Our editor in chief remembers the handmade, heartfelt holiday decorations that her parents would lovingly put up each year — and how, over time, that same love has carried her mother through the Christmas season.
In the 18th century, a group of German Protestants called Moravians settled in the Piedmont. Now, our state embraces their Christmas traditions and iconic star.
When the days darken and the natural world seems to slow, these crimson creatures offer a symbol of hope and love, serving as a harbinger for lively times ahead.
Hailing from a family of creatives and avid birders, Mocksville artist Christopher Poplin crafted his first cardinal figurine in 2023 and has since watched it soar in national popularity.
To help conserve North Carolina’s coastal wildlife, a Carteret County artist teams up with a Triad-based Santa.
In Orange County, a printmaker adds state symbols to her eco-friendly wrapping paper for thoughtful gift-giving.
For nearly a century, one miniature abode has made its way into a handful of Gaston County backyards — and into the hearts of the children who’ve made the playhouse theirs.
A nonprofit in Forsyth County helps people in need furnish their homes with necessities and even items they secretly dream of, like a plush pink couch.
Inspired by our country’s copper-clad symbol of freedom, the Boy Scouts of America installed a little Liberty in New Hanover County.
All aboard! This magic-filled train ride through a Montgomery County wonderland includes seasonal sweets, plenty of cheer, and a few extra-special passengers.
On the Outer Banks, descendants of the Wright brothers and those who saw them fly imagine what it was like to soar into the wild blue yonder for the first time.
An Asheville dad found success in his engineering career, but some sage wisdom from his young daughter helped him realize his lifelong dream of becoming an author.
On pastures in the Foothills, a young couple and their tiny helpers tend cattle at Colfax Creek Farm. Come Christmastime, their steaks and short ribs, rib eyes and roasts anchor many seasonal spreads.
For our recipe developer, lifting the lid off a familiar box each year revealed a tradition that she came to appreciate with age.
Turn a festive box of pears into spiced preserves you can spread on biscuits, muffins, or serve with cheese.
You need only six ingredients to make this elegant dessert that dresses up warmed pear halves with a dollop of whipped cream.
No boring salads here. Toss salad greens with tender pear slices, pecans, and a blue cheese vinaigrette for a burst of fresh flavors that embrace a sweet and savory balance.
For an appetizer that vanishes from the party spread, layer puff pastry with jam, country ham, sliced pears, and creamy goat cheese crumbles.
The thrill of the hunt takes on new fervor during the holidays. Seek and find in Randolph County, where the bounty of antiques can tempt a picker to abandon her list.
Follow U.S. Route 64 into the heart of North Carolina — and find your way into the past.
Communities across the state celebrate the holiday season with sparkling lights, vibrant displays, and festive events that bring joy to the world.
Watch our video to see this Rutherford County town sparkle with holiday magic.
In 1931, a High Point salesman turned a simple child’s toy into the Fli-Back paddle ball, a worldwide sensation that entertained millions of kids — and helped create North Carolina’s very own Paddle Ball King.
For a pair of empty nesters, abundance under the tree — and a careful choreography of ribbons and wrapping paper — keeps the magic of Christmas morning alive all season long.
A hotel with an iconic exterior has come to epitomize Asheville’s reputation as a wellness destination. At the Omni Grove Park Inn, guests come to rest, relax, and remember.
Eleven Our State authors share stories about the role light plays in their holiday celebrations.
For more than 50 years, a dazzling chandelier has hung in the dining room of the Executive Mansion in Raleigh. Only recently has its remarkable backstory been fully illuminated.
Once the pride of Carteret County, the Christmas displays on Harkers Island had grown dim. Buoyed by bright memories of holidays past, a group of locals brought back the lights.
This Chowan County town’s Christmas Candlelight Tour embodies how generosity and hospitality can spread warmth and goodness into the world, one light at a time.
North Carolina’s celebrated homes and historic districts are never more beautiful than by candlelight at Christmastime.
For one night each holiday season, Historic Rosedale hosts a candlelight Christmas tour in the place where two celebrations — one held upstairs by the owners, the other downstairs by the enslaved residents — once shared the same home.
At Burge Flower Shop, Randolph County residents find comfort, joy, and inspiration by the bouquet.
Each Christmas in the Granville County town of Oxford, a pair of loving “house parents” at the Masonic Home for Children brings holiday joy to a mixed brood in matching jammies.
In Greensboro, a daytime display delights the neighborhood — and strengthens the bond between father and son.
For a mom in Charlotte, what began as a simple collection of vintage African American angels, dolls, and other keepsakes has transformed her home into a place of year-round Christmas cheer.
When it comes time to decorate for Christmas, one Montgomery County writer and her family decorate their homestead with gifts from nature: pine cones and vines, holly berries and fallen leaves.
A pair of mother-daughter innkeepers inherited a love of hosting from their expansive family. At Christmastime, they welcome guests to their historic lodge in Stanly County.
A historian celebrates the holidays in Lumberton, inside a lavish manor that he’s reclaimed for the ancestor who laid its foundation.
At one of the finest Victorian homes in North Carolina, more is more, especially at Christmastime. On tours, visitors learn about the home’s colorful past in Hickory and the role it played in family memories.
