Gaylord Opryland’s 42nd Annual A Country Christmas Begins Today
Nashville Resort’s Iconic Holiday Celebration Includes
ICE! featuring “A Charlie Brown Christmas,”
New Events, Returning Favorites, and More
NASHVILLE, TN (November 7, 2025) – Gaylord Opryland Resort’s 42nd Annual A Country Christmas, Nashville’s beloved Christmas celebration begins today, November 7, 2025, and runs through January 3, 2026. In addition to the immersive ICE! Christmas Experience, the resort’s marquee attraction, a long lineup of extraordinary attractions awaits, including themed character dining, a variety of family-friendly experiences, plus the debut of a Broadway-style cirque show later in the month.
The long-standing ICE! tradition began in 2001 at Gaylord Opryland Resort and is now a holiday staple at select resorts nationwide. The larger-than-life frozen showcase features hand-carved ice sculptures, precisely crafted into vivid, floor-to-ceiling scenes from treasured Christmas classics. The walk-through masterpiece is a breathtaking display of artistry and imagination, transporting visitors of all ages into the season’s most memorable stories.
Gaylord Opryland is thrilled to welcome back by popular demand “A Charlie Brown Christmas” as its ICE! theme, last featured at the resort in 2017. Carved from 2 million pounds of ice, the iconic holiday special, based on the comics stripPeanuts by Charles M. Schulz which is celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year, has been brought to life in frozen form. This year also marks the 60th anniversary of the beloved television debut of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” which first aired on CBS on December 9, 1965. When entering the resort’s signature attraction, ICE! featuring “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” overnight and local day guests will embark on a charming journey learning about the true meaning of Christmas, alongside the Peanuts gang. The attraction includes ice-sculpted, iconic characters like Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, and Linus, as well as 12 immersive walk-through scenes, a total of 5 thrilling two-story ice slides, including a slide for walking toddlers, and photo-worthy moments the entire family can enjoy. Guests can also get an up-close look at the carving process during live carving demonstrations. The experience concludes in a separate area dedicated to the Nativity scene, meticulously carved, and shaped into a dramatic display of crystal-clear ice. The ICE! experience is kept at a chilly 9 degrees Fahrenheit to preserve the intricate, frozen detail and all guests are given a signature blue parka to brave the temperature and stay warm with their personal hats and mittens.
The carvers responsible for creating the extravagant attraction travel more than 6,400 miles from their homes in Harbin, China, to Nashville, TN. Known as the “Ice City,” Harbin is home to the world’s largest annual ice and snow sculpting festival in the world. Starting with more than 6,000 massive ice blocks, they work approximately six weeks, more than 12,000 man-hours, to create the 17,000 square foot frozen attraction. Using skills passed down through generations, the carvers follow a 300-page design book to create the ice display with the help of tools like chisels, chippers, tongs, handsaws, grinders, and chainsaws.
Debuting later in November, the resort’s 42nd Annual A Country Christmas will also feature POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance, a new holiday show where the razzle-dazzle of Broadway meets the magic and spectacle of cirque. The show will open its exclusive residency in Nashville inside the resort’s Tennessee Ballroom Theater from November 25 through December 31, 2025.
POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance, created by acclaimed Broadway director and producer Neil Goldberg and is based on the popular POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance storybook series and television special, which follows the whimsical journey of three best friends, Pomp, Snow, and Cirqueumstance, as they study music, magic, and circus arts at a secret university before sharing their remarkable talents and heartfelt holiday messages with the world.
The show features an extraordinary cast of 26 performers and distinctive artists from around the globe in over 100 showstopping costumes, performing breathtaking and gravity-defying circus acts, magic illusions, and musical storytelling performances with an exciting grand appearance by Santa.
Audiences will first be transported through a visually immersive POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance universe before entering the theater, where they will be surrounded by the story’s illustrations, creating the sensation of sitting inside the pages of the book while experiencing the show center stage.
Inside the universe, ticket holders will encounter an interactive holiday wonderland filled with sparkling lights, remarkable decorations, story characters, and pop-up magical performances. Glistening reindeer, colossal candy canes, towering nutcrackers, an 18-foot Gingerbread man, and more are surrounded by holiday trees and imaginative Christmas displays, creating unforgettable family memories.
The Christmas magic doesn’t stop there! The entire resort has been transformed into a breathtaking holiday haven, brimming with festive fun and spectacular décor both indoors and out. Guests can wander through five million twinkling lights, admire elaborately adorned Christmas trees, including a magnificent 48-foot centerpiece, and soak in the beauty of thousands of colorful poinsettias and 15 miles of garland and 10 miles of hand-tied ribbon. The celebration continues outdoors at Pinetop, an Appalachian-inspired village where guests can enjoy exciting rides, seasonal treats, and even more merry moments.
