The Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley celebrates the season with a month-long festival for Christmas called Winterfest. In addition to Christmas lights, there are opportunities for pictures with Santa, dinner theater, holiday concerts and horse-drawn carriage rides.

Each year the St. Albans Festival of Lights draws people to the City Park. It’s open until Dec. 26 (with the exception of Christmas Eve and Christmas day).

Each year the town of Helvetia celebrates with the Feast of Saint Nicholas. The event features Swiss cookies, a potluck dinner, square dancing, and of course St. Nick himself.

Shepherdstown is already in the midst of its yearly Christmas festival that will continue on the weekends through the end of the month. True to the town’s form, they also threw in some history. There will be Civil War era toy demonstrations and sales and ornament making plus carriage rides, a parade, Christmas caroling, contra dancing and LOTS more.

Heritage Farm in Huntington is beautiful anytime and is a great place to visit during Christmas time. This year on Dec. 5 they’re having their annual Christmas Village Way Back Weekend Festival. The event will showcase the state’s artisans who work in woodworking, spinning, creating soap, lotion or pottery and blacksmithing. It’s a great time to find holiday gifts. Heritage Farm is located at 3300 Harvey Rd. The event will be Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. until 3.

Bramwell celebrates Christmas with a holiday tour of its beautiful historic homes. The event is held the second Saturday of December, from 5 to 8 p.m.

Each year Hurricane celebrates with a parade and Christmas tree-lighting ceremony. The parade will be 4 p.m. December 12 down Main Street and will feature local schools and organizations. Right after that is the annual tree lighting ceremony at the town’s gazebo.

Oglebay Resort in Wheeling draws thousands of visitors each year with a great Christmas lights display that you should check out.

White Sulphur Springs, and specifically The Greenbrier resort, is a beautiful place to visit during Christmas time. It offers winter sleigh rides, photos with Santa, Christmas lights viewing on a trolley and other events during the holidays.

Fairmont celebrates Italian style with its Feast of Seven Fishes, which is dedicated to preserving Italian-American food and culture. This year’s event is on Dec. 12. The fair will feature Italian food, live music and a street market. After that will be a Saturday Vigil Mass at St. Peter the Fisherman Church at 5:30 and then the Fairmont Christmas parade will begin at 6 p.m.

Each year the state’s Joyful Night celebration draws hundreds to the capitol in Charleston for carols by local bands and choirs and to see the state’s Christmas tree light up.