Holiday Happenings

December is filled with holiday events and open houses and we’re sure more will be popping up as we get closer to Christmas. Follow EIL on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and check our website calendar often so you don’t miss a thing! The EIL Elves will be out and about and keeping you informed about these special events all month long.

- Throughout the Holiday Season -

- Calendar -

EXPERIENCE REYNOLDS MANSION on Sapelo Island in all its holiday splendor by taking a Holiday Brunch tour. $30 ticket includes bus transportation to and from the mansion, a docent guided room by room tour of the mansion decorated for Christmas and sharing what life was like under each of the mansion’s owners. A buffet-style brunch in the grand dining room includes homemade buttermilk pancakes, breakfast casserole, bacon, sausage, fruit, and beverages. Tuesday and Thursday bookings include a bus tour of the south end of the island including Nanny Goat Beach and Lighthouse. Tours available on December 1, 4, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22. Space is limited to 36 visitors per day. Visitors must arrive at the Meridian dock by 8:00 a.m. to take the ferry to Sapelo (ferry tickets $15, cash or check only). Call 912.485.2299 for reservations.

Jekyll Island Skating Village is open daily (except for Christmas Day) with the “ice” rink in a new riverfront location near the pier at 364 Riverview Drive through January 6. Cost is $5 per person and includes skate rental and 30-minute session. In the Historic District, lights twinkle in the trees and the cottages are festively attired, so Holidays in History Tours and Christmas Twilight Tours of the Millionaire’s Village cottages are a beautiful way to enjoy the season. For information about times and days for December tours, call 912.635.4036. From December 19-24, the Christmas Bagpiper, Tim Akins, dressed in full Scottish regalia, plays songs of the season as he walks through the Historic District beginning at 4:30 p.m. each evening. Santa will be visiting the Skating Village and Skeet House periodically for photo opportunities, so visit jekyllisland.com for tour schedules, Skating Village hours, Santa visits, and other daily events.

NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 1 Start the holidays off merry and bright with a Holiday Open House at St. Simons Drug Company in Longview Plaza on Friday and Saturday. There will be refreshments, complimentary gift wrapping, letters to Santa, and door prizes from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. both days. To participate, please bring a new, unwrapped toy for donation to the Toys for Tots toy drive.

Celebrate the 38th Annual Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation

Christmas on Friday, November 30, or Saturday, December 1, from 6:009:00 p.m. This magical experience at the state historic site will demonstrate how Christmas was celebrated on an antebellum rice plantation during the 1850s. Free with regular admission. 912.264.7333. DECEMBER 1 Do some Christmas shopping at The Chapel Midtown, 114 Harris Farm Road, Brunswick. Their Christmas Holly Days Market will have local vendors with handmade crafts, gifts, beauty products, and more. from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. They’re also requesting donations for the canned food drive for Sparrow’s Nest.

Lord of Life Lutheran Church’s 10th annual Holiday Market Craft Fair will take place at 2801 Frederica Road from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with more than 30 vendors of quality handmade wares and gift items, plus bake sale, refreshments, and more. Door prizes donated by vendors will be awarded each hour.

Cassina Garden Club’s “Best Bake Sale in the Southeast” will be going on from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Tabby Cabins at Gascoigne Bluff on St. Simons Island. Everyone is welcome – come early for best selection! There will also be tours of the cabins available during those hours.

Golden Isles Olive Oil at 306 Redfern Village hosts a Holiday Open House from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. complete with refreshments, tastings, holiday gift shopping, and photo ops with Santa and the Grinch. Please bring new, unwrapped toys for donation to the #endthestigma Toy Drive as they collect for Wolfson Children’s Hospital.

Watch college championship football games on the big screens and enjoy some of the island’s finest cuisine at Halyards and Tramici while you shake it up for the Teen Center at the Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Georgia’s Merry Mixer! Tailgate experience from 3:00-6:00 p.m. and Merry Mixer doors open at 6:00 p.m. Tickets available at bgcsega.com.

