Located in Asheville, the 8,000-acre property and estate plans a two-month Christmas season celebration. During Christmastime, the estate is transformed into a holiday wonderland that offers a festive experience for everyone. Biltmore’s 250 rooms and 175,000 square feet are decorated from top to bottom each Christmas with holiday cheer.

The estate was built by George Vanderbilt and is owned by his descendants today. Christmas has always been a magical time at Biltmore, ever since the Vanderbilt’s opened Biltmore to friends and family on Christmas Eve in 1895. The Candlelight Christmas Evening at Biltmore recreates the Vanderbilt family’s first Christmas at the estate. Another tradition is the staff Christmas party in which the Vanderbilts celebrate their staff and the staff’s children with a lavish party and gifts.

The infamous 35-foot Frasier fir Christmas tree is put up yearly in the Banquet Hall, a tradition dating back to 1895. Carrying and setting up the tree requires at least 50 staff members. For the past several years, the grand tree has come from Andrews Nursery in Newland, North Carolina.

The estate is so magical that several movies have been filmed there including the Hallmark Channel’s “A Biltmore Christmas,” The movie features a screenwriter who travels to the set of a 1947 movie filmed at Biltmore.

Biltmore offers several events to celebrate the season including guided tours of the house, gardens, winery, botanical gardens, carriage rides, a candlelight evening tour and live music. Biltmore also offers guests the chance to stay overnight on the estate, to experience all the holiday magic there is to offer. On the property, there is The Inn, Cottages and The Village Hotel.

Anna Grace Babbis (12) enjoys taking tours of the property during the holiday season.

“The Biltmore House is beautiful during Christmas. It is decorated with lights and Christmas trees around. I enjoy going with family and friends to see it decorated,” Babbis said.

Hurricane Helene took a tragic toll on Biltmore Village and the grounds of Biltmore. There was minimal damage to the estate itself but the entrance and farm experienced significant flooding. The staff conducted a large-scale pickup and reopened Biltmore a month after the hurricane.

Lizzie Whitcher is the floral display manager and has worked at Biltmore for over ten years “It felt a little crazy to be decorating for Christmas when there are people who literally lost everything, but we had to remind ourselves, we’re not just doing this for Biltmore. We’re doing this for this whole area,” Whitcher said to citizen-times.com.

The staff plan, research and collaborate all year to prepare for the Christmas season at Biltmore which kicks off in late October. The staff at Biltmore give it their all by using 9,150 yards of ironed ribbon, 238 fresh wreaths and 1,960 poinsettias to create a spectacular and unforgettable Christmas.

Isak Jackson (12) reflects on the tranquility and peace found at the estate.

“I ate ice cream and cheese from the nearby restaurants. I stood in a field for at least 2 minutes, to take everything in,” Jackson said.

Biltmore’s rich history and dedicated staff make Biltmore a magical place for unforgettable Christmas memories.