We spent the weekend of December 5th in Asheville celebrating the start of the holidays together with Mike and Darlene (my parents) and Sarah and Jerry (Daniel’s parents). Christmas at Biltmore has been on my mom’s bucket list for years, and for Daniel’s parents, it had been more than a decade since they last experienced it—when they visited with Daniel’s late grandmother. Bringing both sides of our family together for something so nostalgic and long-anticipated made the trip incredibly special to all of us.
Before Daniel and I arrived, our parents kicked things off with an evening at the North Carolina Arboretum, strolling through Winter Lights and exploring Thomas Dambo’s Trolls: A Field Study. Wandering along glowing garden paths and spotting the whimsical trolls tucked into the trees set a magical, uniquely Asheville tone for the parents, especially Sarah and Jerry who were celebrating their anniversary. The photos and stories they all shared with Daniel and I the next day made us feel like we were there!
The centerpiece of our trip, though, was Christmas at Biltmore, a tradition that transforms America’s largest privately owned home into something truly special. Built in the late 1800s by George Vanderbilt, the estate’s Gilded Age grandeur feels especially fitting during the holidays. From the moment we stepped inside, it was clear how much care and craftsmanship goes into decorating the house each year and we could tell that extra time was taken this year to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the first Christmas at the Biltmore.
As we entered the estate, a choir sang Christmas carols in the Winter Garden, a central, glass-roofed tropical oasis, captivating all of us for quite some time before we picked up the recorded audio tour and began walking through the rest of the house. Room after room was decorated for the season, with 36 Christmas trees covered in lights and ornaments throughout the house—each one thoughtfully designed to reflect the style and purpose of the space it occupies. Thousands of yards of ribbon and fresh greenery appeared everywhere we looked, from garlands draped along banisters to wreaths accenting doorways. The Banquet Hall tree, a 35-foot Fraser fir, was the undeniable showstopper, towering nearly four stories high and glowing with hundreds of ornaments and lights, anchoring the entire house in timeless holiday tradition.
The beauty of the season extended beyond the main house. The conservatory and greenhouse were filled with lush greenery and an impressive display of poinsettias in vibrant reds, whites, and pinks, offering a warm, colorful contrast to the cool December air outside. The grounds themselves felt peaceful and expansive and showed no signs of the devastating Hurricane Helene that tore through the city a year earlier. Antler Hill Village and the Biltmore Winery were our last stops, where we browsed the shops looking for Christmas gifts and partook in a free wine tasting. Our favorites included the Christmas Red and White along with the Cab Sav Reserve. Jerry and Sarah graciously gave their “members only” extra pours to Daniel and I (*Editor’s/Daniel’s Note: I was driving, so Sydney drank these! 🙂).
On our final morning before heading home, my parents, Daniel, and I wandered through a Christmas market hosted by the French Broad River Garden Club near the Airbnb we stayed at, soaking up one last bit of local charm while shopping for Christmas presents. We wrapped up the weekend with breakfast at Early Girl Eatery, meeting Daniel’s parents there. The Eatery is the cutest local spot with friendly staff and locally sourced ingredients. I ordered the Bow to the King Biscuit French Toast, which was absolutely to die for—rich, comforting, and exactly what you want on a crisp winter morning (picture below). As we finished our meal we reflected on a great festive weekend and made our plans to spend the Christmas holiday in Raleigh and vowed to visit the Trolls in Dorothea Dix Park.
