Holidays

Downtown Chapel Hill shines bright with holiday spirits and cheer! As the holiday season rapidly approaches, mark your calendars now for a cheerful list of family-friendly activities and traditional holiday events in downtown Chapel Hill.

Restaurants Open during this holiday season:

Open Christmas Eve:
The Crunkleton
CholaNad – open until 11pm
Mint
Crossroads Restaurant – Carolina Inn
Spanky's – until 4pm 
Vespa – lunch 12-3pm, dinner 4-10pm
Dead Mule Club – 4pm and close at midnight

Open Christmas Day
CholaNad – open until 11pm
Mint 

New Year's Day
Mama Dips – open 10:30am until 9pm

FREE Holiday Weekend Parking

 Parking is always FREE on Sundays in downtown Chapel Hill, but this holiday season The Town of Chapel Hill will be offering downtown patrons and visitors FREE parking on Saturdays! Parking will  be free at on-street meters and at the West Franklin Lot (formerly Lot 3) located at 415 W. Franklin St and the West Rosemary Lot (formerly Lot 4) located at 100 W. Rosemary St on Dec. 1,8, 15, & 22. 

Enjoy free parking for the holiday parade on Saturday, Dec. 8! Parking will be free until 5 p.m.* in the Wallace Parking Deck located at 150 E. Rosemary Street and at the Rosemary /Columbia Lot (formerly Lot 2) located at 100 E. Rosemary St. 

It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play by Joe Landry

November 28 - December 16: Tue-Sat at 7:30pm; Sat Dec 8 at 2:00pm; Sundays at 2:00pm
The treasured holiday film comes to life before your eyes at PlayMakers. 1940s radio players perform the story as a Christmas Eve broadcast with music and sound effects – then they actually become the characters, stepping into the iconic scenes that have warmed hearts for generations. A story of redemption that resonates with all ages, It’s a Wonderful Life has become our American Christmas Carol. Experience the true spirit of the season with this gift for the entire family.BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY with our Family 4-pack! ONLY $50.Call Box Office at 919-962-7529 and mention promo code NOV4PACK (Offer available for Wednesdays & Thursdays only. Not available online. Offer ends 11/16/12.) www.playmakersrep.org 

The Twelve Days of Christmas at The Carolina Inn

Month of December
The Carolina Inn's month-long series of holiday events is a must-see stop for everyone this season. Festive decorations and family-friendly events based on the holiday song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" set the tone for the entire holiday season. Take a self-guided tour of the decorations, enjoy special meals, breakfast with Santa, cookie decorating, holiday teas and a display of wonderful gingerbread houses. Visit www.carolinainn.com. 

Lighting the Franklin Hotel

On Wednesday, December 12 from 5:30PM to 7:30PM the Franklin Hotel will unveil a Christmas art installation in the picture windows that face onto Franklin Street. The hotel has commissioned the creation of a beautiful, one of kind 3D holiday scene by local agency Sprocket House for the entire community to enjoy. Be a guest in Robert's Lounge and enjoy tasty appetizers and holiday libations, then experience the unveiling on the red carpet. Free and open to all. Visit www.franklinhotelnc.com

Buy Local Holiday Market

Finish your holiday shopping with a dozen local businesses at an exclusive holiday market. Join the Leadership Chapel Hill-Carrboro class of 2012 from 5:30PM to 8:30Pm TODAY -Thursday, December 13 at the Horace Williams House for a private shopping experience. Tickets are $15/person or $25/couple, and proceeds benefit youth in Chapel Hill and Carrboro through the Leadership 2012 Small Miracles project. This year's Leadership class selected Sacrificial Poets and the Rogers-Eubanks Neighborhood Association (RENA) as Small Miracles beneficiaries. 

Music from the Gathering Church:
FREE Outdoor Holiday Concert 

On Saturday, December 15 at 6PM
enjoy a FREE outdoor concert of holiday music performed by artists associated with the Gathering Church's album Christmas Nights. They will perform new takes on traditional Christmas songs. The concert will be in the Memorial Garden at University Baptist Church; 100 S. Columbia Street. Presented by The Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership. 

Christmas Love Feast at University United Methodist Church

Sunday, December 16 from 7pm until 8pm

The Youth Choir and Covenant Handbells will lead the music for this beautiful celebration of the season at 7 p.m. on Sunday, December 16. We will share buns and sweet coffee in the Moravian tradition as we celebrate with candlelight and our favorite Christmas carols.

