NOC welcomes Santa

Meet Santa at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Swain County at one of three events coming up next month. 

Book your Winter Lights tickets

Dubbed ‘Asheville’s brightest holiday tradition,’ Winter Lights opens Friday, Nov. 17, with the brilliant display open daily 6-10 p.m. through Sunday, Dec. 31, at the N.C. Arboretum. 

My Ghost of Christmas Past

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor | My visit with the ghosts of my past, present and future…

Trimming the tree and taking stock

My grandfather once told me that on Christmas Eve his family would go find a tree in the woods and then spend the evening trimming the tree and adorning it with lit candles. The family enjoyed its glory for one night only. He mentioned this story on several occasions and each time, his eyes would alight. What made it so magical for him was the brevity. When we know we only have a few hours to embrace an experience, we do not take it for granted. 

Dark Chocolate Thin Mint Cookies

These rich, dark chocolate, thin mint cookies are not as heavy and filling as other holiday cookies. They serve as the perfect slice of holiday goodness for otherwise “average” December days. Each of which can, and should, be celebrated in their own little way.

An Exercise in Spirit Speak

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor | It’s the holiday season! This time of peace and joy is key to communicating with your angels and guides. 

Your one and only Christmas 2022

As they say, “What screws us up the most in life is the picture in our head of how it’s supposed to be.” We hold images in our minds and expectations in our hearts of how our existence should unfold and when it doesn’t go that way, we often feel we’ve failed ourselves and those we love.

Resurrecting the joy of the holidays

I have felt disconnected from the holidays ever since my mom passed away six years ago. Throw a divorce, two moves and a pandemic in the mix and things really get wonky when the goal is to be joyful. 

Haywood Tree to serve as Capitol Christmas tree, prompt spruce restoration efforts

Sometime around 1940, a red spruce seedling pushed above the forest floor in southern Haywood County. Its roots drank from the moist soil, and each year the tree grew taller and stronger.

5 Ways to Manage Holiday Stress

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, right? Or at least that’s what the Hallmark movies tell us... While the holiday season is traditionally known as a time of cheer and fun, you can’t argue that this time of year can be incredibly stressful and mentally taxing. Whether it be finances, family stress, the pandemic, or gathering preparations, the holiday season gifts us its fair share of stressors and anxiety. 

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