By Anna Trevathan, Managing Editor
Just thirty minutes away from the heart of Knoxville, there is a Hallmark Country Christmas waiting for you in Dandridge, TN. Dandridge, for those out of the loop, is a cozy historic town nestled in the mountains with a population of about 3,426 people. As the number would suggest, it’s one of these towns where everyone knows everybody else.
I was lucky enough to grow up in Dandridge, and I go home each year for Christmas with my family. This year, looking at it from a Knoxvillian’s point of view, I kept seeing all of the ways that this town makes for a perfect break from the regular chaos of city life. Coming from the college lifestyle, where every 15 minutes of life is accounted for and booked, it’s an indescribable feeling to visit a town where a cashier at Food City will spend ten minutes talking about sales you shouldn’t miss out on.
Starting in the center of the town, ‘downtown’ Dandridge is covered in Christmas lights and decorations; the stores are no exception.
Martha’s Market
Christmastime at Martha’s Market is something that I believe would turn anyone into a holiday person. The moment you walk through the door, the smell of pine, coffee, and cocoa hits your nose. There are festive trinkets and treasures throughout the store, including many themed around Dandridge itself.
My favorite are the Christmas cards featuring the town name on them. In a world now ruled by Canva designs, cookie-cutter Christmas cards always feel like a warm reminder of home to me. For any fan of Mast General Store in downtown Knoxville, this puts their vintage Christmas gifts to shame. I firmly believe that this is the kind of holiday magic that many places try to replicate, but find it’s just impossible to do.
The heart of Martha’s Market is the cafe and their seasonal menus. In the summertime, there’s amazing blueberry lemonades and an assortment of incredible drinks. Though their holiday drinks are even better. The names alone make me want to order and try all of them, but then once you taste them? Good luck leaving.
The back of Martha’s also has this incredibly cozy seating that makes the perfect spot to catch up with friends. For me, this cafe is a spot where I have memories of high-school friends in sweaters sipping on some peppermint lattes.
The Unkind Raven
A bookstore tucked into the heart of Dandridge, The Unkind Raven is a one-of-a-kind reflection of the community at large. Filled to the brim with warm-lights, well-loved shelves, up and coming books, and even free shelves to benefit those in Dandridge who cannot afford newer books but would like the stories anyway. They host arts and craft classes, book clubs, and even a kid centered community out-reach program.
Many businesses come into Dandridge, but it is rare to find a business that really cares for the town they set up shop in as much as The Unkind Raven. They are also a proudly woman-owned business, offering space for female writers and creatives to feel safe. Additionally, this bookstore features a pet turtle in their kids zone, which really makes my trip regardless of which books I’m going home with.
Barding Farm
In this historic town, new businesses are making a splash. Barding Farm, a Christmas tree farm, opened a few years ago and is quickly incorporating themselves into local Christmas itineraries. I had the pleasure of speaking to Karen Barding (co-owner) about their history, hopes, and highlights of the Holiday season. Here is what she had to say about Barding Farm:
“There are many reasons why we chose to start a Christmas tree farm, one of which is to sustain the family farm and keep it alive for years to come for our children and grandchildren. Starting a tree farm was also in memory of Danny [our co-owner]’s father, Brice Barding, who spent his career working for the Tennessee Forestry Service and farming this farm. It is our hope that our children and grandchildren will carry on the tradition of this farm long after we are gone.
“We give back to our community through our farm. We feel like a small town Christmas tree farm allows our customers the opportunity to step back in time and experience making memories with their families by choosing the perfect tree and enjoying the warmth of our farm and the coziness of our cottage and cocoa bar.
“The holiday season is very important to us as the market for our tree farm is specifically geared towards the holidays and the local economy benefits as well from customers who visit us and also visit local businesses and restaurants while they are in town.
“It warms our hearts to hear the sounds of laughter coming from the families and children when they roam the rows of trees in our fun old fashioned tree lot and find just the perfect tree for their home. We also have seasonal Christmas music playing and offer hot cocoa, cider, and yummy treats in our cottage.
“We hope folks are able to come to our farm and let go of the hustle and bustle for a while to enjoy the sights and smells of Christmas and get in the holiday spirit. We want our farm to feel like family to our customers and we want them to have a wonderful experience and start family traditions with us. We hope they leave with a beautiful tree and a memory that lasts forever.”
For some, Dandridge is a small spot on a map that they may never visit but, to me, Dandridge is home. It’s a place where the joy of Christmas goes beyond price tags and Instagram. If you’re in need of some holiday magic this year, drive thirty minutes east. Dandridge is waiting for you with lights twinkling and cocoa steaming.
Before you grab your keys and go, here is a playlist for your drive east. Each track brings up memories of a frosty Christmas in Dandridge for me, and will hopefully assist you in making some of your own.
