Parents + Ages 2-3. Deadline to register is 8AM Tues. Dec. 26 for the Wednesday class, 5PM Wed. Dec. 27 for the Friday class. Sign up here.
Sugar Plum Fairy Ballet Camp, Wed. Dec. 20 and Thurs. Dec 21, 1-3PM. Ages 7-10. This is a 2-day workshop, the fee covers both days. Deadline to register is 5PM Mon. Dec. 18. Sign up here.
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The Chatham Fire Volunteer Divisions will escort Santa and Mrs Claus around the Islands, Skidaway & Savannah Southside in 2023 and spread some holiday cheer. See the online schedule and routes here.
Wilmington Island Route: 12-6PM on Sat. Dec. 16 2023 Whitemarsh/Talahi: 1-5:30PM on Sun. Dec. 17 2023 with a meet and great @ Island Publix, 5:30-6:30PM.
Join Friends of Oatland on Saturday Dec. 9 2023 9:30-10:30AM before Oatland Island Wildlife Center is open to the public and make special holiday treats for the Oatland wolf pack!
Tickets are limited to 10 people per session• $20.00 per person, for all ages.
All attendees must have a ticket. Purchase tickets online here.
All participants must be at least 4 years of age. Minors must be accompanied by a paid adult.
Your ticket price includes admission to Oatland for the day, so feel free to stay and see the other animals after your program.
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Get creative this Winter with performing and visual arts workshops for youth and teens at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center! Choose from a variety of offerings including holiday crafts, jewelry making, and dance adventures.
Visual Arts:
Block Print a Holiday Card for Families – Saturday, Dec 9, 9 – 11am | Parents + ages 13 – 17
Nameplate Necklaces for Teens – Monday, Dec 18, 1 – 4pm | Ages 13 – 17
Watercolor Holiday Cards for Teens – Monday, Dec 18, 1 – 4pm | Ages 13 – 18 (Workshop for Adults on November 30!)
Create Your Own Art Gallery for Teens – Tuesday, Dec 19, 3 – 5pm | Ages 13 – 17
Create Your Own Art Gallery for Tweens – Wednesday, Dec 20, 3 – 5pm | Ages 10 – 12
Wirework Ornaments – Wednesday, Dec 20, 10am – 12pm | Parents + ages 13 and up
Teen Workshop: Metal Water Casting for Jewelry – Saturday, Dec 30, 10am – 1pm | Ages 13 – 18 (Workshop for Adults on January 9!)
Performing Arts:
Frozen Fantasy Camp – Wednesday, Dec 18 – Friday, Dec 20, 9 – 11am | Ages 4 – 6
Sugar Plum Fairy Ballet Camp – Wednesday, Dec 20 and Thursday, Dec 21, 1 – 3pm | Ages 7 – 10
Parent/Child Arctic Animal Adventures – Wednesday, Dec 27 and Friday, Dec 29, 10 – 10:45pm | Ages 2 – 3
Best home holiday light displays, decorations 2023 in Savannah, Rincon, Pooler, Richmond Hill
Driving around Savannah, Pooler, Rincon & Richmond Hill looking at home holiday light displays and decorations is a favorite family tradition.
From colossal Santa snow globes to computerized Christmas lights animated with music, SouthernMamas.com has your guide to local home holiday light displays.
Want to add a home lights display to this list or let us know if one of the past favorites isn’t up this year? Please email us the info at anne@southernmamas.com
63 Sweetwater Court, Richmond Hill (pictured above)
The home holiday lights show called Going Griswold @ 63 Sweetwater Court in Richmond Hill (formerly of 3 Amberwood Circle holiday lights fame) is a must-see that includes a reindeer bard and gingerbread house. The residents are partnering with The WAY Station Food Pantry this season and will be collecting non-perishable food items until Jan. 2 2024.
A walk-thru experience is offered this year. Please watch your step and stay within the designated path for your safety. You are welcome to go inside the gingerbread house and reindeer barn.
Open now to Jan. 2 2024.
Tune to 95.9FM.
