Celebrating the holidays with an abundance of community rituals on the Outer Banks has been a long standing tradition for both locals and visitors. With music and pageantry, illumination and art, anyone looking to celebrate the season can find the perfect way to do it here. It’s hard not to fall in love with these three quaint ‘villages’ listed below that celebrate an old-fashioned Christmas yet bring a few new twists of their own.

MANTEO, NC

The Town of Manteo has been gathering on the waterfront downtown for almost 30 years the first Friday of every December. “We do a lot events throughout the year…4th of July, art festivals and First Fridays,” town manager, Kermit Skinner remarks, “When it comes to the Christmas celebration, there seems to be a sense of ownership among all of the residents. It involves all segments of our community. And it looks like something from a Norman Rockwell painting!”

Just before the sun sets, on Friday, December 5, people begin gathering in streets that have been blocked off for the occasion in front of the historic Dare County Courthouse, the heart and center of Manteo’s small town. Locals stroll from their houses and visitors from all over sip hot chocolate served from a giant wood-fired pot in the middle of the street. A huge bonfire, fueled with the traditional yule log, warms chilled hands and faces. The look of anticipation is evident on everyone. The front doors of the courthouse open and the festivities begin. There’s music, school choirs, local gospel singers, entertainers, the beloved Wright Tappers, and a Nutcracker ballet.

 

Everyone is smiling and singing and then it happens. It snows. We’re not talking confetti, this is real. Snow is falling down from above the courthouse and everyone’s face is looking up in wonder. The holiday tree is then lit and all the children get to visit Santa and tell him their wishes and dreams. If you are dreaming of a white Christmas, Manteo is your sure bet on December 5.

 

The celebration continues the next morning with an annual Christmas parade through the historic town past beautifully decorated homes and businesses. Also, during the same weekend, the Manteo Preservation Trust, The Elizabethan Gardens, and Island Farm will present “Roanoke Island Christmas Weekend,” featuring the Holiday Tour of Homes, Christmas Past at Island Farm, and Winter Lights at The Elizabethan Gardens. townofmanteo.com

 

---

 

DUCK, NC

Visitors to the northern beaches are treated to another small-town Christmas tradition. The Duck Yuletide Celebration, on Saturday, December 6, starts at 3 pm and has established itself as a new favorite of the holidays with plenty of original Outer Banks touches to remind you that you are celebrating Christmas, nowhere else, but Duck, NC. What makes this celebration a Duck original? Treat yourself to complimentary Duck Donuts and hot cocoa on the Duck Town Green while waiting for the illumination of the town “tree.”

Speaking of grand illuminations, you will notice that no Douglas or Fraser Firs were sent from North Carolina’s mountain tops to become Duck’s town tree. Here, the grand tree lighting focuses on an original creation made from, what else, but crab pots? Come enjoy live jazz with Emme St. James and her Jazz Gentlemen, who return each year to perform sassy, swinging jazz versions of holiday classics. Here’s another Duck original for you: “you know who” ditches his sleigh for the day to make a grand entrance atop a shiny, red Town of Duck fire truck. Santa is real here in Duck! If you don’t believe it, just come to the Duck Yuletide Celebration this year and you will.

 

Denise Walsh, Public Information Officer for the Town of Duck adds, “Throughout December, visitors who participate in their festive contests will be entered to win gift cards to help them complete their shopping this season. One contest (#DUCKTHEHALLS) is an Instagram scavenger hunt and another contest allows visitors to cast a vote for their favorite holiday business windows. townofduck.com/yuletide-celebration

 

---

 

COROLLA, NC

Head a few miles north of Duck, (just a little closer to the North Pole) and you will step back in time upon entering the charming, historic village of Corolla. Located in Currituck Heritage Park is Whalehead, the 21,000 square foot home built in 1925. The lovingly preserved mansion is a beautiful example of the Art Noveau style of architecture. Whalehead is especially impressive between November 21 and the end of December when candlelit tours will be offered on Friday and Saturday evenings from 5-8 pm.

 

On December 5, celebrate the season with the Grand Illumination at Whalehead where Currituck Beach Lighthouse and Currituck Heritage Park will light up at 6:30 pm. This year is the second year in partnership with Currituck County Schools for the “Night of A Thousand Stars” book challenge. For every book read by a Currituck County student since October 17, Whalehead will illuminate a light in Heritage Park; this year’s challenge will be to exceed the 28,000 lights from last year. The evening will feature caroling and live music played on Mrs. Knight’s sketch Steinway piano and even a visit from Santa from 7-9 pm. Heather Bowen, Whalehead’s event  coordinator, says, “Come visit Corolla’s Castle and transport yourself back…to Christmas in the 1920s and 30s.” christmasincorolla.com

 

---

 

If you can’t get enough of celebrating the season, there are many more time-honored traditions to satisfy your hunger for the holidays on the Outer Banks. Here are just a few more:

• November 28 – Early January

Enjoy one of the most spectacular displays of holiday lights in America with Christmas Lights at the Poulos House in Kill Devil Hills. Jim and Ann Poulos’ home has been featured on the “Today” show as well as HGTV’s “Over the Top Holiday” program. Visitors from all over the country and beyond flock to the house each year to view the elaborate lights display. The Poulos House is located at 622 Ocean Acres Drive, Kill Devil Hills.[divider]

• December 4

The First Annual Beach Food Pantry Chefs Challenge takes place at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk from 6-9 pm. Local chefs will create appetizers and entrees from food pantry offerings and in true “Chopped” TV-show style, the best dishes will be selected by votes from each guest. All proceeds will benefit the Beach Food Pantry to help feed the hungry in Dare County. beachfoodpantry.org[divider]

• December 11-13

The 26th Annual Festival of Trees is being held at the Outer Banks Brewing Station. The three-day fundraiser for Outer Banks Hotline includes a holiday bazaar, a visit with Santa, children’s activities, and an auction of fully decorated Christmas trees that are loaded with Christmas gifts and treats. obxfestivaloftrees.com[divider]

• December 13

The Hatteras Village Christmas Parade sponsored by the Hatteras Village Civic Association. The annual Hatteras Village Christmas Parade will begin at Teach’s Lair Marina at 2 pm and continues through the village ending at the Hatterasman Drive-In. All are welcome to the award ceremony afterward to enjoy home-baked cookies and hot chocolate. hatterasonmymind.com[divider]

• December 13

The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras celebrates the 4th Annual Holiday at the Museum, featuring a Winter Wonderland train display by master model builder Charlie Klein. Refreshments, entertainment and a variety of activities are included. The
event is free to the public and is sponsored by the Friends of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. graveyardoftheatlantic.com[divider]

• January 6

Christmas continues in Rodanthe, the easternmost point of North Carolina, where folks are famous for observing “Old Christmas,” a custom held over from the original English settlers who still used the “Old Style” calendar. A mythical beast, “Old Buck” – said to be related to companions of Saint Nicholas in Central European Christmas festivities – will make an appearance at the celebration.[divider]

Whatever traditions you may hold for the holidays, residents in Dare County can be grateful for the spirit of community and generosity that can always be found here at home on the Outer Banks. ♦

For Laura Martier, the holiday season begins with the Winter Solstice and is celebrated with her two children, Josh and Lucy, her partner, Dan and their dog, Deva Om. The family’s holiday highlight is piling into their tiny boat, “Cricket” and cruising the canals of Southern Shores while caroling.