Browsing: Living

Rarely does Mississippi experience a New Year filled with snow and flashy parties, but that doesn’t stop the people from gleefully ringing in the New Year. 

There’s something charming about the way Mississippi rings in the new year. Sure, other places watch a polished crystal ball fall in Times Square, but we prefer seafood, anchors, glowing signs, and celebrations that feel like home. In Mississippi, we drop what we love — and sometimes we keep it classic too.

Chicago has its deep-dish pizza, and foodies flock to Philadelphia for Philly cheesesteaks. Down in New Orleans, the po-boy has a long and storied history. In Oxford, the iconic food most identified with the town is the humble chicken on a stick.

Christmas traditions are important. 

They strengthen family and personal bonds. They also link one generation to the next. When parents pass on activities such as baking tasty treats, watching holiday specials, or decorating a Christmas tree, they pass on values, faith and identity. These experiences allow families to slow down, reconnect and appreciate one another. For children, traditions provide a sense of stability and joy. By sharing traditions with the next generation, it ensures that the message of Christmas endures.

Every Christmas, I find myself thinking less about what’s under the tree and more about what surrounds it. The familiar faces, the shared stories, the traditions that don’t come from a store but from years of being passed down. As the season slows just enough for us to notice, it becomes clear that the most meaningful gifts are often the ones we didn’t realize we were being given all along.

One of the things I miss most about Mississippi is the beautiful, uniquely southern way Christmas is celebrated. Since this will be my first Christmas in Boston, I’ve been contemplating ways to make it feel a little more like home while embracing a new season in my life. 

Oxford was already buzzing last Saturday, but tucked between the Grove and the Ole Miss Student Union stood a quieter symbol of the moment—one that felt just as meaningful as kickoff.

POPLARVILLE — As Mississippi’s blueberry industry faces a steep decline, one Poplarville farm is finding new ways to keep the state fruit growing — from fresh berries to teas, baked goods and even dog treats. 

For Kayla Walker, Lambing Day began not as a book idea, but as a quiet moment of discovery. During Christmas break in 2023, she finally sat down to read The Tower of the Flock: The Christmas Story by Dr. Christine Van Horn—a book that would shift how she understood the nativity story she had known her entire life. What she found were biblical connections and historical details that challenged long-held assumptions and invited deeper reflection.

 Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) has been awarded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) as a READY Grants to Grow recipient. 

MOSS POINT—Across Mississippi, hummingbird feeders have been cleaned and stored until spring migration begins. But, not having a nectar feeder hanging may limit winter guests.

OCEAN SPRINGS—While it is beginning to look at feel a lot like Christmas, it is also time to think about registering children for the 2026 summer camps in coastal Mississippi. Who knows? Maybe summer camp tuition is a great gift!

The 5th Squad began in 2016, founded by four veterans from Mississippi’s 184th Sustainment Command to build a strong brotherhood and address combat isolation in military life. After becoming an official nonprofit, 5th Squad provides immediate, impactful support for fellow veterans in crisis, filling gaps in traditional aid with quick financial help daily living, and rallies veterans together to foster a unique, service-oriented community.

MOSS POINT—The Gulf Coast version of a “white Christmas” is beginning to show with the arrive of the American White Pelican seeking winter refuge from the frigid north.

As the only wassail-tasting festival in Mississippi, Wassail Fest in Columbus offers a rare draw for holiday travelers. The quest for the “Wassail Meister” title turns warm holiday cider into a one-of-a-kind experience that sets Columbus apart during the Christmas season.

MOSS POINT—After being thankful for family, friends and food on Thanksgiving, the whirlwind of Black Friday, Shop Small Saturday and Cyber Monday all focus on getting the best deals on gifts or other purchases. But there is one more, less promoted, day on the calendar that is not about buying, but instead, it is about giving.