The holidays – it’s a time when lots of questions are asked. How do reindeer fly? How does Santa visit everybody’s house all on one night? And what would be a good thing to get John, Susan, and Beth? While the answers to the first two questions will require a lot of research and debate, Mast Store has the answers to the last question. Here are our top 13 gift ideas for 2019.

This is the final Fall Foliage Primer of the year. It looks like Knoxville, Greenville, and Hendersonville still have some locations of high color. Other reporting spots - Boone/Valle Crucis, Asheville, and Waynesville - have some spotty color (particularly Oaks, which are in their glory right now, and some Maples). There are still lots of activities to get out and enjoy, too. Check out what our reporters have to suggest as well bid you a fond farewell until next year. 

There is a Japanese proverb that says, “One kind word can warm three winter months.” If a kind word can be so powerful, what can a kind action do? Colder weather is on the way, so coats, hats, and gloves are needed to be ready for it. During the month of November, Mast Store and Columbia Sportswear are partnering for the fifteenth time to Share the Warmth Coat Collection in our home communities

We are reaching the peak! All locations can safely report that Fall is HERE! Some locations - like Valle Crucis and Boone - are just past peak, but still have pockets of incredible color, while other locations - like Greenville and Knoxville are just beginning to reach their highest color show. And there's lots in between in Waynesville, Asheville, and Hendersonville. It's our favorite time of year! Colder weather is on its way everywhere this week, so no matter where you're visiting, be sure to bring a jacket, a fleece, and a raincoat. The weather this time of year changes quickly. Take a look to see the fun activities to enjoy this week. 

It's week five of the Fall Foliage Primer and the color is beginning to show itself all over. Frost is likely in the Boone/Valle Crucis, Waynesville, and maybe Hendersonville areas later in the week, which will hasten the color change. Temperatures are perfect for leaf viewing, but there may be some showers, so remember your jackets. Check out this week's recommended events and activities. We're sure you'll find some of them to be "spooktacular." 

The U. S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as “the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.” Merrell Footwear, an active lifestyle brand, joins the Mast Store for the eleventh year in 2019 to provide Food for Kids (October 21-November 3), a cause that supports funding the weekend food efforts in each of Mast Store’s home communities.

It's week four of the Fall Foliage Primer and we're beginning to see some changes. The higher elevations around Boone and Valle Crucis had a light frost earlier in the week. Festivals in all locations abound for the weekend, so there's lots to do. AND, we believe you may begin seeing even more color with the frost being on the pumpkin, so to speak, and the cooler temperatures. Get out and enjoy the beautiful season! 

It's week three of the Fall Foliage Primer and it seems that the march to fall color is now marking time in all locations. Everywhere had a cool snap early in the week, with some places having some much-needed rain. Mother Nature's paintbrush is still finding its way into the scenery, just slowly, but there are a number of fun events on the list of things to do. Check out what our reporters recommend for this week. 

Fall finally made it, and with that, it’s time to pick over the tomatoes, beans, peppers, and whatever else you might have lingering in your gardens one last time. You’ll want to savor what you can as it’s fresh off the vine, but what do you do with the excess? We have a few ideas.

This week's second edition of the Fall Foliage Primer finds color appearing in splotches but not big swaths. Some can be seen along the highest ridgelines and some roadways and landscaped areas. Flowers, pumpkins, and vines are also adding to the fall decor. Click on in and find out what our reporters have to suggest for the coming weekend.