The Bracebridge Dinner has been a Yosemite tradition since 1927. Over 100 players transform The Ahwanee Hotel dining room into a 17th century English manor for a three-hour pageant of classic carols, Renaissance rituals, music and food, acting as the Squire and his family, their servants, the Lord of Misrule, minstrels and other characters. We think it's one of the most fun ways to celebrate the holidays that you'll find anywhere in the state.
In the past, you had to apply for a lottery to attend the Bracebridge Dinner, but nowadays they have more performances and if you hurry, you may still be able to get in for this year.
More: Yosemite in Winter | Yosemite Travel Planner
The folks in Washington, DC may have the National Christmas tree, but California is home to The Nation's Christmas Tree, a subtle distinction best understood by the people who gave Sequoia National Park's General Grant Tree its holiday name.
The idea that the world's largest tree would make a good Christmas tree first occurred to a Mr. Lee of Sanger, California, and he organized a celebration there in 1925. The good folks of the town still make a trek to the mountains every year to celebrate Christmas, on the second Sunday of December.
Instead of counting calories or counting your presents this year, why not count some birds instead? The Audubon Society sponsors the annual Christmas Bird Count Whether you stay home for the holidays or are planning a California vacation, you can participate.
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