By Patrick Carmody, JIA Museum Educator
Have you experienced the festivities and fun of Holly Jolly Jekyll during the Christmas season? Over the years, the exhibits have become more elaborately decorated across the Island, from the sparkling lights of the beach village to the twelve days of Christmas on Shell Road to the awe-inspiring light displays on the unique buildings in the National Historic Landmark District, there’s so much to see and experience on Jekyll for the holidays!
Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum is the launching point for several holiday themed events. For Mosaic’s daytime offerings, check out Holidays in History, where a tour of the Historic District is adorned with holiday cheer, sprinkled with amusing Christmas facts, and you will have the opportunity to stroll through a cottage with halls decked out in glorious Gilded Age tradition. These experiences are offered daily starting November 29th through January 5th.
Once the sun sets, the excitement of Christmas time comes to life. The colorful lights of Jekyll Island brighten everyone’s winter. The displays across the island are incredibly vibrant with colorful lights greeting you as soon as you turn onto the causeway where the towers are newly garlanded in ornamental decor. Within the comfort of your car, there are several fantastic displays to see from the roads of Jekyll, with one of the standouts in several areas being the Live Oaks covered in a spectacular amount of soft white lights.
In the National Historic Landmark District, park your car and explore the nightly lights in a more intimate fashion. One of the best ways to explore the cottages across the District is on board the Holly Jolly Trolley! A classic of any visit in December, ride onboard one of Mosaic’s iconic Trolleys to see the gilded-age cottages decorated in their season’s best. These tours will be running on select nights of the season, starting the day after Thanksgiving and running through January 5th.
If you’ve enjoyed the classics before and want to try something new and different, why not try the new Holly Jolly Scavenger Hunt? The Holly Jolly Scavenger Hunt is a self-guided walking tour that you complete at your own pace, with fun to be had for the whole family! Starting from Mosaic, the Scavenger Hunt will take you across the Historic District. There are fun clues to solve at some of the most iconic sites, highlighted by Christmas décor. Those who triumph will earn the 1st annual Holly Jolly Collector’s pin! There are ticket options for individuals or for the whole family to join in the excitement.
With all these great offerings and so much to see, Jekyll Island truly is a winter wonderland for every member of the family! Have a Holly Jolly Christmas on Jekyll Island.