Endless holiday experiences await during the 42nd Annual A Country Christmas. Other events and activities include:
- The resort will host three exclusive Nashville Nights on December 2, 9 & 16 for local residents of Davidson and adjoining counties (Cheatham, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson Counties) to receive up to 50% off tickets to ICE! featuring “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Additionally, from 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on these dates, residents of the aforementioned counties are invited to enjoy a free cup of hot chocolate, a free scavenger hunt booklet, and to join in festive Christmas caroling with the resort’s caroling quartet along with surprise guests on select dates such as Chris Kirkpatrick of *NSYNC (December 2 and 9 only); actor Melissa Joan Hart will read “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on December 16 only). Proof of residency is required.
- Breakfast with Charlie Brown & Friends is a one-of-a-kind dining experience including a delicious breakfast to enjoy with friends and family. Afterward, guests can take photos with favorite members of the Peanuts gang like Charlie Brown, Lucy, and even Snoopy.
- Guests can partake in A Merry Snoopy Christmas Scavenger Hunt to help Snoopy find the most festive decorations for his doghouse! Throughout the scavenger hunt, you’ll need to search high and low across the resort and follow clues to locate some dazzling décor for his famous red house. Find all the decorations and complete the quest to receive a seasonal souvenir!
- Guests can hop aboard Nashville’s famous 300-foot paddlewheel riverboat, the General Jackson Showboat, for the Tennessee Christmas lunch cruise or the Music City Christmas dinner cruise while enjoying scenic views of the Cumberland River and Nashville Skyline. Guests can look forward to a delightful Southern meal and world-class live musical performances.
- The resort’s upscale signature steakhouse, Old Hickory, as well as Gaylord Springs Golf Links will host special Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day dining experiences.
- Thrilling activities await outside at Pinetop including ice tubing down a 15-foot-high, four-lane ice tubing hill, a classic bumper car experience, and ice skating on a 9,000-square-foot, tented skating rink made with real ice, while listening to holiday tunes.
- Other outdoor activities include the resort’s millions of Christmas lights displayed on the Magnolia lawn, a nightly tree lighting, Dickens Carolers, carriage rides and a stunning Nativity display featuring special lighting effects and an audio rendition of the beloved biblical story.
- Christmas creativity runs wild in the Gingerbread Decorating Corner. Achieve confection perfection by decorating your very own Gingerbread cookies or house and enjoy a sweet meet and greet with Nutmeg, the resort’s very own gingerbread man.
- Mailing a letter to the North Pole is great, but nothing can beat a personal visit with Santa Claus to let him know what you want for Christmas and make sure you’re on his nice list. Guests can capture the moment with a keepsake photo during the Photos with Santa experience.
- Hop aboard the Delta Riverboat Christmas Cruise to explore the 12 Days of A Country Christmas while cruising down a quarter mile-long river inside of the Delta Atrium.
- Take in a breathtaking synchronization of light, water, and holiday music during a free light & fountain show inside of the Delta Atrium.
- Visit the Build-A-Bear Workshop to experience the fun of personalizing furry friends and taking part in our one-of-a-kind Heart Ceremony.
- The resort’s upscale water attraction, SoundWaves, has an 84-degree, 110,000 square-foot inside area which is open year-round. Float down the lazy river, zip along the rapid river, jump aboard a mega raft ride, or take a stab at surfing on Nashville’s only double FlowRider®. The attraction also features a restaurant, cabana rentals, multi-level play structures for kids, and an adult only pool and adult only bar. Downstairs, all hotel visitors can visit the Bass-ment, a full arcade room with a rock-climbing wall. Soundwaves is only available to guests who pre-purchase a SoundWaves Experience Package.
- Relâche Spa inside the resort offers luxurious, seasonal massages, body treatments, facials, manicures, pedicures, salon services and more.
The resort’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas” ICE! Signature Package includes room accommodations and ICE! attraction tickets (or there’s a Chill & Thrill package option to also include SoundWaves). All overnight guests who have tickets to ICE! featuring “A Charlie Brown Christmas” will enjoy the additional perk of a complimentary “Chill Pass” offering front-of-line access and shorter wait times to the frozen experience.
