Stokes County, NC
December, 2025

There’s something quietly magical about celebrating Christmas in Stokes County, North Carolina, it’s easily found in the way small towns string lights along familiar storefronts, the smell of pine and cider drifting from front porches, and the steady hum of neighbors catching up as they bustle from one local event to the next. This season, Stokes’ trio of towns: Danbury, Walnut Cove, and King; once again roll out cherished traditions that remind us why holiday joy often lives in the small things: tree lighting ceremonies, hometown parades, and the kind of old-fashioned shopping that supports families and keeps stories alive.

Historic Danbury’s annual “Christmas in Historic Danbury” celebration, held annually the first Sunday in December, centers the community with an open house, gallery receptions, performances and a twilight tree lighting at the courthouse green — a gentle, small-town ceremony where kids queue for photos with Santa and the past feels present.

Down in King, the city’s community tree lighting in King Central Park, held annually on the first Friday in December, is a bright public moment where many bundled families join in with local music, and the satisfying flip of a switch that turns the park into a glittering stage. The very next day locals and visitors enjoy the King Christmas Parade, organized by local lodges and organizations, which transforms Main Street into a procession of floats, bands, and hometown cheer.

Walnut Cove’s Christmas Parade, long hosted with civic pride by local groups like the Masonic Lodge, is another highlight, held annually on the second Saturday of December. A fun afternoon parade that threads through town and gathers everyone from grandparents to toddlers along the curb to shout “Merry Christmas!” and cheer for the local entries.

No holiday round-up of Stokes County would be complete without Priddy’s General Store in Danbury. This beloved, 19th-century general store stages an annual Classic Christmas (an old-fashioned drop-in event) offering seasonal treats, heirloom gifts, and the kind of personal service that can’t be replicated online — a reminder that giving local is also giving memory.

Beyond these marquee events, Stokes County’s holiday shopping is an invitation: seek out hand-crafted ornaments, specialty foods, galleries and antiques, and the small eateries that fuel shoppers with warm plates and warmer conversation. This Christmas, wander the towns, join a tree lighting, clap along at a parade, and buy a gift that keeps a neighbor’s lights on — because in Stokes County, the season is not just about presents, it’s about presence.

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