Tis the Season, Hon

It seems like every year retailers and merchants kickoff the holiday season even earlier than the previous year. Despite their best efforts, Baltimore's holiday season is still recognized as beginning with the lighting of the Washington Monument on the first Thursday of December. Now that the season is upon us we've put together this Baltimore holiday guide filled with both traditional and distinctly Baltimore holiday activities to help you make the most of your Charm City Christmas.

Start the season off with a bang! Baltimore's annual lighting of the Washington Monument is the traditional beginning to the Holiday season in Baltimore. The event includes choir singing, refreshments, entertainment, and is capped off with the lighting ceremony by Mayor Sheila Dixon and a fireworks display accompanied by music. This year's ceremony begins at 6:00pm on Thursday December 6th.

Deck the halls. Head just north from Baltimore to Hunt Valley to see the ultimate Christmas menagerie of lights, decorations, and trimmings at Valley View Farms. For over a generation Valley View Farms has been a must visit destination for Baltimore locals preparing for the Holiday season.

Give back to the community. Like all large cities Baltimore has many families and individuals in need during the Holidays. Taking time to help spread the joy is one of the best ways to enrich your holiday. There are many volunteer opportunities in the area such as distributing toys or helping to serve a holiday meal. The options can be dizzying, to help you sort through the various programs to find one that suits you best visit the BVU's www.volunteercentral.net and get connected with an organization.

Witness a miracle. The miracle on 34th Street in Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood is a holiday tradition like no other. Bring your friends and family to tour through the open houses that make Clark Griswold's holiday light displays look tame. An entire block of city row houses light up the night throughout December to bring holiday cheer to all.

Cut your own tree. While there are certainly no shortage of Christmas tree lots in and around Baltimore that make a convenient place to get your tree, why not make a day out of it and visit a Christmas Tree Farm in MD and cut down your own. Bring your own saw or use one provied by the farm. Captain Jack's Christmas Tree Farm Network is a great directory of local tree farms to help you find one.

Visit Santa and tell him what you really want. Traditional Santa pictures are a staple of every child's Christmas Holiday. One of the best places in the area to visit good ol' Saint Nick is at his Christmas House at Harbor Place in the Inner Harbor. You're never too old to sit on Santa's Lap either, so go down and see him today. Don't forget to bring him some cookies!

See a Christmas Train Garden Baltimore has a local holiday phenomenon known as a Christmas Garden. They are elaborately decorated displays of holiday cheer which often include large installations of model trains, Christmas and pop culture characters, and holiday lights. Examples include the Shops at Kenilworth, Engine Company 45's fire station at 2700 Glenn Ave, and the B&O Railroad museum's holiday festival of trains.

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