
Photo courtesy of The Biltmore CompanyA
By Lauren Stepp
Asheville is a long way from the North Pole. But that didn’t stop George W. Vanderbilt from hosting festive fêtes that would put Saint Nick’s holiday parties to shame.
Vanderbilt held the estate’s inaugural Christmas celebration on December 24, 1895. In anticipation of the event, staff trimmed the palatial chateau in mistletoe and holly, decorated a 35-foot-tall evergreen with 500 lights and 500 ornaments and sourced chestnuts, honey, eggs and other vittles from farms across the region.
That first year, Vanderbilt entertained 300 members of his extended family, all of whom arrived by “special train,” according to the Asheville Citizen. “The scene of mirth and happiness which the yule-tide [sic] season will witness in this modern Aladdin’s palace will be the realization of even that lucky man’s wildest dreams.”
Later, the Asheville News and Hotel Reporter shared that “the Imperial Trio furnished music for the occasion, and the rich costumes of the ladies, the soft lights and the tastefully draped garlands of evergreen and mistletoe, interspersed with the shining leaves and red berries of the holly, created a beautiful scene to look upon.”
Marissa Jamison, a spokesperson for Biltmore, says traditions evolved as the Vanderbilt family grew. “George Vanderbilt was a bachelor when he envisioned Biltmore House and celebrated his first Christmas in the house,” she explains. “He married Edith Stuyvesant Dresser in 1898, and she took an immediate and active interest in the estate’s annual Christmas festivities.”
Every year, Edith purchased gifts for the children of estate employees. These parcels were distributed during a party on Christmas Day in the Banquet Hall.
According to a 1905 article in The New York Times, families would travel “20 miles from the coves and mountaintops of the Vanderbilt forest domain, some walking, some by ox team and some mule back” to attend. The Vanderbilts greeted each guest, giving out oranges and candy, as their daughter Cornelia played with the other children.
The Christmas luncheon menu varied from year to year. In 1904, the Vanderbilts served “a fairly light menu that began with clear broth, followed by broiled oysters,” says Jamison. The entrée was venison steak with string beans, potatoes and cauliflower, followed by salad and roast partridge. For dessert, guests enjoyed apple tart.
“Today, more than a century after the first holiday festivities at Biltmore, we continue to host our annual Christmas party for employees,” says Jamison. “It is still a grand occasion.”
Christmas at Biltmore is a grand occasion for guests, too. From early November to January, America’s largest home transforms into a winter wonderland with twinkling lights and dazzling ornaments. Jamison says this allows visitors to “step back in time” and enjoy an unforgettable holiday, much like what Vanderbilt’s guests first experienced in 1895.
For tickets to Christmas at Biltmore, visit Biltmore.com.