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By Amanda McDanel

It only takes one voice, at the right pitch, to start an avalanche. For Mark Ballog, owner of Lucky 12 Tavern and founder of the 12 Bars of Christmas, that voice literally started with a $10 Christmas caroler blow mold his mom purchased for him when he was five years old.

“She gave my sister and I ten bucks and let us each pick our own holiday decoration,” said Ballog. “That was my first blow mold and until 2018, I only had two in my collection.”

If you walk into Jingle 12 Tavern, the holiday pop-up bar staged at Ballog’s restaurant during the 12 Bars of Christmas, you would be hard pressed to believe that in just six short years, his collection has grown to over 200 vintage Christmas decorations. He lovingly curates his collection, sourcing the whimsical pieces from multiple nearby states and stores, before busting out the big show starting on Black Friday each year.

“I wanted to put on a show that would blow people’s socks off,” said Ballog.

Socks, consider yourself torched. The 12 Bars of Christmas was born in 2023 with 12 local bars and restaurants entering full “Operation Christmas Command Center” mode, decking their halls with unique holiday decor, changing their names to festive themed pop-up establishments, designing special menus featuring yuletide snacks and drinks, and creating merry experiences for their guests.

That enthusiasm has translated to bringing heaps of joy to locals and visitors alike, with the 12 establishments working together to stimulate the off-season economy and raise funds for local charities at the same time.

To make the giving side of the 12 Bars of Christmas a lasting tradition, the event organizers teamed up with the Outer Banks Community Foundation to create the 12 Bars of Christmas Fund. This partnership is all about building community spirit and helping local nonprofits in a meaningful way.

Each restaurant partners with a local nonprofit selling a $10 passport to visitors who then visit each of the 12 locations to receive a stamp to complete their Christmas tour. When their passport is completed, they can exchange it for an exclusive 12 Bars of Christmas ornament and they are entered into a drawing for a grand prize. Prizes are donated by local businesses and range from Yeti coolers to a pair of beach cruisers to KitchenAid mixers. All proceeds from the passport sales go directly to the restaurant’s chosen nonprofit.

The restaurants and nonprofits below are paired together for the 12 Bars of Christmas Passport Challenge:

• Jack Frost’s (Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint) – Children Youth Partnership For Dare County
• Christmas Vacation Station (The Outer Banks Brewing Station) – Beach Food Pantry
• North Pole Yacht Club (Blue Water Grill) – Dare County Special Olympics
• Holly Jolly Christmas (Jolly Roger Restaurant) – Interfaith Community Outreach
• Deck The Hulls (Outer Banks Distilling) – North Carolina Coastal Federation
• Jingle 12 Tavern (Lucky 12 Tavern) – OBX Room In The Inn
• McCallister’s Corner (Two Roads Tavern) – Outer Banks Hotline
• ‘Ol Cedar Brown’s (Lone Cedar Restaurant) – Dare Education Foundation
• Poor Rudolph’s (Poor Richard’s Sandwich Shop) – Outer Banks Relief Foundation
• Mama Klaus’s (Mama Kwans) – Surfing For Autism
• The Broken Candy Cane (Bonzer Shack) – Surfrider Foundation, OBX Chapter
• Goombrrrs (Goombays) – The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina

“We’ve been amazed by what these restaurant owners are doing—not just donating to local nonprofits but also creating more opportunities for their hardworking staffs,” said Chris Sawin, president and CEO of the Outer Banks Community Foundation. “It’s such a cool way to bring people together and give back to the community.”

The 12 bars go all-in committing to their chosen theme: from decorations to dishes, everything is carefully curated to bring a one-of-a-kind experience. Specialty appetizers include things you’d find at your grandma’s holiday table like pigs in a blanket, sausage balls, mini cheeseballs and crackers, and Chex mix.

Beyond that you’ll find exclusive dishes such as “green eggs and ham” at the Broken Candy Cane, which transforms into a Grinch themed bar, to “Little Nero’s mini cheese pizza burgers” at McCallister’s Corner, designed after the movie Home Alone.

Christmas themed hot dogs, Peking duck, jelly-of-the-month charcuterie and more give nods to popular pop-culture references that thrill both adults and children alike.

While the offerings also include specialty cocktails such as “You’ll Shoot Your Rye Out” at Goombrrrs, and “Little Red Headed Girl” at ‘Ol Cedar Brown’s, a Charlie Brown themed bar, the events aren’t just for grown-ups. In fact, this year there is a whole focus on including families in the fun with the brand new Kids Quest Passport Challenge.

Children can purchase their own passport for just $5, which encourages not only charitable giving in children, but provides built-in fun. Families can visit each stop where the kiddos are on the lookout for “Orville the Elf” who has sneakily hidden himself at each location. Once they find him and receive three separate stamps on their passport, they will be entered to win one of three grand prizes that can be shared with their friends, including a pizza party for 12, multiple surfboards and an H2OBX package.

“We really wanted to focus on strengthening our community on all levels and the charities and prizes reflect that,” added Ballog.

On top of the passport challenges, each location has rollicking events for all ages scheduled the entire month of December. Adults can sip on a “Peppermint Paddywacker” as they sing along to holiday karaoke, decorate a wreath or craft a snow globe with a cup of hot chocolate, party down to a punk band, practice their two-step with Christmas themed line dancing, or slurp some oysters with Uncle Eddie.

With over 30 events just for the kids, families can bounce from place to place collecting passport stamps, decorating gingerbread houses, creating reindeer ornaments, having lunch with Santa, participating in scavenger hunts, and enjoying big screen movie nights complete with popcorn.

Word on the street is that it’s not just “The Big Man” making appearances, the lineup includes other favorites like The Grinch, Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Ana and Elsa, and Bad Santa. You can even bring your pup to walk in a Weiner Wonderland at the pet costume contest.

Whether you decide to sip on a frosty beverage or prefer to tackle a sweet treat at each stop, there is something for everyone on your list this year at the 12 Bars of Christmas. Now get out there and spread some holiday cheer “ya filthy animal.”

This year, the 12 Bars of Christmas is made possible by a grant from the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.

“Our Event Grant program is designed to support creative ideas like the 12 Bars of Christmas,” said Lee Nettles, executive director of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. “This event is a fantastic way to connect Outer Banks residents and visitors while helping local nonprofits.”

The 12 Bars of Christmas are open now through New Years Eve of 2024.

For more information about the events, passports and participating restaurants, go to 12barsofchristmas.com.

It has never been easier for you to make a real impact in our community! At the Outer Banks Community Foundation, there are countless ways to get involved in philanthropy, and one of the simplest and most effective is by creating a donor-advised fund. Start your journey today and make a lasting difference in the lives of those around us.

The Outer Banks Community Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to fostering philanthropy and supporting local causes. Through its charitable funds and grant programs, the foundation strives to enrich the quality of life for residents of the Outer Banks.

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