Every December, couples and families flock to Nantucket - a place most people think is only busy in the summer.  Ferries and accommodations have to be booked well in advance.  Every restaurant has a wait.  Why are all of these people visiting in the almost winter?  The reason is the annual Nantucket Stroll - a Christmas celebration that took place over this past weekend.

Thanks to the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce and Harborview Place, my family had the opportunity to check out the stroll firsthand.  One of the things I immediately noticed is how the stroll really appeals to people of all ages.  There's shopping and gallery tours for adults, and Santa and talking trees for kids.  It's a family event, but there are lots of adult-only activities too.

We arrived on the Steamship Authority ferry on Friday evening, settled in to our amazingly spacious rental home at Harborview Place, and headed out to dinner.  My kids loved walking down Main Street, viewing all of the trees that each business decorates with the help from some nonprofits. The weather was absolutely gorgeous for December, so we lucked out.

On Saturday, we headed to the wharf to watch Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive, and then followed their horse-drawn carriage to the Jared Coffin House, where my kids had their pictures taken with Santa.  We then headed to the top of Main Street to greet the "talking tree" - a tree with a hidden speaker (and microphone) that talks to passerbys.  The kids just loved it! 

Nantucket is so quaint and beautiful, and so when it's decorated for Christmas it really does feel like a old-fashioned town in England.  My kids had a fabulous time, and they are already begging to return next year. 

Disclosure: We received complimentary ferry transportation and lodging thanks to Harborview Place and the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce.

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