Not this one. This blog features a more sedate, but perhaps more creative type of camping. I'm referring to Camp Christmas which is a 10,000 sq. ft. extravaganza highlighting Christmas through the ages that takes us on a Holiday journey from ancient Rome all the way up to present day. Created by Lonnie Hanzon in conjunction with the Denver Center for Performing Arts, Camp Christmas is a feast for the senses and is open now through January 5th, 2020 at the Hangar at Stanley Marketplace in Aurora, Colorado.
I took my better half out one morning braving the I-70 traffic (does rush hour in Denver never end?) after reading about Camp Christmas in the Denver Post. The thought was to go at a less-crowded time. Tickets are best purchased online and ahead of time and give you a 15 minute window to arrive and enter. I can imagine Camp Christmas is pretty busy of a late afternoon, evening, or weekend but our 10:30 a.m. timeslot allowed us to wander freely without having to shoulder our way through any crowds. Parking at the Stanley Marketplace can be a challenge so carpooling would be wise.
Camp Christmas is unique and something to see. I'd compare it to 'It's a Small World' at Disneyland but 100% dedicated to my wife's favorite time of year. Mr. Hanzon and team have done a remarkable job of transforming a 'Hangar' into a wintry yuletide wonderland and best of all - it's all indoors! No need to brave the elements at all so I guess Camp Christmas qualifies as 'glamping' in its own way.
Oh, and there's a bar. Well, actually several. The first is the amazing Santa Bar and its something to see. Having Bars is unique in and of itself for such a Christmas event but that's ok because in my humble opinion Camp Christmas is really aimed at us adults. Though it bills itself as family-friendly I think a lot of the nuance and context presented would be over the heads of little children. You definitely won't find your typical Mall Santa Claus set-up at Camp Christmas, which was kind of a nice relief. That said, though he wasn't in attendance while we were there, I understand the jolly old elf does make appearances on Saturdays at select times through December 21st. (more info at the Camp Christmas website). Don't tell anybody but we did sneak a selfie in his sleigh...
Camp Christmas takes you through 13 different Christmas's spanning the ages. Along the way there are activities and Pun-trees that will have your funnybone groaning. You'll probably also learn a lot as you meander your way but don't mistake Camp Christmas as some type of museum exhibit. Mr. Hanzon and team are way too creative for that!
Here's a sneak peek of some of the magic you'll get to see:
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