The Live Big® Chronicles: Holiday Edition

The Live Big® Chronicles: Holiday Edition

Over the years, we’ve compiled several creative and dynamic lists of ways individuals can have rich, Live Big experiences without spending a lot of money. Many of the ideas on these lists – like the Live Big List and the Live Big Chronicles – come from suggestions by Clients, friends, and family, and we continue to welcome new additions from anyone who would like to participate. With the holiday season rapidly approaching, we would like to use this space to share ideas to Live Big during the last few weeks of the year. These ideas are specifically local to Yeske Buie’s office locations in the DMV and Bay Area, but there are undoubtedly similar events being held all over the country. No matter if you consider the ideas on this list or not, we hope you find yourself living big this holiday season.

Turkey Trot

A Turkey Trot is a foot race that is held on or around Thanksgiving Day. The course length, size, and popularity vary from city-to-city, and many of the races benefit local charities. Some choose to participate in the race as an opportunity to burn off calories before indulging in a Thanksgiving feast while others enjoy the company and dressing up in Thanksgiving attire.


Free Museum Days

Museums are a great way to learn more about history, to get inspired by a culture, and to make memories with friends and family. The majority of the Smithsonian museums in Washington, DC are free, unlike the museums in San Francisco. However, there are select “admission-free” days for many of the museums in San Francisco and several of these days are coming up soon. No matter where you live, it’s never a bad idea to find a date, pick a museum, and learn something new!

  • Admission Free Museum Days in San Francisco
    • Botanical Gardens in Golden Gate Park: Thursday, November 23rd
    • Asian Art Museum: Sunday, December 3rd
    • Conservatory of Flowers: Tuesday, December 5th
    • Contemporary Jewish Museum: Tuesday, December 5th
    • de Young Museum of Fine Arts: Tuesday, December 5th
    • California Academy of Sciences: Sunday, December 10th
  • Smithsonian Holiday Festival in Washington, DC
    • Each December, the Smithsonian hosts a two-day holiday festival that features family-friendly entertainment including festive exhibits, seasonal décor, and more. This year’s festival will be from 10am – 5:30pm on Saturday, December 2nd and Sunday December 3rd.

Tree Lighting Ceremonies and Light Festivals

The tradition of lighting trees, homes, and city streets for the holidays dates back to the 17th century when people used candles as part of their illuminating displays. Continuing on this tradition, today there are an incredible number of electronic light displays that can be enjoyed by foot and by car. Below are just a few of the many festive displays in the DMV and San Francisco Bay area.

  • San Francisco Bay Area
  • DC, Maryland, Virginia Area
    • Tree Lighting Ceremonies: While the most well-known tree lighting ceremony is held at the White House, there are a number of ceremonies held all across the DMV area.
    • Candlelight Tours: Take a step back in time and enjoy candlelight tours in historical towns like Mount Vernon, Alexandria, Leesburg, and more.
    • The National Zoo Presents ZooLights: The Smithsonian National Zoo puts on a stunning display of more than 500,000 environmentally-friends LED lights to transform the Zoo into a winter wonderland and features live music, tasty winter treats and more. The festival is held daily from November 24th through January 1st.
    • Bull Run Festival of Lights: If you’re not a fan of the cold, you can enjoy beautiful light displays from the comfort of your cozy car at the Bull Run Festival of Lights. The festival runs from November 22nd through January 7th.

Other Events

We could spend days surfing through the wealth of winter festivities available this holiday season! Below are just a few more ideas of unique activities that may spark your interest. We hope that you have enjoyed this list and we would love for you to share your ideas with us, either via comment in the box below or via a picture of you living big like those in our Where in the World is the Live Big® Glass? photo gallery!

  • Unique Festivities in San Francisco
    • Santa Con: Sunday, December 9th
    • San Francisco Fire Fighters Toy Drive: Events in November and December
    • Union Square Ice Rink: Open daily from November 1st through January 15th
  • Unique Festivities in the DC, Maryland, Virginia Area