Around Town | Contributed by Residents of Darien
Editor’s note: We all have our holiday “musts.” For us, it wouldn’t be December without stops (multiple) at Everything is Rosey and Barrett Bookstore, Darien Seafood for crabmeat, Palmer’s for poppers and all those hard-to-find ingredients we need for our traditional holiday faves, and midnight mass, of course. But that’s just us. For a sampling of more holiday picks, we present this inaugural Holiday Stroll from other residents of Darien, along with an invitation to email us at
pam@darienmagazinect.com to share what calls loudest to you during the holidays.
Ten Twenty Post
“We’ve been going to Ten Twenty Post for brunch on Christmas Eve for 15 years. We start with two huge orders of mussels. During the meal, we pull names for a Kris Kringle swap. After brunch, we head into town to buy a gift for the person we picked which we open on Christmas Eve. When our sons were little, we’d all go to CVS to buy the gift, hiding (badly) in the aisles from each other while we ran around. It was hilarious.” – The Minicus Family
Lit Tree Lane Festival of Decorated Trees
“Three years ago, the Darien Library asked businesses, nonprofits and others in town to decorate trees spread throughout the library, each themed to a different book – some classics, some current bestsellers. Now it’s an annual tradition not to be missed. It is amazing what people create. The trees go up the day after Thanksgiving and stay up through December.”
– George Wyper, Honorary Trustee, Darien Library. For more information, visit darienlibrary.org
Candlelight Service at Noroton Presbyterian
“Traditions keep us close. They hold families together and one of my family’s all-time favorites is Christmas Eve at Noroton Presbyterian. When our kids were little, we were at the children’s service. They’re old enough now for the evening candlelight service. When the lights go down, and we light candles, and sing Silent Night, and we’re together as a family …it doesn’t get any better than that.”
– Amanda Craig, PhD, LMFT For more information, visit Noroton.church
Darien Arts Center (DAC) performance of The Nutcracker
“Seeing the DAC’s The Nutcracker performance remains a holiday tradition for our family, even now that our daughter has graduated from the DAC’s dance program and gone off to college. It’s a warm and festive event that draws neighbors and friends, and the show is always outstanding.” – Tessa Repsher For more information, visit darienarts.org
Menorah Lighting in Grove Street Plaza
“We love to celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah by coming together as a community to light the Darien menorah. It started five years ago thanks to Baywater Properties, Dan Guller and a bunch of others who wanted to give Jewish people in town a way to celebrate our heritage together. Hanukkah is eight nights and each night, a different Jewish family is invited to light the menorah. The big celebration happens on the fourth night, which is December 17th this year. Everyone in town is invited to join us as we celebrate with music and our traditional foods – latkes and Sufganiyot (jelly-filled donuts).” – Jennifer Ireland For more information, visit darienctchamber.com/community-event/
Person to Person (P2P) Doves
“For decades, people in faith communities in town have made sure families in need in our area don’t go hungry during the holidays thanks to the P2P Dove program. It’s simple, really. Each person buys a Dove and the money goes to feed someone in need. Last year, community-wide, 1,300 people bought a Dove! For five years, I co-led the effort at Saint Luke’s Parish to sell as many Doves as possible. My whole family got involved. We love the program and continue to support it.” – Sally Houlihan For more information, visit p2phelps.org
Darien Community Association (DCA) Bird Sanctuary
“A walk in the woods at the DCA Bird Sanctuary is an annual must for our family during the holidays. It’s a solid dose of nature to help calm us—four acres of trails, open spaces, rope bridges, stump walks, rock spirals and tons more. It’s also fenced in to keep the deer out so it’s a great place to let even younger kids explore freely.” – Tiere Hessert, Mama Collective Founder. For more information, visit dariendca.org/dca-bird-sanctuary-and-nature-trail
My Retail Loop
Wee Mondine, 35 Corbin Drive: I do more than half of my kids’ Christmas shopping at Wee Mondine. The store is overflowing with treasures from Scandinavia to California.
The Darien Cheese Shop, 25 Old Kings Highway N: Inside the Darien Cheese Shop, I instantly slow down. It’s intimate, charming, and stocked with beautiful cheeses, charcuterie and gourmet treats that make entertaining feel effortless.
Darien News Store, 19 Tokeneke Road: Entering the Darien News feels like stepping back into my childhood. The aisles are lined with classics—paper goods for your next party, greeting cards and toys you probably haven’t seen since the 1990s. I go by every holiday season to see what’s new.
Flour Water Salt Bread, 20 Grove Street: The smell alone is reason enough to stop in—an instant dose of holiday spirit. Just remember to pre-order; I forgot once, and I’ll never make that mistake again. – Stephanie Trotta, Founder, The Girl Guide
