Browse all Best of the Holidays content by date.

THE REAR END: To Turkey and Beyond

just a few strong feelings about Thanksgiving dinner

My dad used to shoot the occasional turkey, but I never ate one of them. I’m not against eating wild turkey, I was just never at the house when they cooked one up. Turkey hunting is something my...

ON TRACK TO THE HOLIDAYS: Eau Claire Library's Annual Holiday Train Exhibit Returns

enjoy the Standard Gauge Module Association's 16-foot-by-28-foot train layout during December

ALL ABOARD! The Seasonal Train Exhibit in Eau Claire, hosted at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, will bring magical miniature life-sized towns and model trains to the third-floor Riverview Room from Dec. 6-27 ...

STAFF NOTE: Holiday Magic Still Exists If You Know Where to Look

hint, hint: Volume One's "Best of the Holidays" issue

Since you’ve picked up this issue, the secret’s out: It’s been holiday season at Volume One for, like, at least a month now. We’ve spent the past two-ish weeks working on this bad boy – all 120 pages of it! – and as of Nov. 3, it’s been winter wonderland at our building, 205 N. Dewey St., Eau Claire. Overnight, gone were the Autumnal decorations at The Local Store, replaced by every wintry holiday tchotchke you can think of. It's pretty awesome ...

On the Cover | Nov. 13, 2025

learn about this issue’s cover art

For this year’s holiday issue, The Local Store & Volume One staff brought a collection of ornaments together to invoke a sense of warmth, comfort, and a bit of Wisconsin nostalgia. From handcrafted felt ornaments to our own families’ passed-down pieces (and even a trolley ornament… we just had to), this became a sort of homage to the classic I Spy books a lot of us grew up with. We had a lot of fun bringing in and seeing each other’s childhood ornament gems and tchotchkes ...

‘Joy To The Word’ Blends Seasonal Stories & Sonic Sequences For A Night Of Community

annual event, presented by the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild returns on Dec. 18

Since 2016, the area writers’ organization has committed to supporting writers throughout the Chippewa Valley in every season. This holiday season, the CVWG once again rejoices at the chance to share sounds and stories through its annual “Joy to the Word” program at 7pm on Dec. 18 at the Pablo Center at the Confluence...

Get Ready For A ‘Cozy Night Out’ With Eau Claire’s BIDs, Area Small Shops

Downtown Eau Claire Inc. launches inaugural and recurring small business celebration

As dozens of Eau Claire’s retail shops prepare their holiday specials and seasonal offerings, the focus has expanded beyond Small Business Saturday to collectively celebrate small and local businesses. Downtown Eau Claire, Inc. (DECI) invites you and loved ones for a “Cozy Night Out,” a new series of evening festivities across...

HAND-WRITTEN GRATITUDE: ‘Thank a Farmer’ Through This Local Event

Wisconsin Farmers Union is inviting folks to come together in Chippewa Falls and write some old-school thank-you notes

On Tuesday, Nov. 18, Market On River (128 W. River St., Chippewa Falls) will be hosting its “Thank a Farmer Letter Writing Party” event from 4:30-6pm, providing folks with letter-writing supplies to spread some joy this holiday season – specifically to our Wisconsin farmers ...

A New Treasure Arrives To Downtown Menomonie

shop with a purpose this holiday season at Adoray’s Treasures from the Heart

In anticipation for the hustle-and-bustle of holiday shopping, downtown Menomonie has welcomed a new kind of “treasure,” one that shines with heart, hometown care and a sense of purpose in the Chippewa Valley. Adoray’s Treasures from the Heart in Menomonie — the newest addition to Adoray Home Health & Hospice’s fundraising thrift stores — opened its doors earlier...

DING, DING! Holiday Trolley Tours Bring New Experiences & Returning Favorites

the Chippewa River Trolley Co. is delivering holiday cheer for littles, adults, and night-life enjoyers alike

Ahead of the wintry months, Chippewa River Trolley Co. has unveiled its slate of new holiday tours! Plus, for the first time ever, riders can add fresh-roasted nuts to their trolley experience. That's right, war, cinnamon- and...

The Shop Small Crawl, North Barstow Holiday Hop To Offer Punchcards & Presents

start checking gifts off your holiday shopping lists from these local businesses and toss your hat into the ring to win hundreds of dollars’ worth of gift cards

Across the months of November and December, a couple groups of small businesses in downtown Eau Claire are coming together for what they hope will be holiday shopper-boosting happenings: The North Barstow Holiday Hop and the Shop Small Crawl ...