Holidays

Behind the Kitchen Door

For the holiday host, an unflappable attitude goes a long way. The guests were due in minutes. I’d pulled a whole beef tenderloin from the oven, sliced it, and arranged it on a platter before running upstairs to zip into a dress for the Christmas formal. My college housemates and […]

by Constance Costas

Eggnog Eccentricities

While some are content with a carton or two of Richfood or Lucerne eggnog, many Virginians have secret family recipes. fpx23600 It’s rich and creamy and can’t be beat for washing down ham biscuits and frosted cookies or just taking the edge off the inevitable yuletide stress. From its commanding spot […]

by hubbard valerie

(More) Holiday Sides

These Thanksgiving side dishes wonderfully double for any festive celebration. Chef Harper, Harper’s table, Suffolk, Sweet potatoes Walter Bundy Shagbark, Richmond For Walter Bundy, Thanksgiving at his grandparents’ summer home on the Piankatank River was always filled with extended family, and kids everywhere. But the gathering, which continues to this day, […]

by Staff

Holiday Sides

These Thanksgiving sides easily double for any holiday get-together. Chef Tyler Thomas, River and rail, Va Oyster and Cornbread dressing Tyler Thomas The River and Rail Restaurant, Roanoke Chef Tyler Thomas, River and rail, Va Oyster and Cornbread dressing Every chef dreams of a day off, and for […]

by Staff

12 Wreaths of Christmas

Master florist Agnes Stillfried finds inspiration in nature. (Photo by Adam Ewing) An unpaved drive winds between the fenced fields of Travelers Rest Farm. With horses to the left and a gaggle of geese on the right, the approach feels timeless. Behind the main house and a guest house (where George Washington […]

by Konstantin Rega

Local Cheer

Some must-visit Christmas celebrations around the state. From iconic markets like Richmond’s Bizarre Bazaar to fledgling events like Middletown’s Kris Kringle Market at Belle Grove, Virginia plays host to a bevy of holiday artist hubs teeming with locally made goods. You’ll find baked treats and jewelry from more than 60 vendors at […]

by Staff

Beyond Jelly Beans

Easter egg hunts grow up. Shutterstock Bottle of red wine and tulip flowers in gift basket for Women’s day and month, Mother’s Day, birthday Easter egg hunts aren’t just for children. Many breweries, cideries, and wineries around the state will celebrate the holiday with grownup egg hunts featuring prizes for the over-21 […]

by Vayda Parrish

Never More Merry

Virginia’s earliest Christmas celebrations. (Illustration by Robert Meganck) The first Virginia Christmas found the Jamestown adventurers far from home and far from merry. Although it was spring when the three English ships landed in the New World, the men had so neglected the fundamentals of survival in their rush for gold and […]

by miley theobald mary

Magnificent Magnolia

Decorating the house with fresh greenery is a holiday tradition—and, with its big, glossy leaves, this Southern belle rules the season. (Photography by Patricia Lyons) When I was a docent at the Valentine Museum in Richmond, I had some visitors from up north walk out into the courtyard and ask, “Is that a […]

by brown steers paula

Christmas Decorating

This historic mansion is decked out for Christmases present and future. Robert Radifera Photography Homeowners and empty nesters Donna and Garon Stutzman made a seemingly improbable leap when they traded a Chesapeake Bay waterfront farm in Maryland for the historic Old Denton estate in prime Orange County hunt country, in the heart of […]

by Charlotte Safavi

A Sweethaven Country Christmas

Northern Virginia author Heidi Speece takes a tour of a secret sweet spot. Nestled on the outskirts of Williamsburg lies a hidden treasure—the beautiful, 135-acre Sweethaven Lavender Farm. This past weekend, visitors could travel back to a simpler time at the farm’s annual Country Christmas. Complete with hayrides, holiday goodies, and local […]

by Heidi Speece

Christmas Wrapping

Interior designer Pamela Harvey mixes memories with modern updates in her home. (Photography by Stacy Zarin Goldberg) When Pamela Harvey decorates her home for Christmas, she leaves no room untouched. This year, the interior designer, who divides her time between Northern Virginia and St. Petersburg, Florida, trimmed her red-brick colonial in a […]