Continuing three decades of tradition, the Golden Isles Messiah Chorus will present Handel’s Messiah, Part I at Wesley United Methodist Church, Frederica on St. Simons Island at 3:00 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public, but seating is limited.

Starting at 5:30 p.m. in Howard Coffin Park, more than 100 floats, vehicles, parades, walking groups, and marching bands will make their way down Gloucester Street to Mary Ross Waterfront Park in Historic Brunswick’s annual Christmas Parade. Santa Claus will make his appearance at the end of the parade.

DECEMBER 1-2 Glynn Visual Arts’ Mistletoe Market Holiday Festival will be held in Postell Park in the Village on Saturday and Sunday, December 1-2, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. This fine art and gift market includes more than 60 accomplished artists and artisan vendors. There will be a Kid’s Creation Station with free holiday themed craft activities, food vendors, live music, and possibly a visit from Santa too! glynnvisualarts.org.

DECEMBER 2 Golden Isles Ballet Company will present, in collaboration with Hilton Head Dance Theatre, the timeless holiday tale of The Nutcracker. Performances will take place in the Brunswick High School Auditorium at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at goldenislesballet. org or at The Ritz Theater in Downtown Brunswick or Uncle Don’s Market on St. Simons Island.

DECEMBER 4 & 11 Holiday High Tea at the Jekyll Island Club Resort is a special opportunity to enjoy a selection of teas, tea sandwiches, soup, warm scones and holiday sweets while listening to the sounds of the season! 3:00 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance more than 24 hours before the event. 855.535.9547.

DECEMBER 4 Bring your yoga mat and join the OMCORE team at The Greenhouse from 6:00-10:00 p.m. for Yuletide Yogajam 2018. Patricia will lead a 75-minute, all levels, yoga session set to fun and festive live music by Owen Plant. Healthy eats from Crabdaddy’s Seafood Grill and celebratory libations will follow. Yoga session, entertainment, food, and your first beverage are all included in the $50 ticket price, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Glynn Community Crisis Center. Sign up for this one-of-kind holiday celebration at omcoreyoga.com.

DECEMBER 6 Santa Paws will be at the St. Simons Casino Building from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. for photo ops with fur babies, so bring your camera. There’s no charge, but please bring a toy or food donation for the animals at Glynn County Animal Control.

Lights of Love, a program with music and luminary lighting follows a 5:00 p.m. Service of Remembrance at Hospice of the Golden Isles, 1692 Glynco Parkway. Free and open to the public. If you’d like to honor your loved one by purchasing a memorial/honorary dove ornament, please call 912.265.4735 or visit Hospice.me. Island from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Join them for a fun evening with food, Happy Hour drink prices, and live music by Backbeat Boulevard. $25 donation at the door includes entry into raffle for prizes.

DECEMBER 7 December’s First Friday in Historic Downtown Brunswick is bound to be a festive occasion with stores getting ready for Christmas. Drop in to check out holiday sales and specials or to relax with some Yuletide cheer at one of the participating restaurants or bars.

It’s Santa Cinema at the St. Simons Island Casino Theater. Santa will be there to visit with the kids and pose for photos. They can sip cocoa and have cookies while coloring or writing a letter to Santa. Christmas classic Mickey’s Christmas Carol will be shown every half hour between 6:00-8:00 p.m. $3 per person (cash only).

The Cloister will come alive with holiday sounds for Golden Isles Live’s annual Christmas concert on Sea Island. This year, the performers are Vox Fortura, the newest Classical Crossover group from the U.K. Concert takes place at 8:00 p.m. in the beautiful setting of The Cloister. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at goldenisleslive.org.

DECEMBER 8 CASA Jingle All the Way 5K and Fun Run takes place bright and early in the morning on Jekyll Island. Proceeds from this holidaythemed run with awards for top finishers, team spirit, best costume and more, benefit CASA Glynn and CASA Camden and the services provided by their volunteers who support the children in foster care in SE Georgia. Register at active.com. (continues)

(December 8 continued) Come downtown to do some shopping. The Brunswick Christmas Bazaar will be held in the squares along Newcastle Street from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Mary Ross Park will host a Holiday Market from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m., so drop by to see what stocking stuffers and other treasures the vendors have to offer.

