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Preserving Appalachian Christmas and sharing stories of a heritage with heart

Writer's picture: Mason Edwards!Mason Edwards!

By Mason Edwards, Chattanooga Times Free Press

Chattanooga Times Free Press photo by Matt Hamilton / Jonathan and Vanessa Trent with their dog Pippa at their home in Graysville, Tenn.
Chattanooga Times Free Press photo by Matt Hamilton / Jonathan and Vanessa Trent with their dog Pippa at their home in Graysville, Tenn.

Four Decembers ago, Vanessa Trent drove up the snow-dusted Cumberland Plateau by herself, guided by recollections of her heritage. A friend had offered to sell her their land, giving Trent a chance to live on an Appalachian farm of her own.


Trent grew up hearing stories of her grandmother's life on a 100-acre tobacco farm in Sevier County. "I remember the rolling-hill view from the porch, the courting room, the huge apron on the farmhouse sink and the steep staircase to the bedroom where tiny babies once slept in open drawers," she recalls.


When Trent first toured her friend's property, she felt a deep connection to the land, one reminding her of the family farm they no longer had, but the financial strain of such a commitment gave her pause. By spring, her dreams outweighed her fears, and she closed on the farm. When her grandmother visited, they reminisced about how things used to be.


Christmastime, for example, was the one time a year that the family treated themselves. Trent's grandmother remembers having to share a doll with her sisters, making dresses out of flour bags and getting one pair of shoes a year. But she also remembers enjoying a bundle of oranges during the holidays — this was a special fruit they couldn't have often. Now, "we always incorporate oranges into Christmas," Trent says.


Those small acts of remembrance extend to her kitchen. Her holiday table often features family recipes — Appalachian staples like apple stack cake and chocolate pies — passed down from her grandmother. "She says making the stack cake is too much trouble," Trent says with a laugh, "but she always makes it."


Trent's holiday practices echo a regional history of saving scarce resources for festive seasons, according to Mark Johnson, a history professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. "During the 19th century, families set aside their most prized spices — cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg — and used them to create richly flavored cakes and drinks for the holiday season," he says. This tradition of spice-laden treats endures in homes like Trent's, where Christmas jam — a blend of strawberry, cranberry, cloves and cinnamon — brings a sweet, spicy taste of history to the table.

Chattanooga Times Free Press photo by Abby White / Mark Johnson is an assistant history professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga who is knowledgeable of the history of Appalachian Christmas.
Chattanooga Times Free Press photo by Abby White / Mark Johnson is an assistant history professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga who is knowledgeable of the history of Appalachian Christmas.

For Alison Bridges, who grew up in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, Christmas is all about family and the memories they create together. Every year, her mother scatters glitter-dipped pine cones around the house, decorates a tree with red and green plastic bulbs and sets out a bright orange Tennessee Vols-themed Santa Claus figure. "It's not just a Santa — it's Santa Claus," Bridges insists, using the full name as her family always has.


Bridges, now in her twenties, explains that her tree still has a lot of space to fill. "You don't just get little baubles with fun colors," she explains. "Every ornament has a meaning — they're supposed to be milestones, because being able to afford ornaments is a milestone itself." 


For families like the Bridges and the Trents, Christmas in Appalachia is about more than decorations or recipes. It's a time to gather close, share stories and hold on to traditions that stretch back generations. "Growing up, [Christmas] was the only time I got to see most of my family," Bridges says. "No matter how many [people] there are, you find a way to fit them all into the same house."


Appalachia's holiday customs have shifted significantly over the years, with some traditions mostly lost to time. Early settlers, isolated in the rugged mountain landscape, celebrated extended holiday periods with feasting, gunfire and heavy drinking. They also held onto the tradition of celebrating Christmas on January 6, as it had been done for centuries until most of the world swapped calendar systems and moved the holiday up to December 25. Because of the Epiphany, the January 6 version of Christmas, now known as "Old Christmas," also has a strong religious tie for the Appalachian people.


