5 things to do in Hillsborough at Christmas
We love living in a small town and it’s never quite so quaint and lovely as it is during the holidays. The giant Christmas tree near the old Courthouse welcomes you as you drive down Churton, and is a fun stop during evening walks around town. Sometimes Santa is even available for a visit, if that’s your thing.
There are a few holiday traditions that cannot be missed in Hillsborough at Christmas. They are truly small town Christmas magic at it’s finest! Read along for some of our faves as the celebrations start this weekend!
Light up the Night at the Hillsborough Christmas Parade
Always the evening of the first Sunday in December, I love that our parade is late afternoon into sunset & the time for twinkle lights to shine. I put glow sticks in our Advent calendar the morning of the parade and bring along extras to share with friends because it’s fun, but also because then I can find my kids once it’s dark.
Make sure to bring blankets, chairs, hot cocoa or other favorite beverages, and maybe snacks if you’re staying the whole time. Kids will get plenty of candy thrown from floats, but it’s nice to have some carbs to cushion all that, especially right before bedtime!
You can set up anywhere along Churton, although the sidewalks closest to downtown will get packed and have chairs set out early Sunday am as if it’s the Macy’s parade. We usually sit near Queen & Churton or above and have never had any trouble finding space for our giant group.
The parade is THIS weekend and I’m so excited to continue kicking off the holiday season this way!
Walking Gingerbread Tour
Home for the Holidays gingerbread creations debut next week and we can hardly wait! This tradition started during the pandemic and was SUCH a fun and creative way to spread joy & cheer without crowds and germs. Each year has a different theme and both adults & kids can submit gingerbread creations and hope to win the People’s Choice award!
Our favorite way to enjoy these is to make a cup of homemade hot cocoa, flashlights, our best winter gear (depending on the night) and our friends and walk around town ohhing and ahhing over the different homes. We keep a running tab of our favorites and finally vote after several walks around town. We also do this trek multiple times each season with different friends or family members when they’re over celebrating with us.
The displays will be up around town from December 7th – January 4th this year, but make sure to vote for your favorite before December 20th!
Winter Solstice Lantern Walk
Speaking of December 20th, this year that is the date of the Hillsborough Solstice Lantern Walk & market. This may be our favorite event of December (honestly it’s hard to choose).
Creating a lantern is so fun and there are so many ways to do this. Lantern kits are available at the HAC gallery & gift shop or you can buy or create any lantern of your choice. I’m always blown away at the creativity we see at each walk.
If you don’t have a lantern, don’t fret! It’s just as much fun to sit along the route and watch the lanterns and people walk by! Again we usually bust out the glow sticks or light-up gear of some sort for this evening.
We’ve participated in the walk, and watched from multiple places along the Riverwalk and have enjoyed it every single year.
Broken Spoke Holiday Market
You already know how we feel about Broken Spoke farm & their ice cream season. I love that as they warp up their swirling season, they celebrate with a holiday market full of local artists & vendors. This year the market is December 13th and 14th noon – dusk. It’s always pretty busy, but worth it to stop by for delicious ice cream + fun holiday shopping that makes a difference for these creators.
Other favorite holiday stops in town
Whits
Don’t miss their Candy Cane (the weekly this week!) – it’s incredible. We love to make a Whitser with Oreo or brownie bites (honestly with any chocolate), but I hear it’s just as good if you’re a peppermint ice cream purist. Totally your call on that.
Follow them on Instagram to see their daily and weekly flavors. Honestly you can’t go wrong this time of year and we’ll be back to stock up on those candy cane quarts, so don’t take them all!
Christmas Shopping at Dwell & Purple Crow
Hillsborough has many incredible small shops, but these are two of our favorites for families with kids. Our kids love going to Purple Crow to pick out their books for Jolabokaflod or their Christmas wish lists. Dwell has the BEST gifts for anyone on your list. Voluspa candles are our go to – they are so gorgeous & they smell incredible. The kids love the kids section and honestly I wish it had been around when ours were younger, although my bank account is probably glad they weren’t.
Date Night at Nomad
If you get a chance to enjoy a date night over the holidays, Nomad can’t be beat. Delicious cocktails, incredible food, and a cozy atmosphere is perfect for a little break during this crazy time of year.
There are so many other wonderful shops, performances, and holiday gatherings, but these are a few of our favorites each year. What should we add this year?!
For other holiday celebrations, be sure to check out:
