The December 2025 issue of Surry Living celebrates the heart of the holiday season with A Surry County Christmas, a reflection on the traditions, people, and places that make this time of year so meaningful in our community. This issue leans into the warmth of gathering together, whether it is around a well worn family table, at a local event, or through the quiet moments that remind us of where we belong. Readers will find stories rooted in holiday traditions, reflections on planting hope for the year ahead, and features that highlight resilience, generosity, and the strength found throughout Surry County. From familiar seasonal sights to thoughtful local voices, the December issue captures the spirit of Christmas as it is truly lived here, thoughtfully, humbly, and together. It is an issue meant to be read slowly, shared often, and revisited long after the decorations are packed away.
Browse Articles Below:
Featured
A Surry County Christmas
Sabrina L. Baker Author/Photographer The crisp winter air drifting through Surry County carries familiar scents that feel like memory itself. There is woodsmoke rising from chimneys, the sweetness of holiday baking, and the quiet hum of families preparing for a season filled with gratitude and gathering. From the glowing windows along Main Street in Mount…
Lifestyle
Fitness Rage with Kage
Kage Pyles Fitness Rage with Kage Holiday tables overflow with casseroles, cookies, and special once a year treats. It is a joyful time, but it can also make it easy to overindulge. Studies show that many adults gain one or two pounds between Thanksgiving and the New Year and most never lose it. It is…
And They Left Another Way
Eddie Lowe Just A Thought As the longest nights of the year settle over us, many people quietly begin wrestling with seasonal depression despite the message of glad tidings the holidays bring. December can be a difficult month. Some struggle to afford Christmas gifts while others brace for the cold that January will soon deliver.…
Home, Farm, & Garden
Navigating Life with a Horse, Faith, and Common Sense
Derina Pyles Horse Sense I was concerned. Traveler had scarcely touched his alfalfa hay and sweet grain for two days. He had also refused to go out and exercise in the pasture, one of his favorite things to do. I had a suspicion about what was bothering him. Now it was time to have a…
Continue Reading Navigating Life with a Horse, Faith, and Common Sense
Planting Hope: How Surry County’s Seed Libraries Are Growing More Than Gardens
Joanna RadfordHome, Farm, & Garden In a quiet corner of the library, tucked between bookshelves and bulletin boards, sits something remarkable: a small cart or table filled with seeds. These aren’t just seeds for vegetables or flowers — they are seeds of hope, resilience, and community. Since 2020, Surry County has become home to a…
Continue Reading Planting Hope: How Surry County’s Seed Libraries Are Growing More Than Gardens
Hope Runs Deep
Larry VanHouse This Little Light of Mine Hope is not loud or showy. It doesn’t arrive with fanfare or glitter. It’s quieter than that. It’s in the way the sun still rises over our ridgelines after the storm. It’s in the hum of saws and hammers as folks rebuild. It’s in the laughter drifting from…
Southern Taste
Holiday Traditions: Family, Food and Fun
Carmen LongSimply Delicious Gatherings with family and friends are some of the most special times of the holiday season. Food tends to make these celebrations even better. For many, a holiday dish brings back memories of someone dear. For my husband Brent, his grandmother’s carrot cake is a holiday favorite. Granny Green did not go…
Departments
Between Rounds with Kevin Pyles
Kevin Pyles, PT Between Rounds Beat Holiday Stress: Thrive This Season The holidays sparkle with promise. Twinkling lights, family gatherings, and festive cheer fill the calendar. Yet for many people they also bring an unexpected wave of stress. A recent American Psychological Association survey found that more than forty percent of adults feel heightened stress…
Blake’s Take
Dear Blake,I am an eighty two year old woman with a husband of nearly sixty years. My husband has always been strong and independent, but lately even walking across the room leaves him exhausted. It breaks my heart to watch him become weaker by the day. I try to stay cheerful for his sake, but…
By Gosh By Josh
Josh Snow, Author By gosh did you know that the earliest settlers of Surry County, North Carolina laid foundations that would shape the region’s culture, economy, and identity for generations to come? Though often overlooked in early American history, the story of Surry County’s beginnings is one of frontier resilience, migration, and community building in…
More to See
‘Fur’ever Friends
Send us a photo of your pet and we may use it here. Email: info@surryliving.comSubject Line: Furever Friends
