Moravian Christmas in Winston-Salem 2026: Candle Tea, Old Salem and Sugar Cake

Winston-Salem started as a Moravian town, and every December you can still see it. Stars hang on porches, sugar cake shows up at the office, and people line up on South Main Street for Candle Tea. If you're new to the area, or thinking about moving here, these are the traditions locals look forward to all year.

Here's where to find them this season. Dates and prices below are from each organizer's own page as of early November. Things can change, so check before you go.

Candle Tea at the Single Brothers' House

Candle Tea is hosted by Home Moravian Church in the historic Single Brothers' House in Old Salem. For a lot of local families, it marks the start of Advent.

The tour takes about an hour and 45 minutes. Costumed volunteers share the history of the Moravians in Salem, there are carols in the Saal with an 18th-century organ, a beeswax candle-making demonstration, coffee and sugar cake in the old kitchen, and the Salem Putz, a miniature scene of early Salem, along with the nativity.

• 2026 dates: Thursday to Saturday, December 3 to 5, and Thursday to Saturday, December 10 to 12
• Hours: 1 PM to 7:30 PM on the Thursdays and Fridays; Saturdays open at 10:30 AM (December 5) and 11:30 AM (December 12)
• Tickets: $9 general admission, $5 for children 3 to 12, free for children under 3

Reservations are recommended because tickets sell out, though the church says walk-ups can usually get in with a wait. Good to know: the building is historic, with three steep flights of stairs and no elevator. Tickets are on Home Moravian Church's Candle Tea page.

Christmas Saturdays and evening tours in Old Salem

Old Salem Museums & Gardens runs a full season of Christmas events:

• Christmas Kick-Off: Saturday, November 28, 10 AM to 4 PM
• St. Nick at Old Salem & the Moravian Market: Saturday, December 5, 10 AM to 4 PM
• ChristmasFest: Saturday, December 12, 10 AM to 4 PM, with the Moravian Music Foundation
• St. Nick Returns to Salem: Saturday, December 19, 10 AM to 4 PM

The Saturday events are included with general admission.

For something smaller, the Joy of Christmas Evening Tours are hour-long, hands-on tours of the Miksch House, the Vogler House and the Single Brothers' Workshop, with how Christmas traditions changed over time. They run Friday and Saturday nights, November 27 and 28, then December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19. Tours start every 15 minutes from 6:30 to 7:45 PM, and tickets are $40. Each tour is capped at 12 people, so book early. Part of the tour is outdoors on uneven streets, so wear good shoes.

Sugar cake and Moravian cookies

Two local stops for the real thing:

• Winkler Bakery in Old Salem. The bakery dates back to 1807, and its oven is still heated with wood. It bakes sugar cake and Moravian cookies, and Old Salem also sells sugar cake and lovefeast bun mixes online if you want to bake your own.
• Mrs. Hanes' Moravian Cookies in Clemmons. A fourth-generation family bakery on Friedberg Church Road, making handmade Moravian cookies. The store is open Monday to Friday 8 AM to 5 PM and Saturday 8 AM to 4 PM. A tin of Moravian cookies makes an easy gift for neighbors, teachers or clients.

Lovefeasts and Moravian stars

A Moravian lovefeast is a simple service of music, prayer and a shared meal of a sweet bun and coffee. Many Moravian churches around Winston-Salem hold Christmas lovefeasts and Christmas Eve services, often with beeswax candles. Each church posts its own schedule, so check the church you'd like to visit.

You'll also notice the Moravian star, a many-pointed star that hangs on porches, in churches and over front doors all over Forsyth County during Advent. Once you start looking, you'll see them everywhere.

Thinking about calling Winston-Salem home?

December is a great time to get a feel for a place. Browse Winston-Salem homes for sale, read more on our Winston-Salem real estate page, or, if you're closer to Clemmons, see our Clemmons area page. Already own a home and wondering what it's worth before the new year? Get a free home value.

Questions about moving to the area? Call or text Terri Bias and Associates at 336-361-1230.