christmas

Christmas in the Poconos | Have a Holly Jolly Christmas in the Poconos

Woodloch’s Blog

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Have a Holly Jolly Christmas in the Poconos

You don’t become America’s best family resort by going through the motions in the wintertime. That’s why Woodloch Resort pulls out all the stops every holiday season, especially during Christmastime. Not only does our all-inclusive resort provide delicious homemade meals, jam-packed daily itineraries, and winter discounts, but we happily bring the Christmas cheer in a variety of ways.

You don’t have to visit us on December 25th to enjoy Christmas in the Poconos! December is the perfect time to take advantage of our cheap weekend getaways at one of the best kid-friendly resorts in North America. Your family will enjoy the famous Festival of Lights, caroling, holiday scavenger hunts, gingerbread wars, a special visit from the real Santa Claus, and so much more!

Festival of Lights

The annual Festival of Lights wagon ride weaves along our private hiking path into the dark surrounding forest. But don’t fret because this magical forest is beautifully illuminated by every color of the rainbow. Each holiday season brings a brand new display, including angels, cute critters, wise men, reindeer, snowmen, and Santa’s helpers. The grand finale resembles an Independence Day fireworks showcase, except we use cleverly-synchronized Christmas lights in a brilliant display of luster, color, and holiday music.

Yule Log Hunt

Somewhere hidden throughout Woodloch Resort’s beautiful, snowy 135 acres lies a lucky yule log. The person who finds this precious birch log will earn good luck for an entire year! Needless to say, every man, woman, and child takes this amusing event very seriously. Children almost always find the yule log because their determination has no bounds. This annual tradition brings smiles to every visitor’s face, even in defeat. Christmas caroling, homemade cookies, and our famous eggnog follow the hunt. Rumor has it that Santa Claus is planning a special visit after eggnog this year.

Santa Claus and His Faithful Reindeer

As if holiday light shows, eggnog, and scavenger hunts aren’t enough to persuade you and your family, Santa Claus and his faithful ageless reindeer will be making a much-anticipated pre-Christmas appearance here in Pennsylvania! Your children will have one last chance to whisper their holiday wishlist into Santa’s ear and prove they’ve been very nice this year.

Christmas in the Poconos

Woodloch Resort is widely considered one of the best all-inclusive resorts in the United States because we genuinely care about our guests. Remember that wintertime is the premier season for cheap family vacations here in the Poconos. Search through our holiday packages or dial 1-800-966-3562 to learn more about our family-owned resort. We cannot wait to see all your smiling faces this holiday season. There’s nothing better than Christmas in the Poconos!

Filed Under: Winter Tagged With: christmas, holidays

GETTING READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS | Woodloch Resort

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Getting Ready For The Holidays!

Deck the halls, string the garland and get ready for the most festive season when you vacation with Woodloch Resort. Our Poconos resort is nestled lakeside right in the heart of the mountains. You’ll find all the holiday activities you could ever want right here on our property. Here are some of our favorite things to do this December!

Yule Log

If you’re up for some competition, you’ll love searching for the Yule Log this season. Grab the family or a bunch of friends and embark on a journey of Woodloch’s 135-acre property. Located deep within our stunning landscape, you’ll find this unique Yule Log. We’ve heard that if you collect it first, you’ll be blessed with good tidings for the New Year! Plus,listen to the lovely sounds of caroling, sample yummy cookies, and enjoy a visit from a jolly man from the North Pole.

Sleigh Rides

Our hayrides are one of our favorite activities for families, but during the winter you can expect more of a winter wonderland effect. Sleigh bells help to make these treks through the snow festive! You’ll get to experience the natural surroundings of the Poconos Mountains when you hop aboard. Our hayrides go throughout the year, but as the weather moves into our winter season, trail conditions and weather may have an impact.

Festival of Lights

When December arrives, decorations go up and festive moods abound! If you’re going to be traveling this year, you might miss out on finding the most intricately decorated house. No need to worry when you vacation atWoodloch! We’ve got our Festival of Lights to keep you busy and merry! Our holiday ride will take you through our Nature Trail while you get to experience a stunning illuminated light display.

No matter what you choose to do during your stay here at Woodloch Resort, we know you’ll be in for a festive time! You’ll enjoy our all-inclusive package complete with outdoor winter recreation, delicious meals, and a cozy place to sleep. Book your vacation at our fantastic Poconos resort, and you’ll be in for a treat this December!

Filed Under: holiday Tagged With: christmas

A Special Woodloch Christmas “TREE-dition”| Woodloch Resort

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A Special Christmas “Tree-dition”

Cookies and cocoa. The infamous “Elf of a Shelf.” Fabulous interior and exterior lighting. Reindeer horns on the dog and Rudolph’s nose on your cat. Mistletoe and office party hijinx. Yup, it’s safe to say that the words “Christmas” and “tradition” are about as synonymous as Santa and reindeer.

