Twelve Days of Christmas with The Carolina Inn 2012

Celebrating December 1-31, 2012.  Chapel Hill, N.C. (November 2012)

Now in its 15th year, The Carolina Inn will once again celebrate the Christmas season with enchanting decorations inspired by the traditional Holiday Song, The Twelve Days of Christmas!


A vision of seasonal wonder will be displayed throughout the Inn including magnificently decorated trees, beautifully appointed holiday décor, and events to keep you and your little ones entertained.

The celebration features a festive blend of some new treats (Elf on the Shelf, Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Party, Seasons Wreathing, Crafting Christmas Memories, Horse Drawn Carriage Rides,) and many old favorites (10th Annual Gingerbread Village Display and Competition, Breakfast and Brunch with Santa, Holiday Afternoon Teas, walking tour with the Inn’s historian Ken Zogry, children’s etiquette luncheon with author Cecilia Budd Grimes, Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinners and Christmas Day brunches and New Year’s hotel packages).

Online Information and Reservations
Complete information about all of the “Twelve Days of Christmas” events at The Carolina Inn including dates, times and cost, if any, is online at www.tinyurl.com/cm53tt9.

Reservations are required for many of the events and may be made online, calling 919-918-2735 or emailing crossroads@carolinainn.com.

Holiday decorations information now offered via the hotel’s e-store at www.tinyurl.com/cj42scx.

Special Events
• Holiday Afternoon Tea, Nov. 25-Dec. 30 except Christmas Day. Add a special touch to your afternoon respite by treating yourself to a glass of sparkling wine with a tantalizing selection of sweets, tea sandwiches, scones and tea, including Royal Tea, Classic Tea, Little Prince & Princess Tea. $21-$34.

• Elf on the Shelf, Dec. 1. Ring in the holiday season with a special visit from Santa’s Elf. Kids of all ages will be treated to a reading of The Elf’s Story as well as the opportunity to write a letter to Mr. Santa Claus. Holiday goodies and games will entertain all. $15-$60.

• Gingerbread Village Display, Dec. 1-Jan. 2. Relish the festive display of the 10th Annual Gingerbread House Competition entries. Contestants will showcase their creativity and imagination with their edible masterpieces this holiday season with the winners announced on Dec. 23 at 4 p.m.

• Breakfast/Brunch with Santa, Dec. 8, 9, 15 16, 22, 23, 24. Santa is coming to The Carolina Inn. A festive Carolina Inn breakfast or brunch will undoubtedly usher in the Christmas magic for young and old alike. Magicians and face painters will be on hand to entertain everyone. Brunch only on Dec. 9 and breakfast only on Dec. 15. $25-$30.

• Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Party, Dec. 9. Join the Triangle Youth Ballet for their annual Sugar Plum Fairy Tea. Ballerinas will dance as you sample treats from the land of sweets. Enjoy Nutcracker story time. See a magic show and get your picture taken with the Sugar Plum Fairy! It’s the perfect holiday gathering. $20.

• Seasons Wreathing, Dec. 10. Attention crafters and dreamers, alike! We will be hosting a wreath crafting class to assist you with proudly designing a handmade welcoming piece to hang in your home. We will be creating a medium sized ornament wreath and requires use of a hot glue gun and some patience, so adults or 15+ children only. The picturesque possibilities are limitless. $45.

• Nine Ladies Tapping, Dec. 12. A free performance for children and adults by Footnotes Tap Ensemble.

• Free violin concert by students of Suzuki Academy of North Carolina, Dec. 16.

• Horse Drawn Carriage Rides, Dec. 16, 22 and 23. Nothing says Christmas like sound of bells on a horse drawn carriage. Enjoy the sites of Chapel Hill as you take a leisurely ride through the campus of UNC. $10 per person.

• Crafting Christmas Memories, Dec. 17. Christmas memories are irreplaceable, especially when they are with your children. We will be completing two Christmas crafts that will hold these memories for years to come. First, we will get trapped in a snow globe! This memento requires that you bring your favorite wallet size photo of your child; if possible, doing a winter activity. Next, we will design a keepsake ornament that your child can proudly display on your tree. $25. 

• The Carolina Inn Walking Tour/Lunch, Dec. 19, 28. The Carolina Inn’s walls hold stories of the history of UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina, dating back more than a century. Join the Inn’s historian, Dr. Kenneth Zogry, for a fascinating “behind the scenes” presentation and tour exploring this rich history. $40.

• Children’s Etiquette Luncheon, Dec. 22. Protocol professional Cecilia Budd Grimes will walk kids through the do’s and don’ts of table etiquette as they eat their way through a five-course lunch tutorial. $45.

• Make Your Own Gingerbread House, Dec, 23. Just in time for the holidays The Carolina Inn is hosting a children’s Gingerbread House Making Class. Join us for a cozy afternoon that begins with storyteller, Heidi Werner and her tales of Christmas magic. Each child will then be able assemble and decorate their very own Gingerbread House complete with an apron, chef’s hat and all the holiday sweets and goodies that their imaginations can hold. At the end of the class, each child will take home a completed Gingerbread House and accessories. $45.

Love the Carolina Inn and the Twelve Days of Christmas!  How do you celebrate and what traditions do you celebrate?  

Warmly, Carolina Mama