There’s a Teddy Bear Tea at ECHO at The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Children (accompanied by an adult) are invited to bring their favorite stuffed animal friend to enjoy a holiday tea, cookie decorating, and a visit with Santa. $30 for children 3-11 years-old, $18 for adults. Children under 3 yearsold are free. 912.268.5967.

Caring Transitions is hosting a Holiday Market at Thrive at Frederica on St. Simons Island from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Nibble on hors d’oeuvres as you shop a collection of fine arts and crafts from local artisans. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the season as you stroll through 15 or more beautifully decorated Christmas trees located throughout the senior living community.

Celebrate General James Oglethorpe’s birthday and enjoy an immersive history experience, as well as good cheer, holiday music, and refreshments at a Holiday Open House at Fort Frederica National Monument from 2:00-5:00 p.m.

A Colonial Christmas at Fort King George features a traditional Yuletide dinner in the soldiers’ barracks at the fort in Darien from 7:00-8:30 p.m. $40. Reservations required. 912.437.4770.

DECEMBER 8-9; 13-16 Former Brunswick mayor Bryan Thompson will return to the stage to bring Ebenezer Scrooge to life in the Golden Isles Arts & Humanities production of A Christmas Carol. Dickens’ immortal tale of the mean old miser and his magical night discovering the true meaning of Christmas will be presented at The Historic Ritz Theatre in downtown Brunswick at 8:00 p.m. Thursday-Saturday nights and 3:00 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets available at goldenislesarts.org.

DECEMBER 11 The Jekyll Island Arts Association Choir presents a Holiday Concert with your favorite seasonal sing-along tunes from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Jekyll Island Convention Center. Event is free and open to the public.

DECEMBER 12 A Jekyll Island Club Resort Chef will walk you through each step to prepare a masterful main course and dessert perfect for holiday entertaining at the Holiday Chef Demo at the Morgan Center from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Generous tastings and a glass of wine are included in the $40 fee. 855.535.9547.

DECEMBER 13-24 Join the Fendig family on Lighthouse Trolleys for their Christmas Tour of Lights celebrating our community and the sights and sounds of Christmas. The 90-minute tour includes Christmas carol sing-alongs, photo opportunities, and a surprise stop with Santa Claus. Two tours depart nightly. Reservations are required, and private bookings are also accepted; visit lighthousetrolleys.com.

DECEMBER 14 Enjoy sounds of the season with a free piano concert by brilliant pianist David Masterson and special guests performers at the Jekyll Island Convention Center from 7:00-9:00 p.m. No tickets required and everyone is welcome. DECEMBER 15 The American Cancer Society Victory Board invites kids to come out to GTC Island Cinemas in their favorite pajamas for Merry Movies. Movies begin at 9:45 a.m. after pictures with Santa at 9:00 a.m. Choose Mickey’s Christmas Carol (26 min.) or The Polar Express (1h 40 min.). $10. acsvictoryboard.org.

The squares of Downtown Brunswick will come alive with music and activities for kids from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There will be games, make & take crafts in the Newcastle Street squares, Michael Hulett and other performers at Jekyll Square West, and Santa dropping by Jekyll Square East periodically throughout the day.

Kids of all ages are invited to enjoy a Grinchthemed Lunch with Santa complete with Roast Beast at noon in the Grand Dining Room at the Jekyll Island Club Resort. The kids can share their wish list with Santa and photographers will be there to capture the moment. 855.535.9547.

Deck your carts with boughs of holly! The Holly Jolly Jekyll Parade will make its way down Captain Wylly Road, south on Beachview Drive and toward Beach Village from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Walkup registration begins at 4:30 p.m. in the Jekyll Island Golf Course parking lot and there are prizes! Guests are invited meet in Beach Village after the parade to see the participants, compete in holiday trivia and an ugly sweater contest, and bring unwrapped toys for donation to the Georgia State Patrol’s Toys for Tots drive.

