DC Christmas Fun Day

There are a ton of holiday events going on the MD/DC/VA area. I decided to have a DC Christmas Fun Day - because who doesn't love to celebrate all things Christmas?!

The day started off at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, to view the life-sized Gingerbread House. The gingerbread house is located in the lobby and is spectacular.

Apparently it took the pastry team two weeks to put the house together. They used 112 pounds of brown sugar, 126 pounds of granulated sugar, 96 pounds of butter, 26 pounds of molasses, 96 pounds of eggs, 448 pounds of flour, 300 pounds of icing, 2 pounds of ginger, 2 pounds of cinnamon, and 75 pounds of assorted candies. There was so much detail involved with this gingerbread house it was unbelievable. If it wasn't for the rope separating me and that house I would have definitely picked a couple lollipops and that macaroon tree as a souvenir for myself!

Afterwards we headed to the Downtown Holiday Market in DC. The market had ton of cute handmade stuff ranging from jewelry, soaps, candles, textiles, artwork, and much more. The best part was Migues Magnificent Mini Donuts!! Their booth is right at the beginning of the market and they have the most delicious donuts! The market runs until December 23 open from noon-8pm daily. Make sure to check it out!

Then we headed over to Union Station to check out the holiday decor, do a little shopping, and grab a bite to eat. There is an adorable railroad/train setup in the main entrance of the station.

The last stop of the day was ZooLights at the National Zoo. The ZooLights run until January 1 (except for December 24, 25, and 31) from 5-9pm. Admission is Free! This is a must see! I absolutely loved it here! There is so much to see in addition to the lights. Inside the visitor center they have on display the gingerbread contest, there is zoo tubing, and you can also ride the train around the zoo. Majority of it is outdoors and it does get a bit chilly therefore bundle up if you plan to go.

The dancing panda in the snow globe was by far the greatest thing ever! He was just dancing away the whole time! He did pause and pose for pictures at all times!

The area has a ton to offer during the holiday season and these are just a few of the things to check out! The best part of the day was that all of the activities were free!! No need to spend a ton of money to get in the holiday spirits! Be sure to check it all out!