Gingerbread House Decorating Workshop at Kidzu

Saturday, December 22 at PM or 3PM 
Experience the fun of decorating a gingerbread house. Each participant will receive an undecorated gingerbread house with frosting, cone tree, and lots of fun candy decorations.  Cost is $20 per house. 2 children may share one house. Ages 4-9. Drop off for this program is welcome. Space is limited and registration is required. To reserve your spot call Kidzu at 919-933-1455.  www.kidzuchildrensmuseum.org 

Need Holiday Help? Hire Sweeps!

Hung those holiday lights yet, raked all of those leaves or baked the holiday cookies? Hire SWEEPS to do the work for you! Sweeps was started by UNC students in 2010 to provide work opportunities for fellow students, and have served 500+ customers. Sweeps can help with: moving, cleaning or yard work; event help; tech support and tutoring; odd jobs and errands; staffing; & more. Sweepers are matched with each client; and all jobs are $25 per Sweeper/per hour! Sweeps provides staffing, $150 per college student or recent grad placed for your company. Visit www.sweeps.jobs.  

Movies for Children over the Christmas season

Friday, Dec 28 showing of Brave at Hargraves Community Center 5:30pm - 7:30pm

This G-rated movie features Princess Merida, who defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse. Chairs are provided but you may bring something cozy to sit on.  Children under 10 must be accompanied by someone over 16.  Popcorn will be served before the movie while supplies last so get there early!  Doors open 30 minutes before each show.

Monday, December 31st showing of Cars 2 at Chapel Hill Community Center from 2pm - 4pm

This G-rated movie tells the story of star race car Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater who head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.  Chairs are provided but you may bring something cozy to sit on.  Children under 10 must be accompanied by someone over 16.  Popcorn will be served before the movie while supplies last so get there early!  Doors open 30 minutes before each show.

The Giving Season...

Book Fairy Collection for Pediatric Oncology Patients

For the fourth consecutive year, UNC’s libraries are partnering with campus departments to collect children’s books for the Book Fairy, an organization that donates books to the Pediatric Oncology Clinic at UNC Hospitals. The drive will run through Dec. 6, 2012. All new or gently-used books for ages one through mid-teen are welcome. The need is especially great for English and Spanish-language board books, the sturdy picture books made for young children. Also needed are books featuring children and families of many cultures.Friends of the Library will wrap up the drive by accepting donated books at the annual Winter Stories program on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 5 p.m., in the lobby of Wilson Library.The Bull’s Head Bookshop will offer a 25 percent discount on children’s books purchased for donation to the book drive. At the time of purchase simply mention the phrase “Book Fairy” to the staff.

St. Nick Salon: Artists Social and Benefit at FRANK Gallery

Thursday, December 6 at 6PM
This holiday season, FRANK will be working with the N.C. Cancer Hospital Expressive Arts Program to help stock the Oncology Patient and Family Resource Center Art Cart. They will be collecting new and gently used art supplies throughout the month of December to donate to this wonderful program (Click here - for a list of requested items). All of FRANK's friends and fans are invited to the St. Nick Salon and are encouraged to bring in any unused supplies that might be collecting dust in their studios to donate to the program. www.frankisart.com 

Blanket Orange County Drive

The 9th annual drive to Blanket Orange County started on Thursday, November 15 with the goal of collecting 300 blankets by December 9. Blankets are collected for the Inter-Faith Council for Social Services and other community organizations in need.  If you’d like to help, please deliver new or gently used blankets (twin size preferred) to a variety of drop-off locations listed at www.blanketorangecounty.com. As of November 28- 260 more blankets were still needed!

Holiday Meals for Those in Need

Only $25 helps the Inter-faith Council for Social Services offer a holiday meal to an entire family-a turkey or ham, stuffing, vegetables, bread & dessert. DONATE TODAY! In 2011, community donors gave $25,800, enough to provide Thanksgiving and Christmas (Hanukkah or Kwanzaa) meals to 956 households which included 2,781 people. Over the holiday season, please consider sharing a holiday meal with someone who might not otherwise get one. Visit http://www.ifcweb.org/holidaymeals.html