63 Sweetwater Ct Richmond Hill. Hours of operation (weather permitting) Sunday to Thursday 4-10PM Friday and Saturday 4-11PM
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476 Copper Creek Circle, Pooler
The favorite home holiday lights display at the Seager home is now up. Hours: 5:30-11PM daily, weather permitting. 476 Copper Creek Circle, Pooler
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673 Chastain Circle, Richmond Hill (Buckhead North Subdivision)
The Champion home @ 673 Chastain Circle, Richmond Hill Ga. in the Buckhead North Subdivision has over 30,000 lights with 2 LED screens. Christmas Cartoons play in the window and on weekends , there is music or the cartoons will have sound.
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107 Saint Andrews Way, Wilmington Is. Savannah
Includes a ferris wheel, Grinch & more!
The Nowicki family is partnering with Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia Kids Cafe to collect monetary donations. The goal is to beat last year’s total of $500 and help the kids of coastal Georgia not go hungry. Drop off a donation off in the box when viewing the lights or Venmo the residents. Details here.
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419 Willowpeg Way, Rincon
The Smith family, 419 Willowpeg Way, Rincon. (Next to Lost Plantation Golf Course) Tune to 89.7, syncs to music.
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South Carolina
Brendlen’s Christmas Light Display 1570 Drigger’s Lane Ridgeland SC 29936 Nightly drive-through only lights display. Drive-through only except on Meet Santa night, 5-8PM Sat. Dec. 16, plus train rides, facepainting, cookie & ornament decorating. Free!
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The list below is not yet confirmed for 2023 but these are favorite home holiday light displays from past years. Please send additions or updates to anne@southernmamas.com.
* The Seager family, 476 Copper Creek Circle, Pooler (confirmed for 2023. Lights are up & amazing)
* Wells & Sparks Families @ 1437 Dean Forest Rd. & 1429 Dean Forest Rd. Savannah, Ga 31405
* The Steinhauser family, 1431 Whitfield Park Circle. Tune radio to 102.9FM
* The Fordhams, 21 Timbers Way, Savannah, (Located in the Rivers Bend neighborhood off of Whitfield Ave.)
* South Lancaster Rd. , Wilmington Park
* The Lodge Family, 701 Stuart St. Savannah (not confirmed for this year)
* The Ray Famiy, 9 Yorkshire Place Savannah (confirmed for 2023)
* The Jensen Family, 6A Webster Drive, Savannah
* The Schirtzinger family, 202 Blue Marlin Dr., Whitemarsh Island.
* The Simons family, 165 Bald Cypress Lane 31302 (Off of Little Neck Road) Animated and Static
* 112 Magnolia Dr., Pooler
* 29 Bostwick Drive, Pooler.
* 6 Shackleford Cv, Pooler
* 221 Pinecrest Place, Pooler,
* The Owens Family, 111 Chinese Fir Ct, Pooler
* 39 Holly Springs Circle, Port Wentworth
* The Barratta family, 154 Lake Dr., Midway
* The Walker family, 23 Charlie’s Rd, and Hwy 144, Richmond Hill
* The Mar family, 104 Rockingham Circle, Bloomingdale
* 106 Sandstone Dr. Bloomingdale
* The Padgett’s Christmas Lights Display, 156 Oakview Rd., Rincon
* 201 Savannah Avenue, Rincon.
* 126 Aquaduct Dr. in the Staffordshire Estates Subdivision off of Blue Jay, Rincon
* Pennington neighborhood, off Midland Rd, Guyton
* 105 Penny Lane, Guyton, 6-11PM nightly
* The Rockwell Family, 253 Cypress Creek Lane, Guyton
* 133 South Effingham Plantation Dr.
* The Simmons family, 439 Egypt Ardmore Rd, Springfield
* 101 Black Gum Dr., Springfield
South Carolina
Arborwood Lights display 9 Arbormeade Circle in Bluffton (Look for “Arborwood Lights” in Google Maps.) 6-9PM nightly Decorated homes & yards off Buckwalter Parkway in sync to Christmas music.
43 Neligh Lane in Cypress Ridge off SC 170 Bluffton SC 8,500 lights in sync with music on 99.3 FM. 5:30-8PM Sunday-Thursday and until 10PM Friday & Saturday Another home lights display @ nearby 211 Argo Circle.
