Christmas 2026 in Bluffton: Old Town's Jingle Stroll Dec. 3, the tree lighting Dec. 4, and pictures with Santa Dec. 11 and Dec. 17.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Facts come from the Town of Bluffton calendar and each organizer’s own page. Dates marked 2025 are last year’s; we update them as 2026 plans are posted. The parade and tree lighting have their own page: Christmas parade and tree lighting.

Christmas Day is Friday, Dec. 25, 2026. Bluffton’s holiday season runs from the first week of December, with an evening stroll in Old Town, the town tree lighting and parade, and two afternoons of pictures with Santa.

Who to call

  • Town holiday events: Town of Bluffton, 843-706-4500
  • Welcome Center: 843-706-7800, 111 Calhoun St.
  • Old Town shops: Old Town Bluffton Merchants Society, shopoldtownbluffton@gmail.com

The first weekend of December

  • Jingle Stroll, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, in Old Town, according to the Old Town Bluffton Merchants Society.
  • Tree lighting, Santa’s Workshop and a movie, from 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4. The town calendar lists DuBois Park, 67 Lawrence St., for 2026.
  • 55th Bluffton Christmas Parade, Saturday, Dec. 5, through the Historic District. Route, parking and entries are on our parade page.

Pictures with Santa

The town lists two sessions:

  • 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, at the New Riverside Barn, 30 Red Barn Drive (details).
  • 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, at the Town of Bluffton Welcome Center, 111 Calhoun St. (details).

Hanukkah

Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown Friday, Dec. 4, with the first candle, according to Hebcal’s Jewish calendar. The town calendar listed a Bluffton Community Hanukkah Event from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, at Martin Family Park, 68 Boundary St., and a Hanukkah celebration and menorah lighting there on Dec. 29, 2024. A 2026 date was not posted when we checked.

Christmas Eve

In 2025, Christmas Eve Under the Stars filled Oyster Factory Park, 55 Wharf St., with music and free refreshments from 6 p.m. and candlelight worship at 6:30 p.m., hosted by The New Bluffton Worship. Its 2026 plans were not posted when we checked; the organizer’s contact on the town calendar is 864-261-5997.

Light displays

No Bluffton light display had published 2026 dates and hours on its own page when we checked. We list displays here once the organizer posts the dates. Send yours through our contact page with a link.

Kids out of school

Beaufort County schools are on winter break from Wednesday, Dec. 23, through Tuesday, Jan. 5, and students return Jan. 6, on the district calendar. Beaufort County Parks and Recreation runs a December day camp Dec. 28 and 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Buckwalter Recreation Center, 905 Buckwalter Parkway, and in Beaufort, for ages 6 to 12, at $75 a child. Registration opens at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Trash and closings

Christmas is a Waste Management holiday: Friday pickup moves to Saturday, Dec. 26. Beaufort County convenience centers are closed Christmas Day and close at 1 p.m. on Christmas Eve. More on our trash page.

What this means for you

  • Plan for three busy nights in Old Town: Dec. 3, Dec. 4 and the parade morning, Dec. 5.
  • Santa photos are at two town sites on Dec. 11 and Dec. 17.
  • Sign up for the county’s December camp when registration opens Nov. 3.

More: holiday shopping and New Year’s Eve in Bluffton.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get pictures with Santa in Bluffton?

The Town of Bluffton lists Pictures with Santa from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, at the New Riverside Barn, 30 Red Barn Drive, and 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, at the Town of Bluffton Welcome Center, 111 Calhoun St.

When is the Bluffton tree lighting in 2026?

Friday, Dec. 4, 2026, starting at 5:30 p.m., with Santa’s Workshop and a movie, according to the town calendar. The parade is the next morning.

Is there a Hanukkah menorah lighting in Bluffton?

There has been in recent years. The town calendar listed a Bluffton Community Hanukkah event at Martin Family Park on Dec. 21, 2025, and a Hanukkah celebration and menorah lighting there on Dec. 29, 2024. A 2026 date was not posted when we checked.

When is the Jingle Stroll in Bluffton?

5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, 2026, in Old Town, according to the Old Town Bluffton Merchants Society.