Come celebrate the 2nd annual Miller & Rhoads Charity Christmas Tree Contest with us on Friday night, January 6th, 2012.  Meet the people making a difference at all 50 charities represented in the windows of the Hilton Garden Inn downtown Richmond, once the historic Miller & Rhoads department store.

The Awards Ceremony begins at 7pm and is followed by the very entertaining Charity Christmas Tree Auction with Richmond’s own Lisa Schaffner.

Visit the official website of the 2011 Miller & Rhoads Charity Christmas Tree Contest or pick up the December 2011 issue of Richmond Family Magazine for a look behind the scenes.

Miller & Rhoads Charity Christmas Tree Contest

In conjunction with the Miller & Rhoads Charity Christmas Tree Contest,  Christmas-in-Virignia.com has arranged a FREE trolley tour of downtown Richmond to view the Christmas lights.  Tours 7 pm to 10:30 pm on Tuesday night, December 6th from the “Miller & Rhodes” Hilton Garden Inn parking lot in downtown Richmond, VA. The tour will include lights at the James Center, Monument Avenue, Carytown and the Christmas display windows of the historic Miller & Rhoads building.

Because there is no charge for the trolley tour itself, rides will be on a “first come, first serve” basis. Consecutive numbered tickets will be given out at the entrance of the hotel. Those tickets will determine when you ride the trolley. Call 804-545-0804 for details of the trolley tour and the Miller & Rhoads Charity Christmas Tree Contest.

Please pay particular attention to the Christmas trees that fill the windows on of the Hilton Garden Inn that was once the Miller & Rhoads department store building.  Each tree has been decorated by one of Virginia’s fine non-profit organizations to raise funds for its good works.  Remember which tree you liked the best, then please go home and vote for that tree on the Miller & Rhoads Charity Christmas Tree Contest site linked below:

Richmond Trolley Company , a Platinum Spronsor of the Miller & Rhoads Charity Christmas event, provides holiday rides all through December, but only rides on December 6th are free.

Richmond Trolley Company tours and prices other than Dec 6

Music will begin at 5:30p.m.

Followed at 6:00 p.m. by a stunning display of lights, a parade of beloved holiday characters, and complimentary refreshments in The Empire Room.

See the Jefferson Hotel Holiday Newsletter here.

Mr. and Mrs. Claus lead, in a horse drawn carriage, down to Hopkins Green where a choir and City official greet them and light the Lexington Christmas Tree and officially usher in the holiday season.

This year’s event kicks off at 5:30 pm on November 26, 2010 from Main St. by the Stonewall Cemetery. Call: 540-463-5375

All children attending the celebration will get the opportunity to decorate their own cookies and cupcakes, as well as make holiday arts and crafts. The party will be followed by a presentation courtesy of Mr. Magic! Reservations are required for this event. Proceeds go to Big Brothers and Big Sisters. To register, please contact the Downtown Business Association of Charlottesville at 434-295-9073.

Don’t forget the Winter Wonderland of Gingerbread Houses brought to you by the Downtown Business Association of Charlottesville and the Omni Charlotteville Hotel! Gingerbread Houses from the 7th Annual DBAC Gingerbread Competition will be on display for everyone to enjoy.

The 7th annual Gingerbread House Competition will be held December 2nd through the 5th at the Omni Hotel, 235 West Main Street in the heart of the Downtown Mall. The competition is open to both amateur and professional bakers, with adult, youth and child categories. Prizes will be awarded in each category. Please contact the Downtown Business Association of Charlottesville at 434-295-9073 with any questions.

Click here to download an entry form

Thomas Jefferson lived at Tuckahoe Plantation from 1745 to 1752.  One of his earliest memories is said to be of his father carrying him up Tuckahoe’s front steps when he was two years old.  The house which is listed as a National Historic Landmark is 277 years old and the little school house where young master Jefferson studied still stands.  During the Christmas tours, you’ll find it serving as a gift shop instead of a place of learning.  There will be fresh Holiday decorations for sale, boxwood wreaths, fresh cut greens and handmade crafts.  Warm your hands and sip on homemade Hot Cider in the Old Kitchen.

“…Inside the old house, the walnut panelling is rubbed to a  high  shine.  The heart pine floors are polished anew.  Holly wreaths have been hung.   The hand-carved  ballasters  have been trimmed with greenery and family ornaments have been carefully unpacked and decorate the cedar, cut from Tuckahoe.   A fire crackles in the hearth.  Candles are lit for the evening.  Children romp on the  great lawn in the last moments of  light before being  summoned  by the kitchen bell.  Soon guests will be arriving and anticipation builds high…. “  It is Christmas at Tuckahoe!

Tuchahoe is a working plantation with stables and dependencies still in tact. This  historic treasure has been described by historians as  “the finest existing early 18th century plantation in America.”  Visit the official Tuckahoe Plantation website for more information.

The new tenant of the building, the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Richmond has partnered with Christmas-in-Virginia.com again this year to breath life back into this beloved, old Christmas tradition with a new Charity Christmas Tree Contest.

Fifty Christmas trees will soon fill the big, plate-glass display windows of the historic Miller & Rhoads building to bring “comfort & joy” to all who walk by them or drive past on the streets of downtown Richmond.

Each of those trees will be decorated by a specific Virginia charitable organization, then entered into a contest to see which of the 50 Christmas trees is the most glorious of all!

The winning non-profit organization will receive a $1,000 grand prize.

The winning tree will be chosen by a panel of judges and by the people of Richmond. The decision of the judges will count for only a portion of the contest’s point structure. The other part of the equation will be determined by the opinions of Virginians like you who go onto the Christmas-in-Virginia.com website to vote for their favorite tree.

The trees in the windows will be unveiled at 6:30 pm, Tuesday evening, December 6, 2011

On hand for the occasion will be the Radio Disney cast who kick off their show inside the Hilton Garden Inn downtown Richmond’s lobby immediately after the unveiling ceremony on 6th Street & East Broad. Come meet the Mounted Squad of the Richmond Police and their beautiful horses. The show is free and so is the hot chocolate and cookies!

Then take a free ride on one of the Richmond Trolley Company’s new trolleys to see the lights downtown and of course, all 50 charity Christmas trees entered in the Miller & Rhoads Charity Christmas Tree Contest.

The winner of the Miller & Rhoads Charity Christmas Tree Contest will be announced on January 6, 2012 in the Ballroom of the Hilton Garden Inn downtown Richmond, Virginia.

Click here for details of the Miller and Rhoads Charity Christmas Tree Contest

Tis the season to be at Maymont!

Celebrate the holidays with Victorian holidays at Maymont; old-fashioned fun, elegant evening tours and much more through January 6.

There are many events at Maymont during the holiday season; with Mansion Holiday tours starting on November 19th, a Wreath workshop on November 30th & December 1 & 2, an Old fashioned Christmas on December 5th coupled with St. Nicks Christmas Party, and Maymont by Moonlight (December 10 & 17), with Candlelight Mansion tours (December 14th).

Lots of fun things to do!

Check out the details at Maymont by clicking here.