Hilton Head Firefighters Christmas Lights Fire Station 3 534 William Hilton Pkwy Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 Donations of non-perishable food items are accepted
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FREE lights displays @ businesses, organizations
TMT Farms Christmas Lights 2-Mile Drive-Thru in Statesboro 16710 Old River Rd N Statesboro, GA 30461 Open Dec. 9 until Dec. 26 2023, 6PM-Midnight nightly. Drive-thru only. Admission is free, however, please bring non-perishable food items to donate. Cash donations are also accepted. Donated food will be distributed to needy families throughout Bulloch County and surrounding counties. Monetary contributions are used to purchase gift cards for needy families.
On Dec. 8, TNT farms will open the drive-thru for Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Homes and Group Homes that would like to bring their residents to the drive-thru without to wait in long lines. Donations will NOT be accepted from any of these groups on this night. Just come out and enjoy.
Join Kindermusik Savannah with your newborn to 7 year olds for a cozy and wintry celebration of music! We’ll be ringing bells, riding sleighs, and dancing in the falling snow, all through the wondrous magic of our imaginations with some exciting real-life instruments and props!
Parents and children together will engage with instruments, singing, moving, dancing, story time, and more delightful activities in this exciting one-time Kindermusik class. Limited spaces! Claim your child’s spot before it fills.
Every enrolled child will get: • A 40-minute class packed with learning, love, and laughter • A Kindermusik instrument/prop to take home • A coupon for future weekly studio classes
Savannah Santa Train 2023 – one of the largest annual holiday family events in the Lowcountry – is Sat. Dec. 9 2023 @ Georgia State Railroad Museum & Savannah Children’s Museum, 655 Louisville Rd., Savannah.
Festive activities and entertainment include a holiday-themed diesel locomotive train ride experience, Tin Soldier training, crafts and historic children’s games, live performances, a visit from Santa Claus & more.
Savannah Santa Train is hosted each year by Georgia State Railroad Museum and Savannah Children’s Museum. Tickets are $20 per person for all guests age eighteen months and up and online pre-registration is required here.
Train rides are available every fifteen minutes, so please select a time to reserve your seat.
Reminder: Did you know that your scheduled train ride is NOT your start time for the event? You can begin your day at Santa Train at any time – come as early and stay as long as you like for a full day of holiday cheer!
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Beyond the mall: Find fun places where your kids can Santa this holiday season in Savannah here.
Thursday, December 14 | 7PM | Lucas Theatre for the Arts
Join the SCAD Bee Sharps, the university’s elite performance ensemble, for an evening of carols and good cheer at the all-new Holiday Spectacular concert. The Bee Sharps will be joined by special guest stars and alumni, including American Idol winner Candice Glover (B.F.A., dramatic writing, 2022), as SCAD celebrates the holiday season. Guests will step into a winter wonderland to enjoy old and new holiday favorites at this festive new tradition directed by Tony Award-nominated producer, actor, and SCAD artistic director of executive ensembles Mike Evariste.
Tickets for the concert are $15 for students, seniors, and military; and $25 for the general public.
Did you know your child can receive a letter from the North Pole?
Through the USPS’s Letters From Santa program, a letter written by your child can be mailed to Santa and they will receive a return letter with a real postmark from the North Pole! You can learn more about this program on the USPS website
If you have older kids, consider signing up to “adopt” a child’s letter and send a note or gift to another child through the USPS Operation Santa program here.
Don your most festive pajamas for a wondrous morning watching the animated adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg’s ‘The Polar Express.’ In Robert Zemeckis’ groundbreaking CGI film, Tom Hanks stars as the conductor of a magical train that whisks children off to the North Pole. All attendees, young and old, are encouraged to wear pajamas and will receive a special sleigh bell to ring.
This event is free and open to SCAD Card holders and the general public with the donation of a non-perishable food item benefiting America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia.
Take a trip to the North Pole with Tim Allen’s jaded toy company executive who accidentally finds himself contractually obligated to become the new Santa after putting on Santa’s suit. Will he rise to the occasion and take the reins of the sleigh, or will count himself among the growing amount of nonbelievers. Brimming with old-fashioned holiday spirit and clever charm, this magical comedy is a family favorite.