by Staff

A Gardener’s Guide to Holiday Greens

Simple ways to bring the festive bounty inside. (All photos by Adam Ewing) It happens every year. We get big, crafty ideas about homemade wreaths and fresh-cut garlands gracing mantels and winding up staircases, just like the pictures in decorating magazines. But when the pine boughs zag where they should zig, […]

by Madeline Mayhood

The Gifting Muse

Museum shops yield inspired holiday gifts. If you prefer your shopping with a side-order of art and history, museum gifts shops around the state yield some great giftable home-decor finds. From local art to tableware to historic reproductions, we’ve scoured Virginia’s museums and historic sites to bring you a few of our […]

by Staff

Photo Essay: Lights and Laughs

Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens delivers beauty and wonder. Online Exclusive: A surprisingly pleasant evening, the stroll around Lewis Ginter’s gardens strung with lights was stylish and breathtaking. As expected, the design and color palette of the lights was tasteful and fun (for all ages). As […]

by Konstantin Rega

Craving Cranberries

Add a splash of color and a zing of flavor with cranberries.

by Staff

Here We Come A-Wassailing

An Anglo-Saxon tradition approximately 1,500 years old, and an early ancestor to eggnog and other end-of-the-year holiday drinks, wassail is also one of the oldest American holiday beverages. The mulled cider or wine beverage is served warm and often

by Staff

The Tasteful Gift

Let your imagination take flight with inspired ideas for presenting homemade cookies and treats, the most timeless of gifts.

by Staff

Wrap Star

As a kid, the author’s wrapping skills were notoriously horrible, especially compared with his three sisters’.

by Stuart M. Perkins

Pages: 1234

Events

March 21, 2025

Clay Creations: A Ceramic Celebration Exhibition – Call for Entries

Crossroads Art Center

March 21, 2025

Milk Tide

Reynolds Gallery

March 21, 2025

February – March @ Art Works!

Art Works

10 Speakeasies Across Virginia & How to Find Them

Tucked in hidden alleyways and behind disguised doors lie some of the state’s best-kept secrets … and cocktails. Speakeasies promising vintage vibes and low-light charm dot the map far and wide, but where to find them? Here are 10 to get you started on a journey to delicious drinks and illicit adventures of 1920s allure. […]

by Hope Cartwright

Ensuring Loudoun County’s Country Roads Remain Rural

By Regan Hofmann Something happens when you leave the pavement. Suddenly, the journey becomes more about where you are than where you are going. You have arrived somewhere special even though you are still on your way. Whether it’s the tire of your car or bike, your sneaker, or a horse’s steel-clad shoe that crosses […]

by Staff

Top 10 Must-Visit Spring Festivals for 2025

Highland County – MAPLE FESTIVAL March 8–9 & 15–16: Virginia’s “sweetest event of the year” brings maple syrup to the scenic streets of Monterey, McDowell, Bluegrass, and other Highland County towns. Enjoy maple sugar camp tours, pancake meals, and maple donuts. HighlandCounty.org Charlottesville – THE VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK March 20–23: Virginia authors converge […]

by Hope Cartwright

Holidays

Behind the Kitchen Door

Current Issue

Events

Clay Creations: A Ceramic Celebration Exhibition – Call for Entries

Milk Tide

February – March @ Art Works!

Most Popular

10 Speakeasies Across Virginia & How to Find Them

Ensuring Loudoun County’s Country Roads Remain Rural

Top 10 Must-Visit Spring Festivals for 2025

Holidays

Behind the Kitchen Door

Current Issue

Events

Clay Creations: A Ceramic Celebration Exhibition – Call for Entries

Milk Tide

February – March @ Art Works!

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Most Popular

10 Speakeasies Across Virginia & How to Find Them

Ensuring Loudoun County’s Country Roads Remain Rural

Top 10 Must-Visit Spring Festivals for 2025

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Get our most popular
weekly newsletter: VL Today

Get our most popular
weekly newsletter: VL Today