Culture

Celebrating Old Christmas in Appalachia

old-christmas-appalachia-carolina-flowers-wreath

This wreath’s dried fruits and berries are reminiscent traditional Appalachian treat or poke bags, which often contained fruit, nuts, and candy. | Photo by @carolinaflowrs

In honor of Christmas in Southern Appalachia, we’re sharing one of our favorite Appalachian Christmas traditions with you: Old Christmas.

A centuries-old Appalachian custom said to originate with Scots-Irish settlers, Old Christmas was celebrated on Epiphany — aka Jan. 6, 12 days after Christmas — which, according to some traditions, is the day the Three Wise Men arrived to bring gifts to Jesus.

Between the Dec. 25 and Jan. 6, communities would gather and celebrate with song, dance, and stories. Old Christmas itself was more serious, with time for prayer, church + family. Instead of multiple gifts, stockings on Old Christmas were often filled with fruit, nuts + candy — something we still see with Appalachian Christmas treat bags, which some locals remember as treat pokes.

Here’s what we know about the beliefs surrounding Old Christmas:

Animals would pray at midnight, either by making lots of noise or actually beginning to speak when the Holy Spirit descended to Earth.
Elder bushes would suddenly sprout from the frozen ground, but not grow any higher until the spring. Other plants would suddenly flower.
Water would transform into wine or blood.
People never loaned anything to anyone on Old Christmas, because they believed it would never be returned if it were borrowed on that day.

Chances are those who celebrate Christmas may still have practices associated with Old Christmas in their house, even if they don’t know it. For instance, Traditionally, Jan. 6 is the day to take down the Christmas tree + decorations.

Want more Old Christmas? Check out this traditional fiddle tune honoring the day.

Note: With the current winter storm, please note events are subject to be postponed or canceled. Be sure to check in with event hosts and businesses via social media to be aware of any cancellations or event updates.

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Friday, Dec. 23

Walking in a Winter Wonderland | Friday, Dec. 23-Friday, Jan. 6 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Grove Street Community Center, 36 Grove St., Asheville | Free | Celebrate the season with a stroll through a festive winter wonderland crafted by the Grove Street crafting club.
Amy Steinberg Holiday Show | Friday, Dec. 23 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Isis Music Hall Lounge, 743 Haywood Rd., Asheville | $30 | This uplifting, soulful performer raises the roof with her joyful noise and spiritual energy.
Art & Chai Tour | Friday, Dec. 23-Saturday, Dec. 31 | Asheville | $40 | Hop on a heated bus, sip chai, and explore Asheville’s under-the-radar street art.

Saturday, Dec. 24

Fancy Marie Christmas Honky Tonk Live | Saturday, Dec. 24 | 2-4 p.m. | Botanist and Barrel, 32 Broadway St., Asheville | Free | Make it a honky tonk holiday with local singer and songwriter Fancy Marie at this first-come, first-serve show.

Sunday, Dec. 25

Christmas Day Breakfast & Brunch | Sunday, Dec. 25 | 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. | Red Stag Grill, 11 Boston Wy., Asheville | $95 per person | Kick off Christmas with a festive holiday a la carte menu and complimentary mimosa.

Monday, Dec. 26

Cardio Endurance Workout | Monday, Dec. 26 | 7-8 a.m. | Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd., Asheville | Free | Boost your cardiovascular health with an hour-long workout.

Wednesday, Dec. 28

Christmas Tamaleada | Wednesday, Dec. 28 | 6-10 p.m. | One World Brewing-West, 520 Haywood Rd., Asheville | Free | Try tamales from from all over Latin American, including Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela + the Honduras, at this delicious Christmas celebration.

Saturday, Dec. 31

Champagne and Shoegaze | Saturday, Dec. 31 | 6-11 p.m. | Burial Beer Co - Forestry Camp Taproom, 10 Shady Oak Dr., Asheville | Free | Raise a glass at Burial’s Forestry Camp Taproom with a curated Champagne selection, oysters by the half dozen, and some killer Shoegaze riffs.*

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Looking for an epic NYE party? Greenville, SC is the ticket. 🍾

Say “cheers” to the new year at this one-of-a-kind event. | Photo by Say Curgan Photography + Max DiNatale Digital Marketing

Rooftop views, top shelf open bar, live DJ + more. No, not NYE in NYC — this is all happening a short drive away in Greenville, SC at Juniper, on top of the AC Hotel.

