Christmas in Mississippi

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Between Thanksgiving and New Year's, the Bluff City, Vicksburg, and Mississippi Gulf Coast pack in sleigh-loads of holiday events. 

November 11–January 1: 50 Nights of Lights: Cleveland Mississippi is pulling out all of the seasonal stops, as has been the town's tradition every year, with businesses and residents lighting the streets with twinkling white lights and trees. Visitors are invited to walk or drive through after dark, for free. 50nightsoflights.com. 

November 18–January 7: Holly Jolly Holidays: Glide across Oxford's favorite holiday attraction, the ice skating rink at the Old Armory Pavilion, and maybe even keep it going onto Oxford's Peppermint Trail of other holiday events and promotions. 3 pm–8 pm Monday–Friday, 11 am–8 pm Saturday, 1 pm–6 pm Sunday. $12 per skater. visitoxfordms.com. 

November 24–December 31: Christmas Tour of Historic Homes in Natchez: Natchez has been called the "Christmas movie capital of the South," and now some of the Bluff City's most beautiful historic homes will open their wreathed doors for the town's first-annual Christmas Tour of Historic Homes. Homes included will be Magnolia Hall, The Towers, Choctaw, Sunnyside, Myrtle Terrace, and The Thomas Staniforth House—and each is guaranteed to be bedecked with holiday displays. Find more information at littleeasytours.com. 

November 24–December 27: European Christmas Shopping Village: Natchez's latest holiday addition is an old-fashioned shopping village offering local crafts, snacks, gifts, and more. Open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Find hours at christmasinnatchez.org. 

November 24–December 31: Gulfport Harbor Lights Festival: Meet Santa Claus, take a holiday train ride, spin through the night on carnival rides, and embark on more seasonal magic at Gulfport's Island View Casino & Resort. 5:30 pm–10:30 pm. General admission $15 Sunday–Thursday, $20 Friday and Saturday. gulfportharborlights.com. 

November 25–December 25: Christmas in Natchez: Through the month of December, the city high on the Bluff celebrates the season with their grand Christmas tree on Main Street, Caroling in the Park at Memorial Park every Thursday at 5:30 pm, food trucks, carnival rides, Santa appearances, and more. christmasinnatchez.org. 

November 25: Downtown Natchez Annual Tree Lighting: The annual occasion featuring Mr. and Mrs. Claus and their friends inside the Home Bank, the North Pole Playground, a petting zoo, caroling, and food trucks. 3 pm–6:30 pm, lighting at 6:30 pm. visitnatchez.org. 

December 1–December 31: The Towers’ Christmas Tours: The grand and unique historic home of Natchez, The Towers, has decked its halls for the season, and invites all to marvel at the splendor of the majestically-restored home. Tours at 2 pm or 11 pm daily. $30. thetowersofnatchez.com. 

December 1–2: Merry Market, featuring over one hundred craft and food vendors at the Natchez Convention Center. 11 am–7 pm. Free. visitnatchez.org.

December 2: Natchez Christmas Parade: This festive parade rolls at 6 pm in Downtown Natchez. Free. visitnatchez.org. 

December 2: Silent Light Festival at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art: Each year leading up to the holiday season, Walter Anderson Museum of Art is transformed with color and light for its annual Silent Light Festival, when the museum is transformed by light-art installations, interactive projections, shadow dancers, and beyond—inspired by Walter Anderson's designs, nature, and the winter solstice. Food and drink vendors will be on site. 5 pm–10 pm. Free,  $10 all-night Silent Disco headphone rental (optional). walterandersonmuseum.org. 

December 2: Vicksburg Christmas Parade of Lights: Vicksburg's Christmas parade brings area clubs, churches, schools, drill teams, bands, and more to the route between Belmont Street and Jackson Street. 5 pm. Free. downtownvicksburg.org. 

December 4: Holly Days Arts & Crafts Show: Vendors proudly displaying arts and crafts, performances by local artists, and more holiday spirit leading up to Vicksburg Main Street's Annual Christmas Parade of Lights. 9 am–3 pm at the Southern Culture Heritage Foundation,1302 Adams Street. $2 admission. For more information, call (601) 631-2997 or email info@southernculture.org. 

December 8–9: A Southern Christmas Carol: Delight in a retelling of the Dickens holiday classic from Bay St. Louis Little Theatre, but this time, set in the Deep South. 7:30 pm. $10 at bontempstix.com. 

December 9: Christmas High Tea at Magnolia Cottage: It's tea time at Magnolia Cottage Bed & Breakfast, brought to life all the more by the jingly jangly jolliness of the holidays. Enjoy a variety of seasonal teas, and an assortment of sweets and treats, tea-sandwiches, and scones. Every guest will go home with a Christmas "happy". 11 am–noon and 2 pm–3 pm. $45. bontempstix.com.

December 16: Donuts with Santa: Bring your little ones for sweet breakfast treats and photos with the big guy in red at The Woodlands at Greenfield. 9 am–11 am. $20. bontempstix.com. 

December 21: Winter Solstice Handmade Parade & Bonfire on the Beach: Celebrate the longest night all year with The Arts, Hancock County in Bay St. Louis at their second-ever Handmade Parade. Those parading will light the night with homemade lanterns that will be carried from the Arts Center to the beach, where a beach bonfire and pizza will conclude the event. All are invited to bring battery-powered lanterns, flashlights, and other handheld light sources. 6 pm–9 pm. Free. hancockarts.org.

Visit visitnatchez.org  and christmasinnatchez.org for the most updated schedules.