The Holiday Magic of Third Placemaking

It’s the most wonderful time of the year again. The grand time when it’s socially acceptable to stuff our faces with pie, hang lights everywhere, sing Christmas carols at the top of our lungs and most importantly, be around the ones we love. As family rolls into town we scramble to entertain, thinking of places to take them that will allow them to feel most at home, while introducing a genuine Charlotte experience. The question on your mind is: how can local businesses take advantage of a host’s natural desire to share a unique experience with their loved ones?  

One example is the Charlotte Christmas Village. The European-inspired Christmas village, located in Romare Bearden park, is back for its second year and expanding its efforts to provide a more authentic experience. The displays of handcrafted gifts and holiday decor alongside beautifully lit Christmas trees, wreaths and garlands gives the space a very cheerful and warm holiday feeling. Some may attribute the warm, fuzzies to mulled wine, but we think holiday cheer can be traced back to the environment. At night, the twinkling lights and “boughs to the walls” décor mimic the look and feel of a quaint European village. Handcrafted gifts, traditional foods, and expertly trimmed trees only scratch the surface of how a space like this is curated to foster community.  

To develop this kind of experience in an event space, experts employ methodologies including third placemaking. The third place is a physical, psychological, or emotional place that helps to create and support a community. Usually, this manifests in a physical space, but not always. Placemaking is an architectural theory outlining how the physical layout of a space may encourage conversation, community, and connection. Holidays are the perfect time to utilize third placemaking. This time of year, we seek out spiritual, psychological and emotional connections with others. Third placemaking is one way businesses may leverage their space and monetize the holiday spirit.  

Holidays are the best times to effectively bring people together. A tight community is the gift that keep on giving. For more questions on how to effectively use placemaking, fill out our contact form below.