Treat your loved ones to fun, cozy, and personalized picks this holiday gifting season. | Graphic by 6AM City
Psst — It’s nearly mid-December. Finish your holiday shopping this weekend with our gift ideas:
Gifts for your significant other
Local pick: A Northern Virginia Wine Experience | Various prices | Give the gift of experience with a romantic getaway to a winery or vineyard in Northern Virginia.
Full-zip flannel jacket | $36.99 | Flannel, cotton, and fleece combine in this ultra-soft, stylish hoodie.
Gifts for retirees
Local pick:Area 2 Farms subscription | $35-$45/weekly | This local farm offers three subscription options, delivering fresh, locally grown produce to you every week.
Frustrated golfer socks | $12.99 | This No. 1 best-selling pair of men’s novelty socks is sure to get a laugh.
Gifts for people who have everything
Olive oil mister | $9.99 | A handy gift they can use to turn oil into a fine mist or a steady drizzle.
Gifts for book lovers
Local pick:Pickle bookmark | $7 | Penny Post in Alexandria offers the cutest variety of stationery, including quirky bookmarks like this one. Make sure to check out its various options.
“To be read” storage basket | $16.99 | Perfect for that friend with an amazing aesthetic bookcase, this TBR book storage basket is both functional and adorable.
Gifts under $20
Shower steamers | $9.99 | This best-selling assortment features scents like lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary.
Hoping to find a unique gift? Starting today, the area’s largest art festival is taking over Dulles Expo Center. The Capital Art & Craft Festival will last through Sunday, Dec. 14, showcasing and selling creations from 315+ artists. (The Burn)
Edu
The Virginia Department of Education announced a new system to rank public schools by categories of excellence: Distinguished, On Track, Off Track, and Needs Intensive Support. About 75% of Fairfax County schools met or exceeded expectations, while about 25% fell behind the calculated mark. See rankings for Arlington County, Alexandria City, Loudoun County, and other surrounding counties.
Shop
The next Main Street Holiday Market in Old Town Fairfax is this Sunday, Dec. 14 from 12-4 p.m. Due to the cold, this one will take place indoors at various existing businesses. Over 20 vendors will be featured, selling vintage finds, handmade creations, and other potential gifts. I’m drooling overthese rugs.
Biz
The long-awaited Scolapasta is officially opening this weekend in the Ballston Quarter food court. Stop by the kiosk to build your own pasta dishes with toppings like meatballs or burrata. This is the second location, with the first being in Tysons Galleria. (ARLnow)
Open
After a $40 million transformation, the Mount Vernon mansion officially reopened on Wednesday, Dec. 10. What does this mean for you? All of the first and second floor rooms are now open to the public for the first time in nearly a year. (InsideNOVA)
Family
Throw on your ugly Christmas sweater and roll into this family-friendly skate-and-dance event. For just $10, you can groove to a live DJ at the Franconia Rec Center on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 6 p.m. Bring your own roller skates or other wheels — or just hit the floor and dance the night away.
Wellness
Evexia Med Spa, a McLean-based business, is planning to open a second location in Arlington’s Ballston neighborhood. The space will be at 4301 Wilson Blvd., formerly occupied by Grand Cru Wine Bar and Bistro. (ARLnow)
Environment
One of the year’s most brilliant meteor showers, the Geminids, will dazzle the night sky this weekend, peaking between Saturday, Dec. 13 + Sunday, Dec. 14. If you want to observe like a real astronomer, join this free stargazing event at Fort Hunt in Fairfax County.
Fun Fact
Did you know? When you send an email to NOVAtoday’s email, you’re messaging me, Ava, directly. So, if you have questions, recommendations, or just want to share your thoughts on a recent newsletter, I’ll be the one to see that. Always feel free to say hi.
Older Adults
Are you taking advantage of these stellar senior discounts? From savings with Walgreens to a discounted Amazon Prime membership, we found 20 hacks all older adults should know about to continue saving and building wealth.*
Shop
Your glasses called — they’re ready for retirement. Shop Zenni’s durable frames + advanced lenses for an upgrade, with most pairs under $80. Bonus: Take an extra 10% off with code TWW.*
Editor’s Pick
Skate some laps on this ice rink in Arlington. | Photo by NOVAtoday
Tis’ the season. Head to the Westpost Outdoor Ice Skating rink this winter so you, your friends, or your kids can get some much-needed fresh air.
Purchase your tickets here. Make sure to add skate rentals to your reservation if you don’t have your own.
You’ll also find plenty of restaurants around the ice rink, making it easy to refuel afterward. I’d recommend Origin Coffee Lab & Kitchen for a hot latte to warm yourself up.
Are you a fan of NOVAtoday’s daily games? We’ve changed up the look of our Games section in the newsletter, but the crossword, word search, sudoku, and more are still available every day. Not to brag, but I guessed yesterday’s WordroW in four attempts.
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