December ranks among the busiest travel months of the year, driven by a surge as millions journey for the holidays and new year.
Within Reston and throughout the country, residents at Gabriel Homes help play a part in tourism and their local economy. With all the events in town in December, no two days were the same for any resident.
On the travel side, Patrick spent December celebrating the holidays with his family in Arizona, while Stephen (pictured) went to see his brother in Florida for Christmas. Both couldn’t contain their excitement at getting to see their families. Even after seeing his brother for Thanksgiving, Stephen turned every conversation toward how happy he was to return to Florida.
“I love going to Florida because it’s so warm down there! Celebrating the holidays with my housemates is great, but nothing beats spending Christmas with my brother.”
As for moving around Northern Virginia, residents’ schedules were full of plans. Two residents who work at ECHO, January and Kari (left and right), attended the Janelia Research Campus’ annual holiday party. ECHO employees have an employment partnership with Janelia, where January and Kari help with maintaining the campus grounds. After checking their coats and taking photos, guests jammed to live jazz and sampled dishes from seafood and risotto to short ribs, portobello burgers, and jambalaya. Both residents were also fixated on the dessert table.
January was an unstoppable force on the dance floor, so much so that she was moving nonstop before taking a water break. Once she had her drink, she was back to grooving in no time.
December Local Events in NOVA
Outside of work, a recent trip to the Bull Run Festival of Lights saw residents’ eyes glued to the 2½-mile light displays. Angie, Darcy, Dave, January, Kari, Lucy, Rich D., Rich R., and Stephen sang along to Christmas music while gazing at penguins, gingerbread homes, and Santa displays. At the end of the festival was a carnival featuring a petting zoo and shopping tents. Most residents fed the animals, while others opted for funnel cake and deep-fried Oreos. Once they headed back home, residents were planning what they’d like to do when they return next year.
“Petting and feeding the animals was the best part of the night. There were sheep, cows, and one camel; they were all so sweet! I like it when the animals face me when I pet them, because I don’t want them to be scared.”
Lights in the Nighttime Sky
Even in the brisk winter, residents couldn’t resist the chance to be outside. Sean tagged along with January, Kari, Lucy, and Rich for a meteor shower in Sky Meadows State Park. The night was so cold, residents ordered hot coffee and snuggled in cozy blankets. Critters in the woods filled the air with noise as the group held onto their seats in excitement for the wonders in the sky. Clouds, unfortunately, started to roll in, which limited their sight. On the bright side, Lucy, Rich, and January said they could still catch glimpses of meteors and constellations.
Another duo of residents, Caryn and Shelby (first photo, left and right), celebrated the month with indoor activities. Along with regular walks in the mall with their housemates, the two saw a series of performances throughout Northern Virginia. Early in the month was an Encore concert, where singers aged 55+ sang classic and modern tunes. Their favorite show of the month, however, was the Fairfax Symphony and Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker.
“The music was beautiful and the dancing was lovely. Shelby and I hummed along to some of the songs on the way home.”
Looking toward the new year...
As the calendar turns toward 2026, residents look forward to planning more trips that reflect their passions. Each event proves how our residents continue to build confidence in themselves and their connections within the community.