The Charming Small Town In South Carolina Where You Can Still Experience An Old-Fashioned Christmas
By AnneMarie|Published November 29, 2022
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AnneMarie
Author
South Carolina has been home for AnneMarie since 2001. Her favorite part of the state is Lake Jocassee. An App State alumna, it's always the mountains; the lake bonus makes it heavenly. When not writing about the state, she may be spending time with family, relaxing by the pool, or out somewhere enjoying nature.
Sometimes the trendy and new are fun and refreshing, and then there are times when the old-fashioned, tried and true is more of what we’re needing or wanting. For an old-fashioned Christmas in South Carolina, look no further than the small town of Mccormick, located in the upstate area and known for its rich gold mining history. You can even still pan for gold in McCormick!
You can also still experience long-time Christmas traditions in this charming small town, such as picking out your tree and a freshly made wreath from a local farm. Turkey Creek Christmas Tree Farm, located on Wade Morgan Road in McCormick, has been growing trees since 1989.
Saws are available if you want to cut your own, or someone at the farm will cut it for you. The kids can take a ride on the tractor-drawn train while you’re there, and there’s hot chocolate available for free.
And then there’s the annual lighting of the town’s tree at the Dorn Mill Complex you won’t want to miss. It’s an annual celebration with sweets and other food items available for sale. In 2022, the Green Curtains Theater Group will be performing "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," and the Grinch will be the one to light the tree afterward.
The town also holds an old-fashioned Christmas parade on Main Street in historic downtown McCormick. This is an antique McCormick Farmall tractor that was in the 2021 parade, themed "Cultivating a Hallmark Christmas.”
To see more lights locally, be sure to attend the Festival of Trees at the historic Grist Mill, transformed for the holidays into a spectacular Christmas Wonderland.
At the Holiday Market at the Cotton Gin, you’ll find local and regional artisans selling handcrafted creations of all kinds. This is an excellent opportunity to find a special, one-of-a-kind gift for anyone on your Christmas list that loves unique, handmade items, or treat yourself!
There is more entertainment to be enjoyed during the season, including Community Chorus concerts and a free performance by the Augusta Symphony as a part of its Symphony on the Road program, which brings symphonic music to rural neighboring communities for education enrichment and community building.
"Sounds of the Season" will be performed at 6:30 pm in the McCormick Middle School Gymnasium. Although free, tickets are required to attend.
And be sure to check out Branded Birdie Properties and Boutique on South Pine Street for more local gift shopping. Love that mug and the whimsical Santa!
