Life in Celebration

UPDATE: This post is from 2011, but I have updated it with the 2012 dates and event info below where noted. Enjoy the snow!

This will be our first Christmas as Celebration residents and I couldn’t be more excited. Last year, as we visited friends, the holidays were what convinced us to make this move happen and set things in motion. Now, a year later, we’re here and it’s all real. Continuing the Thanksgiving gratitude for a moment, I couldn’t be more thankful.

Last year, crowded as it was on the first night, seeing the horse-drawn carriages, hearing the bells from the church as we walked with our friends downtown, it was truly magical. I’m so happy we’ll be experiencing it in a different way this year, heading back to our home a mile from downtown at the end of the night. I thought maybe some out-of-town visitors or locals would like to have info on tonight’s festivities, so here’s the schedule from CelebrationTownCenter.com:

Help Kick off Now Snowing with the first snowfall of the season, a special arrival by the big man himself-Santa Claus, strolling Carolers, and a whole lot more.

Snow in Celebration — Snow at last year’s Celebration First Snow event

Here is the run-down for the nightly snowfall activities:

Snowfall and Events EVERY Night through December 31st (including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) Nightly Snowfall 6, 7, 8 and 9 PM November 24th through December 31st, 2012.

Join Celebration Town Center as they kick off 14th Annual Now Snowing event with a Tree Lighting Ceremony on November 34th from 5:30-9 PM. This special tree lighting event will feature live music, a special entrance by Santa Claus himself, and family fun for everyone.

Now Snowing, Central Florida’s original and premier “Snowing” event, offers an all new ice rink and a schedule filled with surprises. Now Snowing is a month long Winter Wonderland Spectacular featuring strolling Charles Dickens Carolers, photos with Santa, horse drawn carriage rides: Wagon Rides- $5.00 per person Horse and Carriage Rides- $25 for the first 2 passengers, $10 each additional, the Celebration Express train, and nightly snowfall at 6:00, 7:00, 8:00 and 9:00 PM.

The ice rink will be open daily from 4:00-10:00 PM through January 2nd – If you are a resident, make sure to ask about Resident Skate Passes or multiple-day skate passes for guests. Endless Ice-Ice Skating Rink $10.00 for a 1/2 hour minimum skate (skate rental included) 4:00-10:00 p.m. daily

In addition to the everyday fun at Now Snowing Nightly, join us for the Orlando Sentinel Celebration of Voices on December 1st and you can catch a special Radio Disney Holiday concert and filled with surprise performances on December 8th.

I have driven by this house for a month now, watching Neil Motti with Tri County Maintenance turn the home of Kim Hawk into this spooky pirate-filled masterpiece. This is an annual tradition here in Celebration and just one of the many homes that go all out for holiday decor. If you are able to drive through the neighborhood (preferably before the trick-or-treating starts because traffic will be insane once 5pm hits!) be sure you check out all the neighborhoods. I’ve heard there is a house that does music synched to lights like the Halloween light show videos I posted last week, and I know of quite a few spooky residences I’ve driven by. One street got together and did themed scarecrow-like characters all paying homage to spooky or horror movies throughout the years. I thought that was brilliant and such a show of neighborly spirit around Celebration. I know I consider myself extremely lucky to count myself among Celebration’s residents and wanted to share a bit of the experience here: (click to enlarge)

First SNOW and Tree-lighting in Celebration Florida This Saturday!

Arrrr, it’s The Pirate House of Celebration, Florida!