Holiday events in the Golden Isles are plentiful and they are now in full swing! In EIL tradition, we’re sharing a Holiday Happenings guide, but this year, we’re doing it countdown style so you can pull out your calendar and plan accordingly. As always, we remind you to bookmark the digital calendar on our website at elegantislandliving.net and follow the EIL social media accounts for additional events and pop-ups as we get closer to Christmas. There’s SO much to do!
Ongoing through Christmas
On St. Simons Island, a true beacon signaling the arrival of the holiday season is the display of Christmas lights at Spencer’s Christmas House. Wally Spencer was a WWII veteran and much-loved member of our community. He and his wife Urania put their home at 144 Shore Rush Drive on the map with over-the-top light displays and a colossal Christmas village. Although Wally passed away in 2020, the tradition has been continued by his family to keep his memory and spirit alive. They flipped the switch a little early this year so you can now enjoy this fabulous display nightly through Christmas. And don't miss their 5th Annual Food Drive on Friday & Saturday, December 20-21. Please drop by and make a donation non-perishable food to continue the annual tradition of giving back in Wally’s honor. This community event includes a brass choir performance, a visit from the Kona Ice truck, appearances by Santa and the Grinch, and more. Please come out and celebrate in the spirit of the season and our beloved “Mr. Christmas.”
The Holiday Art Market at Glynn Visual Arts will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm through December 21. You’ll find charming pieces - from hand paintings gnomes to wheel thrown mugs, and jewelry to apparel, the Holiday Art Market will feature a wide variety of works of art from more than 35 of GVA's talented painters, sculptors, jewelers and photographers. There is something for everyone on your list - including you. Come see the collection of beautifully adorned Christmas trees, along with one-of-a-kind ornaments, handmade cards, and other Christmas cheer to celebrate the joy of the holidays.
The Jekyll Island Arts Association Merry Artists Market runs through December 31. Visit the Goodyear Cottage in the historic district on Jekyll Island to find one-of-a-kind gifts made by JIAA artists for everyone on your holiday shopping list. Artists will be on site demonstrating their crafts on weekends during the event. Gallery hours are noon - 4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday & Sunday.
The Jekyll Island Historic District transforms into the magical Holly Jolly Jekyll wonderland November 29 through January 5. More than 1,500,000 light bulbs illuminate the night throughout over 350 light displays and a great tree that boasts 45,000+ lights. This is a must-see if you’re in the Golden Isles around the holidays! Even the mini golf course gets holiday treatment as it becomes Peppermint Land, decorated with life-sized gingerbread characters, peppermint sticks, and gumdrops. Trolley tours, exclusive Millionaire Motor Car Model T tours, and self-guided light tour options are offered. For more details about light tours and a full calendar of holiday events, visit jekyllisland.com.
The Christmas Bagpiper (Tim Akins) heralds the season at the Jekyll Island Club Resort from 4:40-5:20 p.m. daily through Christmas Eve.
ONE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS (December 13 – December 19)
GULP! The big day is just a week away. Don’t be nervous. Get that last minute shopping done, relax and enjoy a show or catch one of the festive parades. If you’re feeling fancy, a holiday high tea with friends would be a treat!
CHRISTMAS WEEK (December 20 – December 25)
This is it! Christmas week! Food drive, fireworks, Ludacrismas at Village Creek, Santa on the fire truck. It really is the most wonderful time of the year.
Sunday, December 22
Golden Isles Arts & Humanities continues its holiday tradition by presenting Charles Dickens’ classic tale A Christmas Carol at The Ritz Theatre with Bryan Thompson reprising his role as miserly Ebenezer Scrooge. Join him on the magical nocturnal journey through his past, present and future as he discovers the true meaning of Christmas. Show at 3:00 p.m. Sunday. For more details and tickets, visit goldenislesarts.org.
Holiday Drive-In Movie Bundle the kids up in their PJs and find your parking spot at the Jekyll Island Convention Center for a special movie presentation of Frosty the Snowman at 5:30 p.m. For more info, visit jekyllisland.com.
Monday, December 23
Holiday Fireworks will light the skies from 7:00-7:30 p.m. on Jekyll Island. For more info, visit jekyllisland.com.
Ludacrismas 16 with Mason Waters & The Groove AllStars returns to Village Creek Landing on Christmas Eve Eve for the annual celebratory holiday shindig. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. Musical merriment from the band 7:00-10:00 p.m. Food trucks & cash bar. Cover charge at the gate.
