26 WWW.CHARLESTONWOMENPODCAST.COM | WWW.READCW.COM | WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/CHARLESTONWOMEN Luxury Venue for Weddings, Photoshoots & Special Events Visit VenueSpringfieldEstates.com to learn more Georgetown, SC 29440 | Michelle Blackstock (843) 813-4480 ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT Winter is the darkest time of the year, when nature sleeps and the sky turns dark and cold. Because of this, lighting a tree is a long-held tradition among many cultures, bringing light and warmth into the chill of winter. Nowadays, communities take it much further by illuminating entire neighborhoods with glowing, multicolored lights. Lesser-Known Displays Bee City is a family-owned zoo that opened 30 years ago with the mission of educating individuals about the importance of LIGHT UP YOUR HOLIDAY SEASON BY EMILY ETHERIDGE honeybees. Through the years, it evolved into a full zoo, and one of its biggest annual events is the Christmas Festival of Lights. The entire zoo is decorated in the glow of holiday cheer and filled with amazing wildlife and instructional exhibits. From Dec. 15-Jan. 4, you can take your children to meet the animals and enjoy the festive display at Bee City in Cottageville. To see a traditional Christmas display, peek back in time through the giant oaks surrounding Boone Hall Plantation. The entire historical site is decorated from head to toe with fir and mistletoe. According to Boone Hall Plantation’s website, many of the displays and ornaments are crafted using traditional sweetgrass creations, cotton and materials grown right there on the property. There are no plastic decorations, and all of the trees are living wonders. Local Town Squares From big business displays to small-town festivities, South Carolina is filled with holiday spirit. Nearly every local town square and city center has a lighting ceremony to kick off the holiday cheer. On Dec. 2, from
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