This time-honored tradition dates back more than 125 years ago when George Vanderbilt celebrated the first Christmas with family and friends in his new home – Biltmore House.
Guests are invited every year to enjoy the enchantment of the holidays on the estate, inspired by that first Christmas in Biltmore House. Unique this year is the opportunity to also experience Van Gogh Alive presented by Grande Experiences, the first of three multi-sensory digital art exhibitions in a year-long series.
Biltmore House grandeur
Biltmore’s design team has created this year’s yuletide décor throughout Biltmore House based on traditional Christmas carols. The Banquet Hall will be decorated according to the “12 Days of Christmas” carol and feature traditional colors of red, green, blue, orange and shades of gold. Décor in Biltmore House alone (not including other areas of the estate) includes 62 hand-decorated Christmas trees, over 14,000 ornaments, 45,000 holiday lights, 250 candles, 1,000 feet of garland, and 175 traditional poinsettias that are refreshed and replaced mid-season. Decorations are scaled to the maximum to transform an estate like Biltmore to the grand experience it is year after year.
Two experiences are available to enjoy Biltmore during the holiday season — the Christmas at Biltmore daytime house tour experience, and the Candlelight Christmas Evenings nighttime house tour experience. The entire estate is open to guests as part of admission to either Christmas experience.
Christmas at Biltmore daytime celebration, Nov. 5, 2021 – Jan. 9, 2022
This beloved tradition includes a daytime tour of Biltmore House while the estate is adorned with holiday decorations that number in the thousands. A daytime visit to Biltmore is a feast for the senses, featuring wreaths, garlands, and the sparkle of ornaments. From Biltmore House to the Winery and Antler Hill Village to Van Gogh Alive, guests will want to linger on the estate to experience all that Christmas at Biltmore has to offer.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings, Nov. 5, 2021 – Jan. 8, 2022
Biltmore House glows with candlelight and firelight during this nighttime tour, changing the daytime visit’s mood and experience. Candlelight Christmas Evenings in Biltmore House allows guests to step back in time with an experience reminiscent of the Vanderbilt’s first Christmas spent in Biltmore House in 1895. Musicians stationed throughout the house perform seasonal favorites. Setting the scene is a 55-foot Norway spruce sparkling in the center of the front lawn. Two hundred and fifty hand-lit luminaries line the walkway to Biltmore House. Those visiting for evening tours will want to arrive early to experience all the estate has to offer during the season, from holiday menus to the Winery to Antler Hill Village and Van Gogh Alive.
NEW “Van Gogh Alive” digital art exhibition
Part one of a year-long digital art series at Biltmore, Legends of Art & Innovation, aligns with the holiday season with the opening of Van Gogh Alive on Nov. 5. Hosted in Biltmore’s event center, Amherst at Deerpark, and running through March 5, 2022, this multi-sensory experience is an immersion into the remarkable life of Vincent van Gogh through light, color, sound and scent. Highlights include savoring the wonders of Van Gogh’s Starry Night and other masterpieces. Designed by Grande Experiences, the Legends of Art & Innovation series offers its SENSORY4TM system that combines multi-channel motion graphics beamed through up to 40 high-definition projectors with cinema-quality surround sound.
Advance timed-tickets are required for entry to Van Gogh Alive and are included with either the estate’s Audio-Guided Visit Plus or Expert-Guided Plus admission.
Holiday highlights on estate: New Christmas pop-up shop, limited release wines, grand illumination and more
Holiday activities are found throughout the estate. Seasonal blooms and an array of tropical plants are a warm and bright holiday stop inside the Conservatory in the Walled Garden and include poinsettias, amaryllis, Christmas cactus, bromeliads, orchids, peace lilies, and more. Specially designed poinsettia trees, bromeliad trees, and a fireplace mantle decorated with holiday plants are all perfect for photos. The estate’s winter gardens and miles of peaceful trails are also available for exploring.
Biltmore’s European-inspired village, Antler Hill Village, offers appearances from Santa for pictures and to hear wish lists on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as on select weekdays Nov. 6 through Dec. 23. The Vanderbilt At Home & Abroad exhibit is open in the Biltmore Legacy Building. As evening falls over Antler Hill Village, a constellation of holiday lights illuminate trees, quaint buildings, the Winery tunnel and walking paths. Adding to the estate’s many shopping options, a Christmas pop-up shop is in a NEW location — in The Barn Door in Antler Hill Village — stocked with everything needed to celebrate the season.
Estate restaurants offer favorite seasonal dishes and craft cocktails. A visit to the Biltmore Winery is an essential part of a holiday experience. Reservations for complimentary tastings of Biltmore’s handcrafted wines must be made on the day of a visit due to limited tasting room capacity. Reservations are not needed to visit the Wine Shop and the Wine Bar. Don’t miss the seasonal favorite commemorative Christmas at Biltmore Red Wine and Christmas at Biltmore White Wine. Wine bundles handpicked especially for gift-giving are also available.
Holiday stays in overnight accommodations
A stay at Biltmore for the holidays is a tradition for many families that releases the stress of hosting as Biltmore coordinates the details for the ultimate holiday experience without a single dish to wash or tree to trim. Holiday packages are offered at the luxurious Four-star Inn on Biltmore Estate and at the cozy farmhouse-feel of Village Hotel, both decked out for the holidays. Historic cottages from Biltmore’s agricultural past now accommodate overnight guests too, including the most recently renovated Line House Cottages. Depending on the package, offerings include admission to Van Gogh Alive, an exclusive and decadent holiday dinner, visits with Santa, as well as traditions such as a wrapping paper weigh-in contest, letters to Santa, ornament making, cookies for Santa for your room, and festive music and entertainment.
Visitor information
Biltmore’s health and safety measures will be maintained in all operations while sharing the joy and the magic of the season with guests. For more information about visiting the estate during the holidays and to purchase admission tickets, please visit www.biltmore.com/christmas.
Prepared by Biltmore.