Tuesday, December 24
On Christmas Eve, Santa continues the beloved 70+ year tradition of riding around St. Simons Island on Engine 32, a festively lit, bright red antique fire truck, escorted by the Glynn County Volunteer Fire Department and making stops to meet and hand out stockings to children with the assistance of the St. Simons Civinettes. He will have stockings filled with goodies for toddlers through 3rd graders at the following stops: Stop #1 is in the village on Beachview Drive in Postell Park. Stop #2 is at Pet Exchange in the Shops at Demere. Stop #3 is at Glynn Haven Park in the Glynn Haven neighborhood. The last stop will be at Oglethorpe Point Elementary parking lot. Santa and his parade of elves will leave the fire station on Demere Road at 5:00 to start the festivities. They'll be updating his progress on social media throughout the evening. Listen for the sirens. A huge thank you to the Glynn County Fire Department, the Glynn County Police Department, the St Simons Civinette Club, and the many local businesses who support the annual stocking fund. The EIL elves will be posting on our social media pages to keep you updated on Santa's progress/next stops on Christmas Eve too.
Wednesday, December 25
AND ON TO NEW YEAR’S DAY! (December 26 – Jan 1)
Time to wrap up the last of the holiday festivities and ring in a brand new year! Here's hoping that 2025 brings peace, joy, good health, and prosperity to us all!
Thursday, December 26
Celebrate the season with Holiday High Tea in the Jekyll Island Club’s Grand Dining Room. Delight in a festive four-course menu with tea sandwiches, scones, and desserts, plus a special holiday favor to take home. Offered from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Reserve your seats at the table at jekyllclub.com/holiday-traditions.
Sunday, December 29
Holiday Drive-In Movie Bundle the kids up in their PJs and find your parking spot at the Jekyll Island Convention Center for a special repeat movie presentation of Frosty the Snowman. For more info, visit jekyllisland.com.
Monday, December 30
Holiday Fireworks will once again light the skies from 7:00-7:30 p.m. on Jekyll Island. For more info, visit jekyllisland.com.
New Year’s Eve
Tuesday, December 31
In Historic Downtown Brunswick, it’s the annual New Year’s Eve Shrimp Drop at Mary Ross Waterfront Park! No need to wait for midnight for the countdown, they say goodbye to 2024 and welcome 2025 with Bob the Shrimp as the clock rings 8:00 p.m. Festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. with live music, food, axe throwing with Hauling Axes, and fun inflatables for the kids. Join the fun!
The Jekyll Island Club Resort hosts a Great Gatsby New Year’s Eve Party in the Morgan Center ballroom, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Enjoy an unforgettable night of dancing to live music, fantastic company, and raise a complimentary glass of champagne to toast the arrival of 2025 at midnight. Adults only. Tickets $74+ per person and are available at jekyllclub.com.
Ziggy’s on St. Simons Island will be ringing in 2025 with a New Year’s Eve Party beginning at 8:00 p.m. It’s a little early for details yet, but you know a Ziggy’s party means a good time! Stay tuned for more or visit ziggys.online.
A MERRY MID-CENTURY CHRISTMAS
Some of our fondest Christmas nostalgia comes out of the 50s and 60s. The 50s were a big time for Christmas parades and new toys! Children’s toy sales took advantage of the market created by the baby boom era. Popular novelty items included Silly Putty, introduced in 1950, Play-Doh in 1956, and Mr. Potato Head who came on the scene in 1952, when kids used a real potato with the plastic features. Die-cast metal Matchbox cars were sold by the millions after Lesney Products created them in 1953 based on employee Jack Odell’s news that his daughter’s school would only allow toys that were small enough to fit inside a matchbox. For outdoor fun in 1958, the Frisbee and Hula Hoop were popular choices. Barbie’s arrival in 1959 changed the world of dolls forever, and left an impact that we see even today…right, Ken? The 60s brought us favorites like Operation, Rock’Em Sock’Em Robots, Twister, the Easy-Bake Oven, and Lite Brite. The 60s are when some of our favorite Christmas movies appeared: A Charlie Brown Christmas, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and Rankin/Bass classics Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Little Drummer Boy, and Frosty the Snowman. And where would we be without Christmas albums from the 60s from artists like Nat King Cole, Burl Ives, Andy Williams, Vince Guaraldi, The Beach Boys, Elvis, and The Chipmunks? Simply unthinkable! Here’s to those good ol’ holly jolly days.
