With this December CityView magazine, the year is almost to a close. I can’t help but pause and think, “Where has the time gone?” But before I start nostalgically reminiscing on the past year any further, the winter season’s holiday cheer has come knocking on our door.
Our “Home for the Holidays” issue is here! And so are many holiday celebrations observed in different ways in our community.
Bodhi Day, a Buddhist holiday that celebrates the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama and his becoming of the Buddha, kicks the month off on Dec. 8. Nearing the end of December, Yule, the Wiccan and Pagan celebration of the winter solstice, takes place Dec. 21, followed by Hanukkah, which begins Dec. 25 — the same day as Christmas — and then Kwanzaa, which starts the following day on Dec. 26.
Here in Fayetteville and Cumberland County, we have events and parades that mark the time to come together at home, however that may look like for you, for the holidays.
The beloved Fayetteville tradition of the Yuletide Feaste is back! Huzzah! The Renaissance-style theater performance enjoyed over a delicious dinner makes its return on Dec. 14 at Haymount United Methodist Church presented for the first time by the Cumberland Choral Arts.
Dec. 14 is a big day for our lovely city — that morning, downtown Fayetteville will also be celebrating the silver jubilee of the annual Rotary Christmas Parade. A key celebration in our community for 25 years, this year will bring new floats as well as beloved staples to the procession.
The holidays may bring comfort and peace for some, but for others they can spark longing. People also may be grieving loved ones lost during holidays past, as the winter holidays, according to the American Heart Association, is a time of increased heart attack deaths. During these emotionally activating times, Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Funeral Service Education program trains individuals to help bring comfort and peace during some of the most challenging moments in life, no matter the time of year.
Two individuals with deep ties to the area have come home this past year. Shannon Bell became the new director of philanthropy at Cape Fear Botanical Garden in August. And Scott Embry is United Way of Cumberland County’s new executive director, kicking off his position earlier this year in April.
Our columnists this month bring you into their homes during the holidays: one shares how the best gifts she’s received aren’t always wrapped; another thinks through whether DIY or outsourcing help for holiday decoration is best; the next shares how military families don’t always get to come home for the season and learns about Hanukkah; and the last offers her choice of the top six books to give as gifts.
In addition to the Yuletide Feaste and the Rotary Christmas Parade, December is full of other events, holiday-themed and not. Find our monthly To-Do List here.
Finally, were you at Cumberland County Schools’ Exhibition Powwow at the Crown Complex or the 28th Annual Veterans Day Parade in downtown Fayetteville? Check our website and social media to see if we spotted you.
As 2024’s final magazine shows you, the holiday season and being home for the holidays looks and feels different for everyone.
We hope this issue can help spark some holiday warmth amid the cold of December.
Thank you for reading!
Editor’s note: The CityView November “Giving Issue” magazine incorrectly stated Jeremy Fiebig’s title as Associate Professor of Performing and Fine Arts at Fayetteville State University. Jeremy’s official title is Professor of Theatre. The digital version of the article and magazine issue have been updated with the correct information. CityView apologizes for this error.
Read CityView magazine’s “Home for the Holidays” December 2024 e-edition here.
