Hi there. It’s Amie.

Y’all know I’ve been excited about Christmas since summertime. I can’t help it. I love the glimmering lights, the sweet smells, and all the holly jolly that comes with the season. As planned, we put up our Christmas tree last Saturday, complete with happy holiday music playing in the background. It’s Christmastime at the Knowles home, and that means it’s also time to put some gifts under the tree.

That brings us to Wednesday night. I walked into the Danville Hobby Lobby (a craft and decor store) to pick up some wrapping paper. My heart’s in antiques, so I’m usually very particular about getting paper bag-style gift wrap, making our presents look like they came straight out of Little House on the Prairie. I decided to let loose and be less “serious” this year, so I picked up a bright, colorful roll with dinosaurs and another featuring Santa dancing with his reindeer.

Just as I started wrapping up on the wrapping paper aisle, a woman turned the corner. “Ugh, when did this all become so stressful?” she asked, beginning to look at the same “serious” paper I’m normally drawn to. We connected and commiserated for a few moments, talking about trees, traditions, and (of course) wrapping paper, noting how perfectly we wanted everything to go this year, while also addressing the hardships that come with making that goal a reality. She introduced herself as Melissa, and I shared my name as well. We wished each other a Merry Christmas, and we went our separate ways.

Dear Melissa—if I had it to do over, I’d tell you it’s not about the perfect paper. It’s not about the perfect presents you’re planning to buy for everyone. It’s not about the Snowbaby tree or putting on the perfect holiday display. It’s you, Melissa. You and your honesty. You and your friendliness. You’re the treasure. And while this message may never find you, I hope you find this sentiment in your heart this holiday season.

For my lovely readers: As we embark on this season of a multitude of wonderful, bright, incredible holidays, I hope you always remember that it’s not our possessions or our similarities or our traditions that make us worthy of love, of acceptance, or even of friendship. What makes you so special is being uniquely you—and I’m so glad you’re here.

Amie Knowles

Community Editor, Dogwood

The Best Local Doughnut Shops in Virginia’s Coastal Plain

Here’s what you need to know: If you’re looking to sample some of the best local doughnut shops Virginia has to offer up and down its Coastal Plain region, we’ve got you covered. Check out our recommendations for the craziest and best donuts they sell, along with a little bit of backstory for each shop.

Our top picks:

Good Company Doughnuts & Café—This tasty shop traces its roots back to Florida in the early 1960s, when the Murphy family opened Mrs. Murphy’s Donuts in Jupiter. Located in the Ballston neighborhood, the Virginia version opened with the goal of creating a unique all-day café where quality doughnuts could be found.
Sugar Shack Donuts—The menu boasts a wide selection of add-ons for the top, middle, and bottom of your doughnut. For example, you can get maple bacon for the top, French toast for the middle, and salted caramel for the bottom. You can then add various toppings like sprinkles, chocolate chips, Oreos, toasted coconut, bacon, or marshmallows.
Donutz On a Stick & Ice Cream—The doughnuts are unique in the fact that—as you may have guessed from the name—they come on a stick. You can decide between the small stick with two doughnuts on it or the large stick with four. Some of the popular flavors include coconut vanilla, strawberry shortcake, and more.

Hungry for more? Click below to discover more of our favorite doughnut shops.

Read this article

Amie, are you forgetting Thanksgiving? Nope, not at all! I’m looking forward to delicious food as much as anybody. That’s why I’m asking for your recommendations for recipes to include in a special article! Please respond to this newsletter or email me with instructions on how to make your favorite dish.

All 100 House of Delegates seats were on the ballot on Tuesday, and Democrats have emerged from the election with majority control of the chamber.

With a Democratic majority, the House will block Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s conservative agenda, including banning abortion, cutting taxes for corporations and the wealthy, and diverting taxpayer dollars from public education to fund private schools.

Democratic-majority General Assembly priorities include gun safety, affordable prescription drugs, education funding, housing costs, and reproductive rights.

Read this article

~ ICYMI ~

The Biden administration last week announced over $5 billion in new investments in rural communities across the country, as part of its effort to increase prosperity in all corners of the country. The funds will go towards economic development, competition, and sustainability by updating infrastructure, boosting high-speed internet, and helping agricultural producers and small businesses adopt climate-focused practices (READ MORE HERE).
Tyson Foods—which operates business locations in Virginia, as well as multiple other states and countries—recently recalled 30,000 lbs. of chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs. Tyson voluntarily recalled the product out of an “abundance of caution” after a single report of “minor oral injury,” according to the Associated Press and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA notes that buyers have two options: Discard the product or request a refund from the place of purchase (READ MORE HERE).
Election Day 2023 has come and gone, and while there are votes to be counted, one thing is perfectly clear: Virginians unequivocally rejected Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s conservative agenda. Reproductive rights were a main focus of Virginia’s House and Senate campaigns. Democrats sought to reassure voters that they planned to preserve abortion access in the commonwealth, and Republicans followed Youngkin’s lead in attempting to mislead voters by claiming that a 15-week abortion ban wasn’t actually a ban (READ MORE HERE).

Your History Highlight

Our weekly history highlight uncovers local stories you might not have heard—even if you’ve lived in Virginia for years! Got an untold story or legend you’d like for us to investigate? We’re all ears.

How far would you travel to celebrate your heritage? In 1941, this man left his Virginia home and headed north for a special event in Connecticut.

That September and October, a town in Hartford County hosted the Windsor Locks Indian Harvest Festival. Sponsored by the Windsor Locks Indian Association, the event provided insight into various native cultures, customs, traditions, and handmade wares.

Attendees had the opportunity to shop, view live performances, and take part in demonstrations—like learning to use a bow and arrow at a cost of five shots per nickel. Photographer John Collier, Jr., a leader in the field of visual anthropology, documented the event with dozens of images, which are now available through the Library of Congress.

While we don’t know the featured man’s name, we know from Collier’s descriptions that he was one of the many people who traveled from far and wide to take part in the festival. The photographer specifically mentions participants from Virginia, New Mexico, and the Navajo Nation, and broadly notes that people from “all over the East” and “a few” from the Southwest made the trip.

📸: Library of Congress/John Collier, Jr.

This email is written by Amie Knowles, community editor at Dogwood, lifelong Virginia resident, and mom to a fantastic five-year-old who loves monster trucks.
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