Christmas in Vermont

Vermont may be the second-least-populated state in the country, but on this November morning it felt like the coziest place on earth. We began the day the way many Vermonters have begun winter mornings for generations: pancakes drenched in real maple syrup, apple cider doughnuts still warm, and maple lattes steaming beside them. Maple sugaring predates statehood here; Indigenous Abenaki communities were boiling sap long before the early settlers arrived, and today Vermont produces more maple syrup than any other state. Every pour carries centuries of tradition.

With breakfast finished and the kitchen still scented with maple and spice, we settled into a Christmas puzzle from the Vermont Puzzle Company. Its snowy village scene slowly came together while Craig Duncan’s colonial-era instrumentals played in the background, echoing the region’s early New England musical heritage. From there, the morning shifted into motion with a scavenger hunt inspired by Middlebury’s ornament tradition—our way of channeling the quaint, small-town charm Vermont is famous for.

Coming back inside, cheeks pink from the cold, we warmed up with classic Vermont comfort: grilled cheese made with sharp cheddar and bowls of tomato soup. The pause was perfectly timed before rest and recharge.

Mid-afternoon brought one of Vermont’s most beloved holiday spectacles: St. Albans’ Lighted Tractor Parade. Even on YouTube, the slow procession of glowing tractors—some covered in thousands of lights—captures the festive rural spirit of northern Vermont. It made an ideal lead-in to our own outdoor tradition: a Brrrrlington-style bonfire. Bundled up, we roasted s’mores over crackling flames, sipped hot cocoa crowned with whipped cream, and snacked on maple popcorn while the late-day chill settled in around us.

Then came the quintessential Vermont treat: sugar-on-snow. Hot maple syrup poured over shaved ice instantly curled into soft ribbons of maple taffy—a winter ritual still practiced at sugarhouses each spring. The kids twirled the chewy strands with forks, eyes wide with delight. Apple slices and cheddar on the side made it a true Green Mountain pairing.

Evening brought a full Vermont supper. Maple-glazed ham took center stage with heirloom apple and cranberry stuffing, cider-glazed brussels sprouts, roasted root vegetables, and turnip puffs—one of those old-fashioned New England recipes that has quietly endured through generations. Woodchuck cider added a crisp, local touch. Each child received a Vermont Teddy Bear (promptly named Cocoa and Cocoa Bomb), a nod to one of the state’s most iconic small businesses. Dessert leaned fully into regional classics: apple pie with cheddar (“a pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze”), maple creemees even in winter, and a flight of Ben & Jerry’s flavors—because in Vermont, ice cream is a year-round food group.

The next morning, after returning home from our overnight with the grandparents, we ended our Vermont celebration with a reading of Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” one of the most beloved poems ever written on Vermont soil. With a Green Mountain Cocktail in hand and White Christmas playing in the background, it was the perfect closing chapter to our small tour through Vermont’s holiday traditions—warm, simple, and steeped in history.

Menu

• Maple Syrup Pancakes & Apple Cider Doughnuts

• Hot Cocoa w/ Whipped Cream & Maple Lattes

• Maple Creemee

• Ben & Jerry’s Mini Scoops

• Maple Popcorn

• Sugar on Snow

• Maple Glazed Ham

• Roasted Root Veggies

• Turnip Puff

• Heirloom Apple & Cranberry Stuffing

• Cider Glazed Brussel Sprouts

• Apple Pie with Cheddar Cheese

• Woodchuck Cider

Activities

• Vermont Christmas Puzzle

• Craig Duncan’s “Colonial Christmas” Soundtrack

• Von Trapp Harmonies from The Sound of Christmas

• Vermont Teddy Bears

• Brrrrlington Bonfire

  Ornament Scavenger Hunt

• Sugar-on-Snow

• Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”

• “White Christmas”