This event is free and open to SCAD Card holders and the general public with the donation of a non-perishable food item benefiting America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia.
A white Christmas may not be in the cards for Savannah, but you can still make your days merry and bright with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen at this treasured Christmas classic. Shot in glorious VistaVision, this Technicolor dream of a Christmas extravaganza is a joyous and heartwarming holiday treat, thanks in no small part to its iconic selection of top-drawer songs from legendary composer Irving Berlin.
This event is free and open to SCAD Card holders and the general public with the donation of a non-perishable food item benefiting America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia.
Back by popular demand just in time for the holiday season, visit Savannah’s iconic movie palace for a historic theater tour and demonstration of its recently-restored original 1925 Wurlitzer theater organ. Explore the the theater’s storied past as it is all decked out in its holiday best and sing-along to a selection carols as well as live organ accompaniment to a special festive silent comedy. Tours begins at 11AM and the organ demonstration starts at 11:30AM
Take a break with Savannah Children’s Theatre! Savannah Children’s Theatre has two full-day theatre camp options for winter break; this one “Elves on Strike” for 2nd-7th grades & another for 8th-12th!
Looking for the perfect gift this season? Give the gift of family fun! This month, , Fun Zone is offering a HUGE Gift Card promotion. From November 22 to November 26, you can purchase a $50 Gift Card for only $25 in-person or online! That’s double the fun for half the price!
If you’re looking for the ultimate gift, consider purchasing an Annual Pass. In December, we will also have our 2024 Annual Pass Special: Buy an Annual Pass. In (usually $149.00) between December 1st through December 22nd and get $30 off ($119.00)! Annual Passes make Passholders true Fun Zone VIPs and come with several exciting perks that are valid for 365 days after purchase, including: ● Unlimited Go-Kart Rides on our Road Course, Figure 8, and Kiddy Tracks for the pass holder during normal hours of operation ● Unlimited access to both 18-hole Mini-Golf courses for the pass holder during normal hours of operation ● One Free Rider Band per day for an accompanying child under 42″ height ● Monthly Mystery Perks ● VIP Arcade Card Status You can purchase your pass by visiting Fun Zone during operating hours, or online! Not only will you be gifting memorable experiences and family fun, but you’ll also be supporting a locally- owned business right here in Pooler. With 8 acres of activities to enjoy, including Miniature Golf Courses, 4 thrilling Go-Kart Tracks, and an Arcade filled with all your favorite games, there are plenty of ways to play at Fun Zone! You can purchase a reloadable card to use in-store for the Arcade, purchase individual tickets for Go-Karts and Mini-Golf, or bundle multiple attractions with our Wristband offers. As an added bonus, our Attractions don’t require Reservations! Guests are able to enjoy Attractions on their own schedule as long as we’re open. If you’re looking to support local this season, you’ll find something fun for everyone at Fun Zone! Visit us at 1040 U.S. Highway 80 East in Pooler! To be the first to know about future specials and promotions, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @poolerfunzone. You can also sign up for our email list here.
For more than a decade, Summit Gymnastics in Savannah has produced top-quality gymnasts by providing a safe & productive work environment that enhances physical and mental well-being.
Summit Gymnastics 74 W. Montgomery Crossroads Savannah, Ga. 31406 (912)-921-1034
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The Dec. 19 2023 Polar Express Party @ Oatland Island Wildife Center in Savannah is a special Toddler Tuesday program and the last Toddler Tuesday program of 2023.
It will take place inside Oatland’s conference room and will include a typical Toddler Tuesday program about polar animals; followed by train play (large and small train sets), a holiday craft, hot chocolate and cookie snack, and winter snow play.
This program is a special fundraiser for Oatland. Reservation is required due to limited space inside. Reserve your spots online here.
Oatland’s Polar Express Party runs about 45 minutes and will be offered 3 times on Dec. 19, so all who want to attend have a chance to come.
After Dec. 19, there will be a short break in Toddler Tuesday programs for the holidays, and will reconvene on Jan. 2, 2024.
Please review all Toddler Tuesday information here and if you still have any questions, please reach out to Michelle Kelly by email or at (912) 395-1517.
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