North Carolina: One of America’s Most Festive Christmas Towns
Once you’ve finished decorating your living space, crafted some holiday gifts and decorations, and organized your party, you may want to set aside a few days to unwind before Christmas arrives. For many, the holiday season is about spending quality time with friends and family and taking a break.
There are several destinations where you can take a short getaway to recharge, do some Christmas shopping, or relax. These places offer beautiful scenery, charming inns, and a unique small-town atmosphere. This year, if you’re considering a getaway, House Beautiful magazine has compiled a list of festive Christmas towns in the U.S.
North Carolina’s Asheville makes the list.
Biltmore secures the 15th spot in the ranking. The magazine emphasizes the festive atmosphere at the historic Vanderbilt mansion in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This is particularly true during the Christmas season. The magazine also notes the extensive decorations, food offerings, and overall festive experience make it worth the trip. Additionally, the town itself has plenty of festive sights.
According to Biltmore’s official website, visitors can partake in two unique holiday experiences. During the day, guests can explore the rooms. They are decorated with Christmas trees, ribbons, garlands, and thousands of twinkling lights. In the evening, a different ambiance takes over, with the glow of candlelight, the “warmth of crackling” fireplaces, and live musical performances.
Interestingly, A Biltmore Christmas was filmed on the estate last January, as stated on the website. It is scheduled to premiere on the Hallmark Channel on November 26 as part of the network’s annual Countdown to Christmas event. Furthermore, on November 2, Biltmore will release a new mini-documentary on YouTube and Facebook, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the popular Christmas experience at Biltmore.
Breaking the Silence on Holiday Season Gripes and Pet Peeves
Lines for everything
Navigating long lines during the holiday season can be an exercise in patience that even the most serene people find challenging. Whether at the grocery store, post office, or the local mall, the holiday rush seems to transform a quick errand into a long wait. A never-ending line is basically a holiday tradition in itself. Make sure your phone batteries are charged!
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Holiday music on repeat
During the holiday season, the sounds of festive music fill the air, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere. It’s all fun and games until you realize you’ve heard Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” for the hundredth time. And then there’s “Jingle Bells,” another oldie but goodie. It’s like they’re on a never-ending loop, and you can’t help but wonder if there are only three holiday songs in existence.
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Working in retail
Working in retail during the holiday season can feel like diving headfirst into a whirlwind of pure chaos. The stores are packed, shelves need constant restocking, and the card reader took an unexpected break. It’s a time where shoppers are frantically racing through the aisles, grabbing items, and forming lines that seem to snake around the store for miles. The employees working tirelessly to assist customers and maintain order are caught in the middle of this retail frenzy. While they do their best to provide a pleasant shopping experience, it’s important to remember that they would much rather be enjoying festive moments with their own families during this season. So be nice them! By the way, they really are listening to the same holiday songs on a loop for hours. Give them a break.
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Shopping chaos
Holiday shopping can undoubtedly be a hectic and, at times, frustrating experience. you’re at the store, on a mission to grab the last ingredient for Grandma’s famous holiday pie. But just as you’re about to reach for it, you lock eyes with a stranger who’s after the same thing. That moment is like a standoff in the Wild West, all over a bag of flour. Adding to the chaos, you may find empty shelves where popular items once stood, creating an unexpected obstacle in your quest.
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Gifts
Let’s dive into gifts. It’s the perfect way to demonstrate to our loved ones that we might not have the slightest clue about their preferences, principles, or hobbies. Even worse is when you receive a gift that strikes a profound emotional chord, bringing tears to your eyes. But then, you awkwardly hand over a $25 gift card to a place the giver will probably never visit or have any use for. It’s a gift-giving conundrum that we’ve all encountered at some point.
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Holiday travel
Holiday travel presents unique challenges when the festive season is in full swing, whether you’re flying, driving, or using any other mode of transportation. The holiday rush is a reality, as travelers, often in great numbers, journey to their destinations. For instance, at airports, security lines can be incredibly long, and flights are typically operating at full capacity, or sometimes delayed.
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Awkward office parties
Office holiday parties have a knack for creating moments of both amusement and discomfort. They are the time when we willingly set aside our professional disparities, personality clashes, past workplace romances that didn’t quite pan out, competitive tensions, and various other workplace misgivings. All this to gather around with our co-workers and maybe some adult beverages, attempting to strike up friendly conversations while nibbling on homemade meatballs. It’s the one occasion where you’d better have your small talk ready. And moderate your intake, unless you want to be the subject of gossip the next day.
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Uncomfortable family dinners
Family dinners during the holiday season can take unexpected turns, turning into a theater of the awkward. Conversations can quickly veer into weird territory, be it heated debates about current events, the introduction of a new partner, or the subtle art of avoiding that one unpredictable relative who may or may not remember your family connection. Among these dynamics, there’s often an older family member who, after a few drinks, enthusiastically recounts your family history in a spirited, if slightly inebriated, manner. In these moments, you might discover surprising connections, like being loosely related to someone famous like Oprah Winfrey.
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Holiday cards
The pressure of sending out the perfect family holiday card is a holiday tradition in itself. Do you opt for the charming matching pajamas, a cozy rustic flannel theme, or perhaps the classic matching sweaters? Deciding can be a challenge, but even before you tackle that choice, your entire family must cooperate and wear the selected outfits. Then comes the meticulous process of addressing and sending out the cards, making sure not to overlook anyone. Because you definitely can’t risk your long-lost cousin not getting that family holiday card, even if you haven’t talked to them in ages.
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Elf on the shelf
Many parents have reservations about holiday traditions such as Elf on the Shelf. For some, the idea of a toy that conveys the message that children are being monitored can be unsettling. Others are uneasy with the implication that good behavior should be solely motivated by the prospect of surveillance and receiving gifts. The lead-up to Christmas is already a whirlwind for parents, and the thought of adding another task to the to-do list can be daunting. The phrase “Oh no, I forgot to do something with the elf!” is common. However, the desire to witness the pure joy and excitement on their children’s faces often propels parents to engage in these “elf escapades” and share them on social media. Even if it’s done with a bit of friendly competition in mind. Yes, that one friend on Facebook who is taking it to the extreme.
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Decorations
Holiday decorations are a bittersweet mix of joy and occasional frustration during the holiday season. The simple act of untangling the Christmas lights can turn into an Olympic-level challenge, while assembling and decorating the tree often leads to moments where you get lost in the tinsel and frantically search for the tree topper. Accidentally breaking a cherished, fragile ornament that’s been a part of the family tradition for years can be heartbreaking. Taking everything down after the festivities have ended is another task that can feel daunting. Finding the right way to store all those holiday decorations for the next year can be a puzzle in itself.
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