The holiday season has officially arrived in Fayetteville, and the city is brimming with festive inspiration.
Store shelves are packed with cozy accessories and seasonal treats, and local restaurants are serving up a nurturing respite for busy shoppers and a welcoming setting to connect with friends.
For individuals of the Christian or Jewish faith, or for those who celebrate Kwanzaa, this season is a time of reflection, generosity, and connection with family and community. Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or simply the spirit of giving, thoughtful presents can honor the values of tradition and togetherness.
Christmas
Christmas, celebrated on December 25, is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon, according to History.com.
Although the holiday is commonly associated with decorated Christmas trees, visits from Santa Claus, sharing meals with friends and family and gift-giving, the heart of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. For Christians, the story of Jesus’s birth is the reason for the season.
In the Christian faith, Advent is the four-week season leading up to Christmas, observed with an Advent wreath and candles. This tradition is practiced by many churches and families in Fayetteville as a time of spiritual preparation and anticipation of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt against the Syrian Greek oppressors over 2,000 years ago. Recapturing the Temple led to establishing an eight-day “Festival of Dedication” or Hanukkah, according to Jennifer Alexander, with the Beth Israel Synagogue in Fayetteville.
Today, Jews celebrate Hanukkah by burning one candle in a menorah each night for eight nights.
This year, Hanukkah starts in the evening on December 14 and runs through December 22. Traditions include feasting on fried foods, including latkes (shredded deep-fried potatoes) and oil-based, dairy-free cakes, Alexander says. Families and friends often get together to spin a dreidel (a four-sided spinning top) and compete for tokens or gold-covered chocolate coins called gelt.
Gifts are not traditionally associated with Hanukkah, Alexander says, but in keeping with the secular practice of giving gifts during the holiday season, some families do exchange gifts.
“The emphasis is on the candles and certain songs we sing, blessings we give, and foods we eat,” she said. “And while gift giving is not typical, a nice bottle of Jewish wine is always welcomed.”
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa celebrates families, communities, and heritage. The seven-day holiday starts on December 26 and runs through January 1. Each day focuses on different principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.
The Umoja Group of Fayetteville invites the community to join its annual Kwanzaa Celebration from 1–4 p.m. on Saturday, December 27, at Smith Recreation Center, 1520 Slater Ave., Fayetteville.
For more than 30 years, the Umoja Group has brought Fayetteville families and friends together to celebrate the principles and values of Kwanzaa, which is a cultural celebration and not a religious one.
Traditionally, members gather at individual homes throughout the week to reflect on the principle of the day, culminating in a vibrant community celebration held on the first Saturday after December 25. Gifts are sometimes exchanged and focus on books, cultural items, art, and hand-created items—stressing culture and creativity and less commercialism
“Kwanzaa gives us an opportunity to celebrate culture, family, friends, and community,” said Wanda Wesley, director of the Umoja Group. “It’s a time to reaffirm our bonds, honor our ancestors, and pass cultural traditions to younger generations.”
Learn more: umojagroupfay.wixsite.com/website
EATS AND TREATS
The gift of food can be a meaningful choice at holiday time. Whether you wrap up a gift certificate for a good meal or a nice bottle of wine, or plan a sit-down function for family and friends, you can’t go wrong with Fayetteville’s restaurant scene. This year, Fayetteville welcomed several restaurants, cafes, and nightspots.
Snowy Town
Snowy Town brings a taste of Korea to Fayetteville with its shaved ice cream and baked delicacies.
The coffee and dessert shop opened its doors on February 14, ushering in a sense of romance and a place to celebrate special occasions, says Sojin Kim, who owns and manages the shop with her husband Kwangsuk Ku.
“This is a new concept in Fayetteville, and we thought Valentine’s Day was the perfect time for a Korean dessert shop where couples can hang out when they’re dating,” Kim said. “So we just picked that day to open.”
First-time restaurant owners, the couple and their family moved to Fayetteville from Seattle, Washington, where Korean shaved ice cream is plentiful. In their new city, this favorite treat was nowhere to be found.
“We had to drive all the way to Raleigh to find the ice cream, because my kids love it so much,” she said.
The couple was keen to start a business in Fayetteville and determined coffee and dessert shop featuring shaved ice cream was just what the area needed. They also sell Korean desserts of all kinds.
Kim describes shaved ice cream as “a milk-based, shaved ice with a soft, fluffy texture like snow.”
And that’s how the shop got its name.
1828 Owen Drive, Suite A, @snowy_town_official on Instagram, 472-248-2659
Bounty Farmhouse Kitchen & Tap
A fresh and flavorful concept has planted roots in Fayetteville, just in time for the holiday season.
Bounty Farmhouse Kitchen & Tap took over the former Mash House Brewing Company and celebrated its grand opening on September 22.
Chris Beal, a fifth-generation Chatham County farmer, brings his North Carolina heritage and passion for farm-to-table dining to every dish.
“Bounty Farmhouse Kitchen and Tap is a dream of mine,” Beal said. “I had always had a passion for farming and for hospitality, and I had a vision to try to blend the two and make that a reality.”
The seasonal meals Beal presents are filled with locally sourced ingredients, including beef from Chatham Meat Company in Chatham County. The restaurant’s clean, spacious design features a large bar area and a double patio for outdoor seating.
Beal maintains the original brewery and serves a variety of house-brewed craft beers, including its signature Red Range Amber Ale and Bountiful Blonde.
“To achieve the quality goals that are part of our vision, we have to be very hands-on in the process,” he said. “It’s a lot of hard work, but the brewery was already here and we were able to capitalize on something that has the potential to be successful.”