I’m as old-fashioned as they come. Some might even say I am an 80 year old man trapped in the body of a 32 year old. So needless to say, I’m a stickler for tradition in almost all facets of my life. Which is probably why my employment at Woodloch has worked out so well so far. As a resort, we are BIG on traditions. Whether it’s us singing “Congratulations to ALL” during dinner or enjoying our annual Yule Log Hunt, there are some things that will (hopefully) never change here, because life is just a little bit fuller because of them.

Recently, one of our guests, Janet Savage, visited us for her yearly getaway. Janet has been visiting our resort since the early 90’s, having been introduced to us through her mom that traveled with a midweek Motorcoach group. After her first visit, she was hooked and made Woodloch a tradition of her own and visited us each year.

About 7 years ago, she took her love for our resort to the next level. A match made in heaven, she decided to incorporate the tradition of Woodloch with the spirit of the holidays and started crafting a Woodloch Christmas tree. At first, she purchased souvenir ornaments in our gift shops and adorned the small tree. When she bought every design we had, she ended up making her own decorations!

Pieces include:

Customized ornaments recycled from Woodloch pool bar cups
Keychains, toys and Mardis Gras beads from our Theme Night drinks
The coveted Woodloch GOLD medals
Room Keys, matchboxes and miniature golf pencils
Boomer the Bear plush animals
Photos from past holiday cards
Woodloch ribbon gathered from gift baskets she has received during her stay
A custom built Woodloch “Ring Toss” ornament
A wooden star atop the tree created from branches found at – you guessed it – our resort

“Every year I get the tree out, the tree just brings back wonderful memories,” says Janet. “I look at the tree and I’m just flooded with recollections of happiness- I look at the tree and like you say when we’re greeted at dinner, we’re “HOME.”

No matter what your holiday, this season is a time to celebrate those traditions. Whether it’s goofy, heartwarming or maybe even a little sad, this is the time of the year to bring them front and center and enjoy them.

Filed Under: holiday Tagged With: christmas

Operation: Christmas Child a Success at Woodloch | Woodloch Resort

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Operation Christmas Child A Success At Woodloch

~ shared by Tammy Compton

“In this troubled word, love shines,” said Joe.

How right he is!

A faithful friend of Woodloch, Joe and wife, Mary, of Valley Stream, NY, had read Woodloch’s recent blog on Operation Christmas Child (O.C.C.) and felt the need to give. That donation, compiled with others, totaled $270; it was coupled with 42 gift-filled shoeboxes from Woodloch staff and family members for children living under desperate conditions: ravaged by war, poverty and famine.

Since it started, O.C.C. has shipped millions of boxes around the world, making true the thought that love isn’t love until you give it away.

Franklin Graham, the eldest son of Ruth and Billy Graham, who heads up Samaritans Purse, O.C.C.’s parent organization, shared: “The best way I know to share my feelings about Operation Christmas Child is to wrap it in this thought: When one hundred million prayers are lifted to heaven for one hundred million boxes that will be given to one hundred million souls, might Jesus lean up on the edge of His throne and say, I have used these gifts given in My name to open the children’s hearts, and My offer remains to all who come seeking, for I will answer. This was a celebration for what God had done through Operation Christmas Child. But He’s not done yet. The greatest journey has many more miles to travel and many more souls to reach—and we’ll continue telling a story of simple gifts.”

The following excerpt from the book Operation Christmas Child, shares the story of one life changed.

“Ross and Carol, volunteers with Operation Christmas Child, had visited a children’s cancer ward at a hospital in Zagreb. When they stepped into the last ward, a nurse pointed them to an 11-year-old boy. He had been blinded by shrapnel and had been unresponsive for weeks. ‘Is there anything you can do?’ they were asked.

Ross and Carol looked at each other and then stepped out into the hallway. ‘What can we give a blind child?’ they asked? ‘He won’t be able to see anything,’ Carol said. ‘Ross, can we pray?’ Immediately, they laid their hands on the remaining boxes and prayed, ‘Lord, You know this boy’s needs. Would You give him spiritual sight so that he knows You care for him? Help us to select just the right box where surely there will be something that will open his heart. Amen.’

Picking up one of the larger boxes, Ross walked to the boy’s bed. Through an interpreter, Ross explained why they had come – that people in America and Canada had packed gifts as an expression of God’s great love. The boy seemed unresponsive. Ross tried to guide him to open the box. Still no reaction. Ross finally lifted the lid, his heart racing, ‘Lord, please let there be something that will break through.’

Always a master wordsmith, Ross couldn’t speak when he saw the Walkman cassette player with a headset. He lifted it out of the box, installed the batteries, inserted a Christian tape also from the box, and tenderly positioned the headphones over the boy’s ears, then clicked the player on.

There was instantaneous reaction. The boy smiled, then his eyes began to move. He responded with great joy. Those standing around were rejoicing because God had answered so specifically.”

That’s what true love does – it soars. It’s the epitome of the divine definition: “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” True love never dies.

Filed Under: community, holiday Tagged With: christmas