How does New Hampshire celebrate the holidays? Let’s start with chocolate tours, holiday lights, festivals, shows and seasonal attractions! New Hampshire is a magical place this time of year and there’s no shortage of holiday events and celebrations to help get you in the spirit of the season. So gather family and friends together, and make fun-filled memories this holiday season in New Hampshire.
December 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 2022
Enjoy a classic Seacoast holiday tradition: Strawbery Banke’s annual Candlelight Stroll. Hundreds of candle lanterns set the open-air museum aglow, lining paths that wind through the museum’s festively decorated historic homes. Listen to holiday carols and let the scent of woodsmoke guide you to the celebratory bonfire. Explore the furnished homes and be greeted by costumed role-players who will regale the traditions of holidays in years past!
December 10, 2022
Celebrate the holiday season with a ride along the Currier and Ives Cookie Tour! This year marks the 17th annual holiday event, where local restaurants, inns, B&B’s and gifts shops in this region open their doors to share the magic of the season in the Monadnock Region. There are nine stops along this year’s route complete with cookies, recipes, and a hearty dose of holiday spirit!
December 10-11, 2022
This December marks 25 years of a holiday tradition in the Mt Washington Valley: the Annual Inn to Inn Cookie Tour! This event is the longest running cookie tour in New England (interrupted only one year by Covid). The festival combines the opportunity for visitors to stay overnight at a local inn, tour historic inns and taste test holiday treats. Eight inns around the region open their doors for the occasion. This event is usually sold out so don’t wait to get in on this sweet and tasty tour.
Wednesday through Sunday, 5pm to 9pm, Thanksgiving day through January 1
La Salette of Enfield will be twinkling in all things holiday when the Festival of Lights returns to the Shrine this November. The Shrine glows with tens of thousands of multi-colored lights along with dozens of nativity scenes that decorate the hillside. This annual holiday tradition opens Thanksgiving day and runs through January 1nd. Look for the lights from 5pm to 9pm Wednesdays through Sundays. Check their calendar for special events including workshops for kids, and visits with Santa.
Imagine over 4 million festive holiday lights all in one place. No need to image it, that’s what you’ll experience at New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s Gift of Lights! More than 400 displays decorate the 2.5 mile long drive, where more lights than you can imagine illuminate the track and send you on a festive journey. Start your adventure by driving through the tunnel of lights! Check the schedule for days of operation when planning your trip.
November 19 - 20, 26 - 27 & December 3 - 4, 10 – 11, & 17- 18
What a way to usher in the holiday season: handmade chocolates, and a ride in a horse drawn Austrian sleigh! The Jingle Bell Chocolate Tour takes visitors through the Mt Washington Valley village of Jackson, stopping along the way to receive sweet treats made by local chocolatiers. This is an incredibly popular holiday event, so don’t wait to book your tickets. The tours will take place 5 weekends in November and December.
Wednesdays through Sundays, November 16, 2022 through January 15, 2023
There’s a festive feel in the air with the magical display of lights in Derry. More than 500,000 twinkling lights, light up the night at The Links at Labelle Winery. The outdoor light display is a walking tour along designated paths through the golf course. LaBelle Lights is open starting in mid-November. Be sure to check their calendar for festive events throughout the holiday season! Sweet and savoury snacks and warm non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages are available for purchase at LaBelle Market and Americus Restaurant offers a heartier fare for a meal before or after your walk. Reservations recommended.
December 3-4th, 9-11th, 16-18th and 21-23rd
Charmingfare Farm in Candia hosts an annual Christmas extravaganza where timeless traditions will please the whole family. It all starts with a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the Christmas Trail, which features 12 charming holiday scenes to decorate the way to the ‘North Pole!’ Santa will wait for families in the Reindeer Barn where the kid can hand off their Christmas letters and feed the live reindeer! Be sure to visit Mrs. Claus for sugar cookies and hot cocoa too!
Saturdays and Sundays from November 12 – December 18 (also open the day after Thanksgiving)
Simply stated, there’s something magical about visiting Santa’s Village during the holiday season. With Christmas carols heard throughout the park, the possibility of snow on the ground, and about a million lights to illuminate the park at dusk, a visit during this time of year is sure to put you in the holiday spirit. Tickets must be purchased online in advance.
Various dates throughout December
The holidays in New England are cozy and beautiful, and Portsmouth is no exception. Take a holiday tour around town, or drive through Portsmouth and its neighboring towns for Christmas lights sight-seeing and wintertime fun. Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth is a month-long celebration of the season. Join us for shows, strolls and shopping!