Holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas are often sacred, memory-making times for families, usually filled with time-honored traditions. Whether you spend Thanksgiving at Grandma’s house to enjoy turkey and stuffing with a game of backyard tag football afterwards….. or Christmas Eve in church with family and hanging stockings afterwards while reading the Christmas story at home….. or gathering with your extended family on Christmas afternoon at your brother’s, bundled up for sledding and hot cocoa…. such relaxing times with loved ones are priceless.
Some folks are discovering Holden Beach as a fabulous place to not only experience during the fun spring, summer, and fall seasons, but for the quieter winter season in which all the focus can be on celebrating the important people and occasions in our lives. We certainly aren’t suggesting skipping Christmas like the Kranks almost did in John Grisham’s popular holiday book, but what if you made a new tradition at Holden Beach in a Hobbs vacation rental?
Why Holden Beach in the Fall and Winter?
The average daytime temperature in Holden Beach in November is around 68 degrees and only 59 degrees in December - perfect for roasting some oysters on the grill at your beach cottage or for relocating that traditional game of football to our beautiful beach. Kids and adults alike will love competing in a seashell or beach treasure hunt……who can find the most colored scallop shells, sharks’ teeth, or sea glass?
Our Holden Beach oceanfront vacation rentals are less expensive in the off season, with some great deals featured on our spontaneous specials page. We can help you find a home large enough to accommodate the entire family – or next door to each other - to split the cost.
Fishing in Holden Beach is always a great time in the fall and early winter, too. Whether you want to embark on a fishing charter trip, try your luck at the Holden Beach Pier, or just sit back in a chair in the sand while you fish on the shore, we have a variety of local fishing resources to help you tell your tall fish tale!
Community Gatherings at area churches are often a popular family tradition around here. We suggest you contact the area churches for the most current schedule for holiday events for Thanksgiving and Christmas, including Moravian Love Feasts and Christmas Eve candlelight services.
Holiday Meals
When it comes to meal planning, our Holden Beach oceanfront rentals are well equipped for cooking. Bring your traditional family recipes and ingredients to whip up at the beach or start a new tradition by buying fresh seafood from local markets like Old Ferry Seafood.
How about a surf and turf holiday meal? Start out with shrimp cocktail as an appetizer, and make your scrumptious turkey, but serve it with oyster stuffing. Or the fishermen in your family can catch a couple of flounder in the Intracoastal Waterway for you to stuff with a lump crabmeat mixture before baking them in the oven. Or, you can always give our North Carolina Clam Chowder recipe a try!
If you want to truly start a new tradition geared around relaxing and not cooking, the Food Lion grocery store located just across the bridge may offer meal packages for your holiday planning (call them at 910-842-4911 for availability, details, or to order online for quick and easy pick-up). Or you might want to check out the Purple Onion in Shallotte at (910) 755-6071 or Causeway Gourmet in Ocean Isle Beach at (910) 575-1084. You can always go out for a holiday meal at one of our local Holden Beach restaurants, or perhaps in nearby Shallotte or one of our surrounding Brunswick County beaches.
Holiday Events
Locals and visitors alike have fun meandering through local Holden Beach neighborhoods to delight in beautiful Christmas lights and decorations. You may also want to enjoy other local holiday events during your stay with Hobbs Realty, such as:
- The Cape Fear Festival of Trees at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is a fundraiser for Lower Cape Fear Hospice, and the aquarium makes an amazing backdrop to the beautifully decorated trees. For more information call (910) 772-0500.
- Holden Beach sometimes offers the Holden Beach Turkey Trot at the Holden Beach Town Hall. In the spirit of the holidays, participants are asked to bring canned food items to donate. Call (910) 842-6488 to register.
- The Ocean Isle Beach Holiday Market next to the Museum of Coastal Carolina is a festive favorite. Located at 11 E Second Street, more than 60 area artisans will be selling handmade, homemade, or homegrown wares. Photos with Santa will be available. Call (910) 370-1373 for details.
- Super Saturday at Ocean Isle Beach is usually held the Saturday after Thanksginv and celebrations include a Christmas Parade at 2:00 PM, the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at 5:00 PM, and the beautiful Boat Flotilla at 6:00 PM.
- A family favorite during the holiday season is the Holidays Under the Laser Lights show featured at Ingram Planetarium 7:00 - 8:00 PM. Call 910-575-0033 for exact dates.
- The Tree Lighting at the Holden Beach Pavilion, a popular family-oriented gathering each year, beginning with live entertainment at 5:30 PM and the tree lighting at 6:00 PM. Complete with entertainment, games, and a visit by Santa and Ms. Claus, the event is actually kicked off with a chili cook-off judged at noon at Town Hall, with winners announced at the tree lighting. Call (910) 842-6488 for the date, registration details or more information.
- The Shallotte Christmas Parade is usally hosted the first Saturday morning in December downtown. For more information, call (910) 754-4032.