In a world that’s constantly changing, there’s something to be said about the comfort of tradition. And during the holiday season, no place exudes Christmas cheer quite like the Biltmore in Asheville, which has celebrated the holidays each year for more than a century. 2020 marked the 125th anniversary of when George Vanderbilt first opened Biltmore House to his friends and family.
“He built the house, moved in in October 1895 and December was the first time people came to visit,” explains LeeAnn Donnelly, Biltmore’s senior public relations manager. “You could think of it as a housewarming party.”
The modern-day celebration, which began in 1976, typically attracts some 400,000 guests between November and January. Despite many changes to keep visitors and staff safe this year due to COVID-19 (including mask requirements indoors), the Biltmore still plans to glorify the festive season this year with a theme of an 1895 Christmas.
“Biltmore and the holidays are a match made in heaven – it’s so lovely and beautiful and peaceful here, and I think that people who visit would agree that it’s just a wonderful tradition,” Donnelly says.
See more: Behind the Biltmore Estate: 7 Things You Didn't Know About America's Largest Home
– Kelsey Ogletree
Indulge in Festive Menus
Sadly, Biltmore’s famous Gingerbread Tea at The Inn on Biltmore Estate will not be held in 2020. However, that’s not to say visitors will go without dessert. A special holiday sweet will be offered at The Stable Café, the restaurant closest to Biltmore House. The Stable’s chef, Aaron Morgan, has plans for a Peppermint Crunch Roll which is, in his words, “a Swiss Roll in the tradition of a Christmas Yule log. Crushed candy cane will enhance the peppermint flavor and bring back the nostalgia of pulling a candy cane off the tree on Christmas morning.”