Party hop between two floors (read: two parties in one) at this all-inclusive event hosted eight floors above downtown Greenville. Pro tip: Walk home (er, next door) from the party by booking a room at the AC Hotel.

Buy tickets — they’re selling fast.*

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Weather

16º | Mostly sunny and windy | 1% chance of rain

Closing

Nick’s Grill (1461 N. Merrimon Ave.) has announced its last day of service will be today, Dec. 23 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The eatery, known for its burgers + gyros, has been in operation for 32 years. 🍔

Civic

Buncombe County is accepting applications for millions of dollars in grants to address needs in local communities. The funds will go to projects in eight designated areas, including affordable housing. Get details on each project’s scope and application deadlines. 💰 (WLOS)

Community

In anticipation of the polar vortex hitting WNC this weekend, the City of Asheville has implemented a Code Purple. It’s also shared a list of resources that will provide shelter and transportation to houseless persons.

Cause

Sip, sip hooray. Through Monday, Jan. 2, Chai Pani will donate a dollar from each Tamarind Margarita sold to the Haywood Street Community Development through the nonprofit’s Benevolent Spirits initiative. The program helps support affordable housing in Asheville. 🍹

Eat

Chef Katie Button has shared a recipe for chocolate ganache cake. The rich sweet treat features layers of fudgey cake drizzled with orange liqueur and topped with decadent ganache. No one would blame you if you served this in lieu of a meal.

Listen

Looking for some new holiday tunes? The Moog Foundation has shared Merry Moog 2022, a collection of vintage holiday music performed on Moog synthesizers. Check it out. 🎵

History

Did you know there are 115 National Historic Places in Buncombe County? Buildings, objects, sites, and city blocks all across Asheville are worthy of preservation. Contact your State Historic Preservation Office if you’ve got a tip on an unsurveyed historic place.

DYK

In a recent list, North Carolina was ranked No. 2 for number of trees harvested and distributed from local Christmas tree farms — which means your friends and family on the other side of the country could very well have a North Carolinian tree in their home this year. 🎄 (Stacker)

Active

Does stress have you feeling twisted? City Editor Brook recently had the chance to try two different classes at Asheville Yoga Center, leaving her feeling relaxed + replenished. See how her full experience went + how you can Try This. Bonus: New students can try five studio classes for a discounted rate of $45. 🧘 *

Biz

Did you know? MB HAYNES shares are 100% employee-owned through their Employee Stock Ownership Program (something they’ve been doing for 100+ years). Here are four ways employees benefit from the program — and how it could work for your small biz.*

Featured Home

Offering privacy in the summer and mountain views in the winter, this beautifully maintained 3 BD, 3 BA home features a gated entrance with an additional driveway to a paved/lighted basketball court and a lofted barn. It’s recently updated, boasts a new HVAC, roof + generator, and sits 15 minutes from AVL. 🏡 *

Drink

Scrambling to find a last minute gift? Enter: Flaviar — a subscription for those who love premium spirits. Send loved ones a gift subscription and they’ll have the opportunity to taste new, rare, and limited edition spirits of their choice each month. 🥃*

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Taking a break

AVLtoday is taking a break

A look at the sun setting over the Asheville cityscape

Our cityscape is even more glorious against a brilliant sunset. | Photo by @ashevillepictures

As we sit down to our laptops for the last time in 2022, it’s nice to reflect back on the year behind us and be thankful for all the great stories we were able to write.

From the city’s best brunches to its fastest-growing startups, we had fun sharing this wonderful city with you. Thank you for being a reader of AVLtoday.

We will be taking a break next week, catching our breath and spending time with friends and family. Your next regularly scheduled newsletter will hit your inbox Jan. 3, 2023. We hope you’re able to step away as well. And if you find yourself with some downtime, here are a few ways to get out there and explore Asheville:

Have a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year.

Brook and Laura

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Brook.

Editor’s pick: Do any of y’all celebrate Old Christmas, or have memories of celebrating it? If so, please let me know. I’d love to hear it.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Brush up on our top stories of 2022.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Hackett, Brook Bolen, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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