DECEMBER 15-16 Jill Stanford Dance Center’s annual performance of The Grinch will take place in the Brunswick High School Auditorium on Saturday, December 9 at 2:00 and 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, December 10 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $12 at the door or $10 if purchased in advance at jillstanforddancecenter.com. 912.264.8810. (continues)

Everything you need to decorate with this Holiday Season

Visit Ace Garden Center

for your holiday décor, inside and out. Topiaries, fresh greens, rosemary, cyclamen and narcissus to accent holiday decorating. Orchids, Bromiliads and seasonal silk flowers and foliage to freshen up inside.

2807 DEMERE RD. ST. SIMONS ISLAND (912) 634-0523 OPEN MONDAY-FRIDAY 8-5:30 P.M., SATURDAY 8-5 P.M. AND SUNDAY 12-4 P.M.

DECEMBER 16 The Kids Holiday Tea Party and Etiquette Class at Jekyll Island Club Resort with hostess, Christina Godwin allows children of all ages to spend the afternoon sipping on tea and munching on delicious treats, all while learning the ins and outs of proper table etiquette. Santa’s special elves will even make an appearance at the tea party with gifts in hand! 2:00-4:00 p.m. Tickets are for kids only but adults must accompany (and will not be seated with children). 855.535.9547.

The Golden Isles Youth Orchestra’s Winter Concert takes place at 4:00 p.m. at Glynn Academy in Brunswick. Enjoy holiday classics performed by our community’s young musicians. Tickets $5 for adults at the door, free admission for children under 13.

The Island Players present their annual Holiday Show at the St. Simons Island Casino Theatre at 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. Admission is free and this seasonal showcase on the stage is always a treat!

DECEMBER 19 The Literary Guild of St. Simons Island presents The Man Who Invented Christmas at the St. Simons Casino Theatre. Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer, and Jonathan Pryce star in this story about the magical journey that led Charles Dickens to create Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and the other classic characters from A Christmas Carol. The 2018 UK film is rated PG and runs 110 minutes. Free and open to the public, but $3 donation to defray costs is suggested.

DECEMBER 20-21 It’s not Christmas without some cookie decorating! Spend the afternoon with Jekyll Island Club’s pastry chefs in the Morgan Center December 20 or 21. You’ll receive a dozen cookies to turn into masterpieces with colored icings, sprinkles and more as you enjoy punch and cider. Non-decorators can also attend. 855.535.9547. DECEMBER 21 The Jekyll Island Club Resort will be the site of an inaugural Community Christmas Party. If you don’t want to plan an office party or friends’ gathering this year, this is the perfect solution. Guests will enjoy a holiday-themed buffet and festive merriment from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for only $35 per person. If you don’t have to get back to the office, stay awhile and stroll through the Historic District and wait for the Christmas Bagpiper to arrive and serenade the setting sun. 855.535.9547.

Redfern Village’s Fern Friday promises to be very special this month. Drop by the participating shops to do some last-minute shopping, grab a drink or a bite at one of the restaurants. Look for holiday specials and you never know who you might see … so listen for sleigh bells! 5:00-8:00 p.m.

DECEMBER 24 On Christmas Eve, Santa will make his traditional rounds on the vintage fire truck with his entourage of volunteer escorts beginning at the St. Simons Island Casino Building at approximately 5:00 p.m. Children are invited to visit with him there or at his stops at the Shops at Demere, Shops at Frederica Oaks, and First African Baptist Church. Be sure to bring your camera! The EIL Elves will keep you informed of his progress on the route.

DECEMBER 25 Enjoy a delicious Christmas Brunch at ECHO at The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort on Christmas Day. There’s something for everyone with traditional brunch items like quiche and French toast, cooked-to-order omelets, crab cakes, carved prime rib and ham, and seafood, as well as entrée selections including rack of lamb with roasted date purée and cider-brined pork chops with brandy apples, and sides of green bean casserole, cornbread stuffing, and sweet potato puree. Of course, the chef will also offer a delightful selection of desserts. $69 for adults, $25 for children 6-12. Reservations required; call 912.268.5967.