It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Really, it is. There is an endless array of fun, exciting, festive activities and events in DC this time of year, and it’s always my priority to take advantage of as many as possible. Here are some fun things I’ve been up to around the city this past week…

Christmas at the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Hall

Every year at Christmas, the grand DAR Hall is open for their Christmas walk-through evening! I’d never been before, but it was so beautiful to go inside such a historic building to tour their space, see the Christmas finery, enjoy cider and cookies, hear carolers sing, and see Santa. I even saw a history book of the genealogy of the families of Union County, NC, where some of my family lives. After a beautiful tour of the hall, we all headed to an incredible dinner at Lincoln, my new favorite restaurant! It was a wonderful evening of Christmas fun in the city.

Tudor Nights at the Tudor Place Mansion in Georgetown

Another Christmas first! The Tudor Place has its annual Tudor Nights in which they open up this stunning mansion in north Georgetown for a Christmas-y evening of fun! We enjoyed delicious appetizers, wine, and holiday punch in a beautiful old home before heading to the Tudor Place mansion for a tour of the home and its festive decor. George Washington’s granddaughter and her husband were the original owners of this home, and its been passed down through the generations. The views of the Potomac, Georgetown, and Arlington were beautiful, too!

National Christmas Tree Lighting at The White House

Thanks to generous friends and a White House connection, I received tickets to the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony! This was my third year going, but for once, we had amazing seats (instead of standing-room tickets with bad views) – 5th row back! It was awesome being able to actually see all of the show and the stellar performers, who included Aretha Franklin, Train, Avett Brothers, Jane Lynch, Mariah Carey… oh, and the entire Obama family! Unfortunately, it was freezing and raining, so I was a little frostbitten by the end. But it was still so fun and festive, and this annual event is a great start to Christmastime in Washington, DC!

Middleburg, Virginia

After years of wanting to go, we finally went to Middleburg, VA for this quaint town’s amazing Christmas celebration. Complete with a fox hunt parade and Christmas decorations everywhere, this adorable town did not disappoint!  We arrived early, since so many people are expected each year, and spent some time popping in and out of so many wonderful shops and boutiques. Every shop was decorated beautifully & most of them also had festive beverages – yes, please! Then a plethora of stunning, regal horses and equestrians came through (the parade!) with the hounds at their feet. It was a brief but glorious little parade – perfect for horse country! We then had a fabulous lunch at the historic Red Fox Inn, right along main street. There is so much American history at this inn & restaurant, and we all had a delicious meal by the upstairs fireplace. I would highly recommend this entire day! It was such an amazing day with these friends, and, of course, I love all things Christmas-y!

Girl’s Night – Dinner and Drinks

This was our third annual swanky night out with the girls at Christmas, and it’s a highlight every year! Instead of our typical evening at the Ritz in Georgetown, the four of us decided to try some new places. We started at stunning Willard Hotel right by the White House. It’s dressed up to the nines at Christmastime, and I just love it. Each evening for a couple hours, a choir performs Christmas carols in the grand lobby of the hotel. We all got dressed up, got our hot toddies, and settled in by the regal Christmas tree for some beautiful Christmas carols. We then went to The Hamilton, DC’s largest restaurant for a delicious dinner – this was a new restaurant for me, and I loved it! After a nice dinner, we checked out the POV Rooftop at the W Hotel. Its views of the Mall and the White House are awesome. Our evening was such a nice time together getting in the Christmas spirit, and I’m so thankful for these friendships and traditions!

Tis the season, indeed! I love to soak up as much Christmas goodness while I can, so you can bet it’s fun to be nonstop busy doing all of these fun, festive activities with friends around the city! What have you been up to lately? Do you have any favorite Christmas traditions?