For capacity management and to ensure an enjoyable environment, resort access will be guaranteed after 3:00 p.m. CT for overnight guests as well as indoor or outdoor ticket reservation holders only every Friday and Saturday beginning November 21 plus daily November 24-27 and December 19-31, 2025. The resort welcomes visitors without room reservation or ticketed event reservations to arrive on site prior to 3:00 p.m. CT on the aforementioned dates and enjoy the rest of the afternoon into the evening, or to visit anytime November 7-20, 23, & 30; December 1-4,7-11, & 14-18, 2025; or January 1-3, 2026. Additional restrictions may apply without advance notice.
For event tickets, or to book an overnight stay, and for more information, visit ChristmasAtGaylordOpryland.com.
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About ICE! An Immersive Christmas Experience
Gaylord Hotels’ original ICE! Christmas experience immerses guests in beloved holiday stories hand-carved by master artisans from Harbin, China at resorts across the United States. Created in 2001, the ICE! attraction debuted at Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee. Since then, tens of millions of visitors have traveled to experience this frozen tradition, where more than 2 million pounds of ice are transformed into memorable scenes and characters, two-story ice slides, photo-worthy tunnels and more. The ICE! Christmas showcase takes place at select resorts, including Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Md., Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn., Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Fla., Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colo., Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas and at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country in San Antonio, Texas. More information can be found at ICE.marriott.com.
About Gaylord Opryland
Gaylord Opryland Resort, located at 2800 Opryland Drive in Nashville, Tenn., is the flagship property of Gaylord Hotels, part of the Marriott portfolio of brands. The 2,888-room hotel offers “everything in one place” – SoundWaves upscale indoor/outdoor water attraction, diverse dining options, a full-service spa, top-notch entertainment, on-site shopping, an award-winning golf course and more. Gaylord Opryland Resort has been named as ‘One of the Best Places to Celebrate Christmas’ by Good Housekeeping and ‘One of the top hotels to visit for the best Christmas décor’ by Business Insider. For more information, visit GaylordOpryland.com.
About Peanuts
The characters of Peanuts and related intellectual property are owned by Peanuts Worldwide, which is 41% owned by WildBrain Ltd., 39% owned by Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and 20% owned by the family of Charles M. Schulz, who first introduced the world to Peanuts in 1950, when the comic strip debuted in seven newspapers. Since then, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang have made an indelible mark on popular culture. In addition to enjoying beloved Peanuts shows and specials on Apple TV+, fans of all ages celebrate the Peanuts brand worldwide through thousands of consumer products, as well as amusement park attractions, cultural events, social media, and comic strips available in all formats, from traditional to digital. In 2018, Peanuts partnered with NASA on a multi-year Space Act Agreement designed to inspire a passion for space exploration and STEM among the next generation of students.
© 2025 Peanuts Worldwide LLC.
About POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance
POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance™ is a unique children’s, family, and lifestyle brand that has emerged as a global phenomenon with its whimsical storytelling and spectacular live experiences. What began as a beloved children’s book series has grown into a vibrant franchise featuring theatrical productions, television specials, animated content, toys, apparel, and immersive retail experiences. Praised by SiriusXM as “an amazing body of work for children and families” and described by South Florida Reporter as “right up there with all the other holiday classics but with a magical twist,” PSC continues to enchant audiences of all ages. The brand’s colorful characters and dazzling performances have partnered with Crayola Experience and US Armed Forces bringing holiday magic to families everywhere and have been featured on Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, and media outlets worldwide. To learn more, visitwww.PompSnowAndCirqueumstance.com or follow along on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok @PompSnowCirque.
About Build-A-Bear
Since its beginning in 1997, Build-A-Bear has evolved to become a beloved multi-generational brand focused on its mission to “add a little more heart to life” where guests of all ages make their own “furry friends” in celebration and commemoration of life moments. Guests create their own stuffed animals by participating in the stuffing, dressing, accessorizing, and naming of their own teddy bears and other plush toys based on the Company’s own intellectual property and in conjunction with a variety of best-in-class licenses. The hands-on and interactive nature of our more than 500 company-owned, partner-operated and franchise experience locations around the world, combined with Build-A-Bear’s pop-culture appeal, often fosters a lasting and emotional brand connection with consumers, and has enabled the Company to expand beyond its retail stores to include e-commerce sales on www.buildabear.com and non-plush branded consumer categories via out-bound licensing agreements with leading manufacturers, as well as the creation of engaging content via Build-A-Bear Entertainment (a subsidiary of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.). The brand’s newest communications campaign, “The Stuff You Love,” commemorates more than a quarter-century of creating cherished memories worldwide. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW) posted consolidated total revenues of $486.1 million for fiscal 2023. For more information, visit the Investor Relations section of buildabear.com.
© Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
