Balmoral’s excellent Northeast Beltway location allows residents to enjoy the natural beauty of the area while still having access to key destinations in and around Houston. The greater Houston area is home to dozens and dozens of fun events and activities for the holidays and with winter break coming up, now’s your chance to see them all! (Or at least a few.)
Our first stop is Magical Winter Lights, the largest lantern festival of its kind in the United States. Throughout the month of December, explore 20 acres of larger-than-life lantern exhibits that take you on a journey around the world in one night. Between cultural performances, carnival rides and games, arts and crafts, and the lantern attractions themselves, Magical Winter Lights is a must-see this holiday season!
Glide beneath the glittering lights of downtown Houston and embrace the holiday season with ICE! Every year Discovery Green is home to ICE – a pop-up ice skating rink that lasts throughout the month of December. Go as
Watch local shops and business come alive with the spirit of the season during the 38thAnnual Home for the
These are just a few of the most fun and exciting holiday events going on in and around the greater Houston area – be sure to keep an eye on
If you’ve ever dreamed of waking up in one of our gorgeous model homes, have we got a surprise for you. Colina Homes is selling their decked-out, five-bedroom model at 11915 Talman Run. Packed with carefully chosen options and upgrades, everything in this home is nothing short of stunning. Whip up a gourmet meal in the beautiful kitchen or relax in your jetted tub after playing in our beautiful turquoise lagoon. Don’t wait, live your dream.
More highlights:
- Incredible curb appeal with brick-and-stone elevation, unique front walk and full landscaping
- Soaring two-story rotunda entry
- Gorgeous, durable wood-look tile throughout common areas
- Custom painted walls, custom lighting, designer fixtures and art niches throughout home
- Light and bright family room highlighted by stone, fireplace, crown molding and wall of windows
- Stunning island kitchen boasts Fantasy Blue granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, 42-inch custom cabinets with designer hardware, walk-in pantry and custom backsplash
- Coffered ceiling and upgraded carpeting in master bedroom
- Beautiful master bath features jetted tub, oversized walk-in shower, dual vanities and walk-in closet.
- Bonus room includes guest suite and game room
- Covered patio
- Three-car garage
This extraordinary 3,352-square-foot home is priced from the $415s.
Dive In to Balmoral
When we invite you to dive in to our beautiful community, we aren’t kidding. Our inviting crystal clear lagoon is waiting for you, but that’s not all. The Balmoral lifestyle includes a full-time lifestyle director charged with planning a slate of year-round resident events. It also includes our the eight-acre Amenity Village with an infinity-edge pool, sand volleyball court and playground. We’ve even made it easy to access all the fun via our GreenBoLT, an Alternative Transportation Experience. Don’t you think it’s time to take the plunge?
December is “brrringing” a sleighful of holiday activities to the Balmoral Clubhouse, 15808 Crystal Terrace Drive, 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15
Santa will be on hand to greet children and hear their fondest wishes for presents under the tree. There will be a giant snow globe and bounce house, and you can take holiday photos with a stuffed reindeer. Hot cocoa will be available, and event-goers can find sweet treats at the funnel cake stand. A food truck also will be offering items for purchase. Holiday games will keep the fun going as people can tour the Balmoral Amenity Village, featuring Texas’ first Crystal Clear Lagoon. Model homes in the community also will be available for touring.
The event is open to the public and tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children and can be purchased at the door. Balmoral residents get preferential advantages, with access at 1 p.m., a free meal ticket and no fee.
While we still have nearly a whole month before Christmas, we all know that preparations for the big day have to start early. How many of us put up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving? How many of us put up the lights that following weekend? And who else has decorating done by the first week of December? For a lot of us, Christmas starts early, but for some of us, the holidays are a process. Let us help with that process with some great Christmas décor trends and ideas that are sure to inspire!
This year, white is in! It sounds simple but white snow and faux furs complement a home’s white walls and make for a wonderful winter wonderland! But no white décor is complete without bold pops of red — like mistletoe, cranberries, red plaid and pomegranates. Fruit and berries add a rustic yet elegant touch to your home’s modern décor.
Red fruits aren’t the only options this holiday season. Go natural with a modern twist on holiday décor. Interior designer Tobi Fairley suggests, “Use fresh evergreen boughs, garlands and wreaths combined with in-season citruses like lemons, tangerines, and oranges.” This green and citrus-centered color palette is sure to impress — all the while giving your home a beautiful natural atmosphere and a wonderful citrus scent!
String lighting has come a long way over the past couple of years. A trip to your local craft store can yield some incredible finds. Most decorative wire and micro lighting come accompanied with a battery pack, which opens the door to countless new lighting opportunities. From the fireplace mantle to the kitchen centerpiece, add a little sparkle to any area of the home.
Gold is always in when it comes to holiday décor and as it turns out, gilding is much easier and more fun than you’d expect. Take any fruit, pinecone, Christmas ornament, etc., and give it a golden touch with this fun and easy tutorial. Let the gold pieces accent your main colors (perhaps the white and red) for an elegant tone throughout the home.
How will you make your home the perfect home for the holidays? The only thing that could be more perfect is a new home in Balmoral.
Family traditions are what we remember most about the holidays, and it’s never too late to start a new tradition. Start making holiday memories by adding place settings to your holiday routine. Gather the family and get creative — or even crafty — with these fun and simple table settings that can really add a touch of elegance to your next big holiday meal. Give the kiddos something to be proud of while they impress your guests with a fun and festive tablescape this holiday season.
Photo from https://www.sandandsisal.com/2014/11/coastal-thanksgiving-table.html
The first setting in our list only calls for five items and can be put together fairly quickly. You’ll need satsuma mandarins (or any other small citrus fruit – preferably with the stem still attached), a handful of star anise, candles/candleholders of your choice, white gift tags, small alphabet stamps and ink. Finding the citrus fruits can be a fun trip in and of itself. Whether you find them at a local market or a farmer’s market, these little guys are the staple of this bright autumn setting. You can stamp on holiday phrases such as “thankful” or “give thanks” or use them as nameplates for the family to give it that personal touch. The star anise is not only delicately beautiful, but it also smells amazing and reminds you of all the delicious spiced food we enjoy in the fall.
Kraft paper plays a huge role in many of the modern table setting trends of 2018. This timeless, inexpensive and versatile material allows for bounds of creativity, and here are just a couple of ideas for how to use it this holiday season. Using a white paint marker, you can create a personalized “place card/placemat” right on your kraft paper runner. Round out the look with a marble palette for dishware and sea green- to celadon-toned centerpieces. You can add to this idea or leave it out for a fun and simple way to spruce up the runner. You can use edge punchers (found at any local craft shop) to give the runner a delicate yet elegant touch. Ribbons make for great napkin ties and can be adorned with a plethora of different leaves and berries and can be tied together with a name card for this fun family project. Lastly, kraft paper can be laid out on children’s tables with mini terracotta pots filled with crayons for a fun dinnertime activity.
Lastly, in true Balmoral fashion, you can utilize a stunning sky blue- and sand-based palette for a coastal holiday setting! Small baby boo white pumpkins (yes, that’s really what they’re called) with name tags tied with raffia make pretty little place cards — perfect for this elegant seaside motif.
Whether this is your first year in Balmoral or you’ve been calling Balmoral home for a while now, we know the holidays will always be unforgettable when you’re home.