Some of our staff’s favorite holiday traditions are shared with you! Enjoy this peak into our holiday homes.
The holiday tradition at our house is to decorate every room inside and a Christmas tree on the front porch. Christmas Day dinner is at 1 pm so those traveling can get home before dark. Our menu includes family favorites: turkey, ham, cornbread dressing, corn-on-the-cobb, and Mama’s sweet potato souffle with pecans on top. After dinner, presents are opened followed by singing Christmas carols around the piano.
Jay Wright
I am from a large family. We always gather at the family homeplace or farm in Pickens on Christmas Eve. We set a menu, and everyone pitches in and brings a dish. After dinner, we usually play a Dirty Santa game and the kids open presents. It is a loud and fun time for all with all the great-grandchildren and my great-nieces and nephews in the mix. All together there are more than thirty relatives gathered every Christmas Eve. It is so much fun.
Mary Spearman
Something my family and I like to do at Christmas is go up to McAdenviile, NC to look at their elaborate Christmas lights display. The whole town is lit up and looks magical. There is always a big crowd to see these lights. You can view them by car or walk through the town. It is what the town is known for and a great way to get into the Christmas spirit.
Leann Vaughn
Every year since I can remember our family made Christmas cookies during December but with one twist – they were not allowed to be enjoyed by our family until Christmas morning. We would ship cookies to close friends and families and gift some to delivery people and our daycare (now doggie daycare) staff. Though this tradition of us not eating any until Christmas morning drove me crazy as a kid, I carry it on to this day as an adult! To me, the anticipation makes the cookies even that much sweeter and makes the day even that much more special. I mean after all, how often is it not only acceptable but expected to eat cookies for breakfast? It’s now something all the kids and grandkids look forward to also when I ask what they want for Christmas breakfast while visiting, they all promptly respond “Your Christmas cookies!”
Lisa Marie Carter