One of my favorite winter memories is of my grandmother’s homemade grape juice, frozen months earlier from the bounty of her backyard vines. It felt like such a luxury to have it during cold weather. We would take a container out of her deep freezer and not even bother to thaw it – instead, we would shave off the frozen juice a spoonful at a time and slurp it down in all its purple goodness. And then there were the stormy days, when she would perch a big crockery bowl atop a ladder outside to catch the fresh-falling snow. When the bowl was full, she would add sugar and vanilla. Voila, homemade water ice! After that we’d go off sledding, skiing, skating and building snowmen.

So not even counting the holidays, I happen to appreciate winter. Sure, the bones complain a bit more as adults than they did when we were kids. But those fond remembrances last a lifetime – and it’s one of the reasons why I’m so pleased to introduce you to our winter 2025 issue of Wissahickon.

For starters, what would winter be without outdoor sports? Writer Sean Marsala has a handy guide to 10 ski resorts, all within three hours of Philadelphia and with their own specialties, amenities and personalities. Whether you favor the beginners’ green trails or the more advanced black diamond runs, you’ll learn something new. So get those skis out but if that’s not your thing, these resorts have plenty of other enticements. As one marketing director noted, they have “something for everybody.”

After you come in from the cold, you’ll need a warm, hearty meal. Carla Robinson has you covered with her story about that rarity in our climate, Chestnut Hill’s year-round farmers’ market. Winter crops, the market manager told her, are “the kind of vegetables you have to learn how to work with.” As a bonus she regales us with the tale of nearby growers of specialty mushrooms – turns out they thrive in colder weather – plus some mouthwatering recipes. Personally, I’m going to start with the soup.

If you’re not feeling so energetic after all that skiing and eating, try a serene walk in Wissahickon Valley Park. Our environmental reporter, Abby Weiss, wants you to appreciate its beauty but also understand why now, more than ever, it needs our protection and continuing care. When it comes to guarding and maintaining that precious tree canopy, “a war is going on,” says one of her sources. Read her story to find out why and what you can do to help.

On your way home from walking, you’ll want to stroll along Chestnut Hill’s Germantown Avenue for those holiday favorites, the Stag & Doe nights on Wednesdays in December. But how, exactly, did that tradition begin? Jeff Meade has the very funny story. If you ever watched the TV series “Mad Men,” you’ll appreciate the history. As Jeff notes, “You’ve come a long way, baby.”

And what walk on the Avenue would be complete without a visit to one of its oldest and best-known shops, Kilian Hardware? You know the place: You walk in the door, tell them you need a thingamajig to fix a whatchamacallit, and the answer always is, “Yes, we have that.” And they do. Anndee Hochman has the story of the fourth generation that’s shaping the future of this family-owned treasure.

Finally – after all that skiing, eating, walking and shopping – it’s off for home. And then you notice (not for the first time) that there’s just too much stuff in your house. You long for a calmer, more tranquil environment. Whether you call it curating or decluttering, writer Susan Schaefer suggests using feng shui to pare down what Psychology Today calls those “disorderly masses.”

We hope you enjoy this issue and its many offerings. Read them while curled up in front of a warm fire, mulled cider in hand, and happy holidays!

Donna Shaw