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Community Corner

Weekend Picks: Christmas in D.C. and Mount Vernon

Want ideas for how to get out of the house this weekend? Woodbridge Patch is here to help with your weekend planner.

Where/When: National Zoo, Washington, D.C., Friday Dec. 23, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Why Go: The National Zoo presents a display of thousands of sparkling lights featuring sculptures of many of the Zoo’s most popular animals, including giant pandas, Asian elephants, gibbons, a sea lion, an octopus, and a Komodo dragon. Visitors at ZooLights will enjoy winter-themed crafts, ice sculpting demonstrations, choral groups, and storytellers. Visitors can warm up inside the animal houses and enjoy nocturnal animals.

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Pricing: Free.

2. Christmas Tree at the Vietnam Memorial Wall

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Where/When: The Vietnam Memorial Wall, Washington, D.C., all week.

Why Go: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund puts up a Christmas tree at the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. each December. Volunteers bring a tree to the wall and decorate it with handmade ornaments and messages from school children around the country. The tree is on display throughout Christmas week.Pricing: Free.

3. Christmas at Mount Vernon Estate

When/Where: Mount Vernon Estates, Friday Dec. 23 through Sunday Dec. 25, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Why Go: Mount Vernon is decking the halls for a special daytime program running every day through January 6. Holiday visitors will enjoy themed decorations (including 12 Christmas trees), a gingerbread replica of the Mansion created by former White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier, chocolate making demonstrations, and a rare opportunity to tour the third floor of the Mansion. In 1787, George Washington paid 18 shillings to bring a camel to Mount Vernon for his guests’ enjoyment. During Christmas at Mount Vernon, visitors can meet Aladdin the camel.

Pricing: $15 for adults, $7 for youth (6-11), and free for children five and younger.

4. Bull Run Festival of Lights

When/Where: Bull Run Regional Park, 7700 Bull Run Dr. Centreville, Friday Dec. 23 through Sunday Dec. 25, 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Why Go: Thousands of people come to this spectacular lights display every year. After almost two and a half miles of beautiful light displays, treat yourself and your family to the Holiday Village complete with food vendors, fire pits for marshmallow roasting, carnival rides, hay rides and Santa’s Enchanted Lights, the animated, set-to-music light show featuring over 40,000 lights.

Pricing: $20 per car on weekends and holidays.

5. National Christmas Tree

Where/When: The Ellipse near the White House, Washington, D.C., nightly from dusk to 11 p.m..

Why Go: The National Christmas Tree and the Pathway of Peace is illuminated each evening through January 1st. Seasonal displays include a Yule log, a large-scale model train and a Christmas manger.

Pricing: Free.

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