Christmas at Biltmore by the Numbers for 2017

This year, our Floral staff has gathered inspiration from stories about George and Edith Vanderbilt welcoming friends and family to interpret this year’s theme of “A Vanderbilt Christmas.” Classically elegant decorations in platinum, gold, silver, and jewel tones adorn Biltmore House and its 8,000 acre estate.

We know that decking the halls of America’s Largest Home^® is no small task, so let’s take a closer look at Christmas at Biltmore décor by the numbers.

Christmas Trees

• There are 55 decorated Christmas trees inside Biltmore House for the 2017 celebration.
• The smallest tree can be found on a table top in the Raphael Room.
• The largest tree inside Biltmore House is, of course, the Vanderbilt traditional fresh 35-foot-tall Fraser fir in the Banquet Hall. It takes around 50 Biltmore staff members to carry in, raise, and secure the towering tree into place.
• A lit 55-foot-tall Norway spruce encircled by 20 other illuminated evergreens decorates the Front Lawn of Biltmore House for Candlelight Christmas Evenings.
• A total of 35 additional decorated Christmas trees are at other estate locations, including Antler Hill Village & Winery, The Inn on Biltmore Estate, Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate, and our restaurants.

Lights & Candles

• There are around 30,000 lights and 150 candles inside Biltmore House. More than 135,000 LED and mini lights twinkle around the estate.
• About 55,000 lights illuminate the Front Lawn tree. An additional 20,000 are used on surrounding trees and shrubs.
• Lit at dusk, 250 luminaries line the driveway and Esplanade in front of Biltmore House.

Ornaments

• The Banquet Hall Tree is trimmed with 500 gift boxes, 500 ornaments, and 500 LED Edison bulb style electric lights.
• There are 13,000 ornaments decorating the other trees inside Biltmore House and another 13,000 used in other areas of the estate.
• Between seasons, the ornaments are housed in a large off-site warehouse, where they are sorted, labelled, and stored in approximately 1,000 Banker style boxes.

Poinsettias & Other Blooming Plants

There are more than 1,000 traditional poinsettias on display throughout the estate—about 100 of which are in the Winter Garden. There are also more than 1,000 amaryllis, Christmas cactus, orchids, peace lilies, cyclamen, begonias, and kalanchoe.

Wreaths

Our wreaths are made of fresh white pine and Fraser fir, ornamented with golden arborvitae, holly, and other natural materials such as twigs and cones.  Artificial bases are decorated with ornaments, berries, faux flowers, and ribbon.  We place 360 fresh wreaths and sprays along with 130 faux pieces around the estate during the season.

Kissing Balls

There are 100 orbs made of fresh white pine and Fraser fir or dried and faux materials decorating the estate.

Garlands

We use 7,527 feet of fresh evergreen garlands during the season, made of mixed white pine and Fraser fir. The garlands are replaced weekly to maintain a fresh look and fragrance for our guests. Faux garlands add another 1,200 feet in Biltmore House and around 1,500 feet in other areas.

Ribbons & Bows

There are about 1,000 handmade bows inside Biltmore House with an additional 2,000 across the estate. The amount of ribbon required for the bows ranges from five yards for one on the fresh garland on the Grand Staircase to 15 yards for a tree topper bow in the Tapestry Gallery.

Visit Biltmore this Christmas season and experience our Floral team’s vision come to life at one of the Southeast’s most storied holiday destinations.