Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Holiday Spirit at the Gaylord National

It's been some time since my last blog post -- I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and the New Year. If you didn't get a chance to visit the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in the DC Metro Area during the holidays this season, mark your calendar for December 2010; it's a must-see!

The 18-story glass atrium of the resort was beautifully decorated with over two million twinkling lights. 150-foot light banners that replicated the colors of the Northern Lights were hung from the ceiling. A fountain show choreographed to Christmas music was also located in the atrium, as was an indoor holiday train village.




The space would not be complete, however, without the spectacular 60-foot Christmas tree made from candy-like glass that was dangling from the atrium ceiling. The tree was lit every evening at 6PM and an indoor snowfall turned the atrium into a winter wonderland.



And then there was "ICE!" -- a 15,000 square foot pavilion containing sculptures of penguins, polar bears, reindeer, gas-lit lampposts, replicas of some of Washington, DC's landmarks, four ice slides, Santa's workshop, and a beautiful nativity scene all made out of ice. The sculptures are amazingly maintained at a chilly 9 degrees, so be sure to dress warm if you plan to visit.

"ICE!" photo courtesy of the Washington Post

To view additional "ICE!" pictures, visit this gallery by The Washington Post.

All I can say is that the Gaylord is an amazing venue, and kudos to all involved in creating such a magnificent holiday atmosphere.

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