"Local newspapers reported stories of cows kneeling at midnight, flowers blooming through the snow and plants sending out new shoots," Johnson says. "People who observed Old Christmas pointed to this phenomenon of animals honoring it as proof that it's more sacred."


Johnson warns against romanticizing or stereotyping Appalachian life, noting that scholars typically push back against classifying it as a distinct region today, particularly after mass migration and commercialization during the 20th century. Romanticizing Appalachia can overlook the hardships its people endured and the progress they've made despite that. "Appalachia isn't just about cast iron and homemade biscuits. Grandma probably had Teflon and was probably glad for it," he says.


Still, many families are finding ways to preserve their heritage. For Trent, this means honoring her grandmother's customs while teaching others about the values of self-sufficiency and community. "Take the time to put down your devices and learn about your family's history," she urges. "Ask questions. Keep the past alive."

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Vanessa Trent puts antlers on her goat, Ethel, at her home in Graysville, Tenn.
Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Vanessa Trent puts antlers on her goat, Ethel, at her home in Graysville, Tenn.

On Trent's farm, Christmas spills from the cozy indoors to the crisp outdoors. Family members gather on the porch to watch the sunset, with mountains providing a serene backdrop. Animals wear festive hats, adding a touch of humor to the celebrations, and Trent uses her tractor bucket to string lights on the house.


"The outside just kind of becomes part of the celebration, too," she says, describing the peace of Christmas in rural Appalachia. "It's all about the wide-open spaces and quiet."


As families across Appalachia gather this holiday season, they will share food, laughter and memories. Each story told and each recipe passed down helps keep the region's spirit alive — one conversation, meal and family gathering at a time.


RECIPES FROM THE HILLS

(Courtesy of Vanessa McNeil Trent)

Old-Fashioned Apple Stack Cake

What You Need:

Filling:

  • 2 cups dried apples

  • 1½ cups sugar

  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

  • ½ teaspoon cloves

  • ½ teaspoon allspice

  • 2-3 cups water

Cake layers:

  • 4 cups flour (plus ¼ cup for rolling)

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 4 teaspoons baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 2 eggs

  • ½ cup butter

  • 1 cup buttermilk

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

What You Do:

1. Prepare the filling:

Combine the dried apples, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and enough water to cover the mixture in a saucepan. Simmer on low heat, stirring often, for about 1 hour, or until the apples are tender and thick. Mash the apples with a potato masher to make a chunky apple sauce. Let cool.

2. Make the cake layers:

Preheat your oven to 450 F. Grease and flour 9-inch cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and all but 1/4 cup of the flour. Add eggs, butter, buttermilk and vanilla, mixing until the dough is smooth.

Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Use the remaining ¼ cup flour to roll each into a thin layer. Bake all the layers for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

3. Assemble the cake:

Stack the cake layers, spreading a generous amount of the apple filling between each layer. Leave the top plain or dust with powdered sugar. Let the cake "cure" for at least two days to allow the filling to soften the layers.


Eula's Chocolate Pie

What You Need:

Pie filling:

  • 1½ cups milk

  • 2 egg yolks

  • ¼ cup cocoa powder

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 teaspoon butter

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

  • Pinch of salt

Meringue:

  • 2 egg whites

  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 pre-baked pie shell

What You Do:

1. Make the filling:

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, cocoa powder, sugar, cornstarch, salt and vanilla. Gradually add the milk, whisking until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan and add the butter. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens (about 15 minutes). Let the filling cool for 10 minutes.

2. Make the meringue:

Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until glossy. Slowly add the sugar while beating and continue until soft peaks form.

3. Assemble and bake:

Pour the cooled filling into the pre-baked pie shell. Spread the meringue over the filling, making sure it touches the edges of the crust to seal. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes, until the meringue is golden brown. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour and then refrigerate before serving.

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