Good morning, Raleigh. ☃️ Erin here. Since moving to Raleigh, my family has established two unwavering holiday traditions: on Thanksgiving Day, we drive out to Back Achers Christmas Tree Farm to pick up a fresh NC Fraser Fir + before December 25, we add at least one new ornament to our collection — like the locally-made glass narwhal (pictured below) from NOFO at the Pig.

Earlier this month, we asked you to share your local traditions and boy, have we loved reading all the responses.

Narwhal ornament | purchased 2019 at NOFO at the Pig

Here are some of the most unique and Raleigh-centric stories and traditions we received:

🎁 @susie_orourke — “Walking through City Market when the stores are all lit up and going to their Christmas market!”

🎁 @ck.creations — “Chasing Christmas lights up Creedmoor Road with a peppermint mocha from Sola Coffee.”

🎁 Carly D. (RALtoday editor) — “I love sipping holiday cocktails at The Haymaker once it’s been fully decorated.”

🎁 Stephen D. — “Each year, as our kids get older, we add a new and smaller pickle ornament to our tree. The Christmas pickle game is a classic one dating back to 19th century Germany.”

🎁 Pete L. — “For the first night of Hanukkah, my wife always cooks traditional latkes and I make a brisket. It’s one of our favorite traditions to invite friends and family over to enjoy a big meal together before lighting the first candle in our menorah.”

🎁 Shelby R. — “Driving through Historic Oakwood to look at the lights. In years past they have had a roaming brass band playing carols + this Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. musicians are doing social distanced stands at Polk and Bloodworth streets. It’s magical.”

🎁 Laurie T. — My husband and I moved to Apex from Massachusetts in 2019 — before that, we spent every Christmas Eve at his parents’ house in Bristol, Rhode Island. At midnight we’d then open presents, have a champagne toast and eat French macarons. This year, they'll be staying with us to keep those traditions going in NC!

🎁 Susan Y. — “I am a huge holiday fanatic (raised celebrating Hanukkah as well as Christmas, so double the fun)! ️One of my favorite traditions is riding around in the car with hot chocolate or hot apple cider + checking out the Christmas lights in various neighborhoods. We love the ones in Stonehenge off Creedmoor Road in North Raleigh!”