Christmas in Jefferson, Texas

Above: Holiday tour of homes. Photo courtesy Texas Tourism.

Sitting patiently in a storefront window, a vintage Volland Raggedy Ann doll waits for a new owner to take her home as tourists stroll past the myriad antique shops and boutiques during the annual merchants open house, just one of the Christmas-themed activities enjoyed by visitors to Jefferson.

Known as the bed and breakfast capital of East Texas, tourists venture forth from their Victorian-era accommodations at one of the town's many romantically-monikered inns to amble down avenues adorned in twinkle lights in a horse-drawn carriage, or catch a time-traveling trolley before a nostalgic night at a Christmas concert.

Following are a few of the holiday events at Jefferson which conjure up a Yule from yesteryear: The call of a steam engine whistle heralds the arrival of the holiday season as the Rail of Lights Christmas Train chugs along the tracks from Thanksgiving Day through to New Years Eve. A faithfully-rendered rendition of a late 1800's locomotive, the Historic Jefferson Railway's Christmas choo-choo takes passengers on a five-mile trip through the festively-festooned Big Cypress Bayou.

Lions Park comes alive with lights as the young and the young at heart wander through the Enchanted Forest, a wooded realm dotted with decorations. Making its debut on Thanksgiving evening during the city-wide Christmas lighting ceremony, this seasonal spectacle spreads holiday happiness until the end of the year.

Promenade through the past as the flicker of candlelight illuminates several of Jefferson's most distinguished domiciles during the annual holiday tour of homes. In past years, ticket holders have admired the period antiques which grace the interior of The Grove, a Greek Revival-styled abode believed to harbor a number of ghostly residents. The wrap-around porch of the Victorian-era Dotson-King House has welcomed sightseers, as has the turn-of-the-century petite retreat Bed of Roses.

Kris Kringle comes to town during Jefferson's Annual Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade, which promises musical entertainment and a menagerie of merrily-decorated floats.

For more information:

• visit www.jefferson-texas.com