Deer Valley guests, locals and vis­i­tors alike, antic­i­pate with excite­ment the Resort’s annual hol­i­day events, which have become tra­di­tions for the entire Park City community.

Before div­ing into your hol­i­day dec­o­rat­ing this year, con­sider immers­ing your­self in the enchant­ing world of Christmas at Biltmore to glean ideas for a Vanderbilt-inspired hol­i­day dis­play of your own. Biltmore House and the sur­round­ing 8,000 acres of the estate is cel­e­brat­ing its annual Christmas at Biltmore, now through Jan. 3, 2010.

This December, bun­dle up and get in the hol­i­day spirit at the Chicago Zoological Society’s 28th annual Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo. During the fes­tive event, guests can enjoy the one mil­lion lights illu­mi­nat­ing the zoo’s walk­ways from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, December 12–13, and 19–20 and Saturday to Thursday, December 26–31.

New Year’s Day is about cel­e­brat­ing, and there’s no bet­ter place to fete than at the Philadelphia’s Mummers Parade, a 110-year-old tra­di­tion in which 10,000 peo­ple dressed in lav­ish cos­tumes twirl, sashay, pirou­ette and strut up Broad Street.

YMCA of the Rockies’ Snow Mountain Ranch in Winter Park, Colorado is com­bin­ing two of the most impor­tant things in plan­ning a youth group get­away – fun and afford­abil­ity. Striving to keep win­ter ski vaca­tions acces­si­ble and active at the same time, Snow Mountain Ranch is offer­ing an incred­i­ble Youth Group Package avail­able to groups of 12 or more.