The Christmas season is a truly delightful time of year to visit Williamsburg. With Elderhostel as your guide, enjoy the sights, sounds, and scents of the holidays in a festive 18th-century atmosphere!
Christmas 2007 programs are now open for enrollment!

Deck the Halls! A Plantation Christmas
PROGRAM #7045
December 9-14, 2007 Crowne Plaza Ft. Magruder Hotel
Get into the spirit of the season as you uncover the historic and cultural significance of Christmas in colonial America! Step into the 18th century to learn how the holiday was celebrated on majestic plantations that flourished along the James River. Explore religious customs and lifestyles of the people -- free and enslaved -- who lived and worked on the land. Lectures and field trips feature Shirley, Virginia's oldest plantation; Berkeley, the most historic James River plantation; and Colonial Williamsburg. Become acquainted with the traditions of the rural American South that were inspired by English Customs and take ideas home with you. Enjoy a meal at a Colonial Williamsburg tavern, and depart filled with the holiday spirit.
Walking up to 2 miles daily.
$699/person Double occupancy, +$150 for Single
Sample schedule

Colonial Christmas: History and Tradition of Yuletide in Williamsburg
PROGRAM #7046
December 3-8, 2007 Crowne Plaza Ft. Magruder Hotel
From holly to history, music to merriment, candles to colonists -- experience a colonial Christmas! Lectures, discussions, and hands-on activities present the historical, cultural, and religious significance of this magical season to upper, middling, and lesser sorts. Examine music, foods, and festivities from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries that are a part of current customs and traditions. Expertly guided field trips introduce Colonial Williamsburg's historic homes, trade shops, and more. Marvel at the world-famous decorations, while learning how they are made and how to create your own to bring home. Dine in true 18th-century fashion at a colonial tavern. Come savor the seasonal beauty and festive charm of Yuletide in Williamsburg.
Walking up to 2 miles daily.
$699/person Double occupancy, +$150 for Single
Sample schedule

Colonial Christmas: History and Tradition of Yuletide in Williamsburg
SNAPSHOT PROGRAM #12236
November 27-30, 2007 Four Points Sheraton Hotel
December 16-19, 2007 Crowne Plaza Ft. Magruder Hotel
Step into the past and experience the history and traditions of a Colonial Christmas. Through the study of 18th-century Christmas decorations, customs, music, foods and religious celebrations, discover the historic and cultural significance of this magical holiday. Savor the seasonal beauty and festive charm of Yuletide in Williamsburg. Marvel at the world-famous decorations while learning how they were made. Study the 12 days of Christmas and their many celebrations including foxhunts, balls, weddings and religious worship. Tour one of the oldest buildings in Williamsburg while gaining an appreciation of how Christmas was observed in a Colonial home. Capture the spirit of a Williamsburg Christmas.
Expect to walk one to two miles daily. Some stairs to get into historic buildings.
$478/person Double occupancy, +$90 for Single
Sample schedule

A Christmas Stocking Stuffer: Williamsburg
2-Night PROGRAM #5867
December 5-7, 2007 Crowne Plaza Ft. Magruder Hotel
Savor the beauty and charm of Yuletide in Williamsburg while gaining an appreciation of how this special season was celebrated in 18th-century Virginia. Study the significance of the twelve days of Christmas through lectures and field trips to Colonial Williamsburg and its extensive museums. Discuss the origin of early American traditions and how English, European, and African cultures influenced these customs then and now. The area's world famous holiday decorations may even give you some ideas to use in your 21st-century home! Enjoy a unique tavern dining experience and a ticket to Colonial Williamsburg.
Walking up to 2 miles daily.
$428/person Double occupancy, +$60 for Single
Sample schedule