Magic of the North Pole Comes to Life in Music City at Gaylord Opryland Resort

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The wonder of the holiday season arrives in Music City today as Gaylord Opryland Resort flips the switch on 3 million holiday lights and officially ushers in its 34th annual A Country Christmas.

A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland Resort is a holiday destination with its festive entertainment, twinkling lights and over-the-top décor! Its signature ICE! attraction returns with a new theme, A Charlie Brown Christmas, plus enjoy a new stage show, Cirque Dreams Holidaze. There’s gingerbread decorating, Build-A-Bear Workshop® and Scavenger Hunt, Diamond Rio Holiday and Hits Dinner Show, Breakfast with Charlie Brown and Friends plus so much more.

With acres of stunning decorations, dazzling shows and family-friendly activities, A Country Christmas at the 2,888-room resort is a holiday destination unto itself. Crews have worked several hours a day since July to make sure the holiday lights and decorations are up in time for A Country Christmas, presented by FUJIFILM INSTAX®, which takes place through Jan. 1.

The resort's signature holiday attraction—ICE!, presented by Pepsi—returns with A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles Schulz. The beloved holiday story will come to life in 2 million pounds of colorful, larger-than-life ice sculptures. Kept at nine degrees Fahrenheit, the exhibit is hand-carved by 40 master artisans from Harbin, China, who use their artistry to create favorite scenes with Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy and friends, plus multi-story ice slides. If you can't get enough of the Peanuts gang, enjoy an interactive breakfast you and your family won't soon forget at Breakfast with Charlie Brown & Friends. 

Cirque Dreams Holidaze lights up Nashville for the first time Nov. 18-Dec. 27 at the Grand Ole Opry House featuring performances with more than 300 costumes, 20 of the world's best acts, original music and seasonal favorites in a multi-million-dollar stage wonderland. 

Also new, Diamond Rio's Holiday & Hits Dinner Show will bring lighter-than-air harmonies to Gaylord Opryland, Nov. 17-Dec. 25. The Grammy Award-winning six-man group has sold more than 10 million albums, earning three platinum and five gold records. With their hit, "Meet in the Middle," they became the first group in the history of country music to have a debut single reach No. 1. The band was awarded Opry membership in 1998 and has received Top Vocal Group honors six times from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.

The Build-A-Bear Workshop experience lets guests make their very own furry winter friend—a cuddly, cute polar bear plush, designed exclusively for Gaylord Hotels that can be personalized with cozy winter clothing and accessories. For even more fun, families can work together to solve the Build-A-Bear Workshop Scavenger Hunt to gain a "beary" special prize.

Santa's favorite lady will make an appearance again this year in Cookies with Mrs. Claus. Cozy up by the fire and delight in some milk and cookies while Mrs. Claus reads an enchanting Christmas tale.

No need to endure the cold for a lovely yuletide glide! Gaylord Opryland takes it up a notch this year with a 6,000-square-foot indoor ice rink where guests can skate and see free figure skating performances. While there, guests can also hop aboard the Opryland Express kids' train, stop by the Gingerbread Decorating Corner presented by Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas, or take a whirl on the Santa's Spinners tea cup ride.

For heart-pounding thrills, guests can head outdoors and brave the hills of the resort's extreme snow tubing hill covered in 1.5 million pounds of real snow—or enjoy a carnival-style game to test guests' aim at Santa's Snow Throw.

Of course, A Country Christmas wouldn't be the same without a visit from Santa, who will be stopping by to give guests a chance to have a treasured Christmas photograph taken—whether they have been naughty or nice.

Holiday festivities also include carriage rides and holiday cruise experiences on the General Jackson Showboat along with free activities like the new nightly Delta Atrium Show and an Outdoor Nativity with an audio rendition of the biblical story.

Tickets and vacation packages are now available at ChristmasAtGaylordOpryland.com or by calling 1-888-677-9872.

Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, located at 2800 Opryland Drive in Nashville, Tenn., is the flagship property of Gaylord Hotels, part of the Marriott portfolio of brands. The 2,888-room hotel offers "everything in one place"— diverse dining options, a full-service spa, top-notch entertainment, on-site shopping, an award-winning golf course and more. For more information, visit www.gaylordopryland.com.

BY THE NUMBERS

3 million holiday lights

1 million visitors to the resort during the holidays each year

15,000 poinsettias

15 miles of green garland

10 miles of hand-tied, red ribbon

48-foot-tall Christmas tree

1.5 million pounds of real snow on snow tubing hill

2+ million pounds of ice for signature ICE! attraction

Nearly 7,000 giant blocks of colored ice

40 ice artisans from Harbin, China

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