Some places on Earth are naturally designed to be premier holiday vacation destinations, and when the holiday is Christmas, Telluride is definitely one of those places. Offering a land and mountainscape blanketed in snow, holiday events that revive the spirit of Christmas, and of course, our stunning and comfortable Accommodations in Telluride holiday havens, we can promise that Christmas in Telluride will be the best Christmas ever. This guide to a festive holiday in our favorite place on Earth will have you counting the sleeps until your big travel day arrives.
Christmas in Telluride – Letters to Santa
The sweet look of pure belief on our kiddos’ faces when talking about Santa is a sight that lasts far too few years, but if your tiniest travelers are still in the believing ages, we suggest you take a few minutes of your vacation to sit with them and help write a letter to Santa. This works on two levels, encouraging the magic to continue a little longer while also showing parents exactly what the littles want. The best part of writing a letter to Santa in Telluride, however? Taking the letter to the Telluride Post Office, where a special mailbox is set up (at kid height) for the mail! The mail in this box has a one way destination of the North Pole and if that’s not magical, what is?
Christmas Ski Tree Lighting, First Week in December, Town of Telluride
The annual lighting of the Christmas tree is one of the first signs that Christmas is coming and in Telluride we have given that tradition a new look. Our Christmas tree is made from old skis, reaching up 17 feet in the air and offering a fittingly festive appeal to our downtown area. Noel Night, usually held the first week of December, offers the Christmas ski tree, hot chocolate, and a bonfire that doesn’t just keep us warm, but is fed with old skis as an offering to Ullr (the Norse god of archery, snow, and hunting) to ensure a long winter filled with many feet of snow. The second week is when Mountain Village celebrates its own tree lighting ceremony, this one with a traditional Christmas tree and a visit from Santa, so if you miss the ski tree ceremony, you just have to wait a few days for the Mountain Village celebration.
Mountain Village Holiday Prelude, 2nd Week in December
Sometimes we have to wonder if the anticipation of Christmas in Telluride, Colorado isn’t a tiny bit better than the actual day itself, and Mountain Village Holiday Prelude seems to offer proof that we are correct! An event filled with everything Christmas and winter, including ice skating, crafts, music, food, and a train ride that goes around the village, will keep the anticipation building and because you can never experience too much magic over the holiday, your kiddos will be over the moon when they get to share their Christmas wishes with the jolliest of elf’s, Santa Claus! Also offering hot chocolate and popcorn, Christmas movies and twinkle lights, this fun event may be our favorite.
Winter Sleigh Rides with Telluride Sleighs and Wagons
The beauty of Telluride in the winter shines brighter when enjoyed from the bench of a sleigh and as you and your family glide over the snowy landscape, gentle steeds stepping surefooted on the paths with bells jingling on their harnesses, you will feel as if you are the star of your own Christmas movie. Offering two rides daily, participants will enjoy a ride to a local sheep ranch where a bonfire, S’mores, and hot chocolate will be waiting to be experienced. The return ride back to the Aldasoro Family Ranch will be equally enjoyable and warm; blankets are provided to ensure that no one gets too cold.
Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade
During Christmas in Telluride, Colorado, there is something magical about watching skiers schuss down the mountain, creating a light parade with torches they carry in hand. The quiet of the night, the cold winter air, and the beauty of the parade that begins at the top of the Gondola and ends in Mountain Village all combine together to give Telluride visitors an experience they will never forget. The best spot to view this magnificent parade is from the base of the Lift 4 area.
At Ho, Ho, Home with Accommodations in Telluride
It’s almost as if our Accommodations in Telluride sanctuaries were built to shine brighter at the holidays and as you hang stockings from the mantels, make eggnog and Christmas cookies in fully equipped kitchens, and watch all the Christmas movies on state-of-the-art televisions that are so large and so clear, you will feel as if you are a costar in the movie being played! Reserve your favorite holiday hideaway by choosing one of our Christmas vacation homes in Telluride today and bring the magic back to your Christmas celebrations.