From the beginning, Bounty Farmhouse Kitchen & Tap has been fielding an overwhelming number of requests for holiday parties and group events. The restaurant doesn’t take individual reservations but does offer online check-in.
“It is our goal to create a concept that brings Fayetteville elevated flavors directly from North Carolina farms, while also being a great place for families and friends to dine together,” Beal said.
4150 Sycamore Dairy Road, bountync.com, 910-867-9223
HOLIDAY SHOPPING
This year, the area welcomed a plethora of new shops and restaurants to its landscape, adding diversity and charm to a vibrant marketplace where its welcoming holiday vibe sets the tone for exploring what’s new, discovering local businesses, and selecting gifts that feel personal and meaningful for people of all faiths.
CLOTHING, ACCESSORIES & MORE
Chapter House Books
When Annie Clymer and her husband Andrew Ridgeway moved to Fayetteville from upstate New York last year, their new bookstore, Chapter House Books, wasn’t far behind. For Clymer, establishing an independent bookstore felt natural.
“I’ve worked in bookstores my entire adult life, and when we moved down here, I was just ready to take the next step,” she said.
With Chapter House Books, Clymer aims to build a sense of community around people who love to read, and in an age where independent book stores are rare, she is looking forward to tackling any challenges that come her way.
So far, business has been brisk, and the community has embraced her shop.
“It’s been a lot of fun so far,” she said. “I’ve had a positive reception and have felt welcomed into the community with open arms.”
Chapter House sells new, used, and vintage titles. Clymer has started a philosophy book club and plans to launch a subscription service. She hopes to host author events in the new year.
Through her shop, Clymer hopes to pass along her love of reading to others.
“Books are a passage into other worlds and other lives,” she said. “It’s such a joy to read a book, and I think people who love to read would agree that books make their lives richer.”
225 Franklin St., chapterhousenc.com, 910-263-8765
Cavender’s Boot City
This fall, western fashion rode into Fayetteville just in time for the holiday season.
For the urban cowboys and cowgirls in your family or anyone who feels at home on the range, Cavender’s Boot City brings its signature Western style to Fayetteville’s retail landscape.
The 14,000-square-foot store in the Fayetteville Pavilion opened September 26 and held an official ribbon cutting on October 18.
At Cavender’s, shoppers will find wall-to-wall racks and stacks of western wear, including boots as far as the eye can see. A large selection of hats, shirts, jeans, and accessories will outfit the whole family. Cavender’s features well-known labels such as Ariat, Wrangler, and Resistol, in addition to the store’s own line—Rockin’ C, Rafter C, and JRC & Sons brands. The store also offers specialized services, including hat-shaping and boot fitting and stretching.
Store manager Kate Burgess moved to Fayetteville from Stillwater, Oklahoma, to open and run this latest in Cavender’s family of 100 stores across 15 states. The Fayetteville location is the second Cavender’s in North Carolina, joining its sister store at Concord Mills Mall in Cabarrus County near Charlotte.
“I love it here so far,” Burgess said. “Business has been great, and the people are amazing.”
Founded in Texas in 1965, Cavender’s celebrated its 60th anniversary this year.
2065-4 Skibo Road, Unit 4, cavenders.com/storedetails/?StoreID=118, 910-600-0288
Bound and Vine
For months before opening the new Bound and Vine, a new bookstore and wine bar combo, in downtown Fayetteville, Kellie Artis was already creating a strong presence at vendors’ markets, pop-up shops, and events at local breweries.
Bound and Vine now has a home of its own in the former Capital Room event space at 134 Person St. in Fayetteville, and Artis could not be more excited.
“We’re mostly a bookstore, but we wanted to provide reasons for people to stay and make connections, so we added a wine bar,” she said. “We carry both fiction and nonfiction and feature a rotating menu of wine varietals.”
Artis and her husband Andrew are long-time residents of Fayetteville, settling at Fort Bragg when he was stationed there. After his retirement, they decided to deepen their roots by starting a small business. She hopes the new shop will help customers discover new titles and new wines while expanding their palates in both books and beverages.
“We’ve added plenty of seating and are planning wine-tastings, authors’ book signings, and other events,” she said. “We will have space to welcome book clubs and other groups that want a space in a cozy, welcoming refuge.”
134 Person St., boundandvine.com, 472-263-8731
The Little Trunk
Fayetteville native Taylor Henrickson parlayed a teaching career into a small business last fall when she opened The Little Trunk, a precious children’s clothing and accessories shop and embroidery service on Raeford Road, September 27.
Henrickson taught at Alma Easom Elementary School for six years until her daughter, now 2, was born.
“I decided to stay home with her, and bought an embroidery machine to start a home embroidering business,” she said.
When the business outgrew her home studio, she and her husband, Andrew, opened a storefront and added a children’s boutique to her services.
Shoppers can drop in and peruse a selection of clothing and accessories for boys and girls, with monogramming available. Her holiday shop is stocked with seasonal items and clothing perfect for those pictures with Santa.
“When I opened the store, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but business has been steady, and I stay busy on the embroidery side as well,” Henrickson said.
In addition to personalizing items purchased in the store, she also provides embroidery services for items her customers bring in.
“I would say a lot of my embroidering skills come from my personal experience, and I have an eye for children’s clothes,” she said. “It’s about what I love and what I think other moms in the area love too.”
2830 Raeford Road, shopthelittletrunk.com
If you’re looking for even more places to shop and dine for the holidays this year, take a look at our shopping guide and our dining guide from CityView’s DestinationFAY 2025-2026 magazine.
Read CityView Magazine’s “The Holiday Issue” December 2025 e-edition here.