One Day a Week: Ushering in the Holidays

Ring the bells: the holidays are coming!

Leisure

Get a jump start on some holiday shopping at the School of Visual Arts and Design’s Annual Holiday Sale at the University of South Carolina. Support students in the arts with your purchase of an original work of art; all proceeds benefit participating School of Visual Arts and Design student organizations. Buy local this year and choose from a selection of art prints, drawings, paintings, and ceramics for one-of-a-kind gifts. The sale runs from Nov. 21-22 and will be on the first floor and gallery level of the School of Visual Arts and Design. Street parking is available near the college and gallery.

Where to find it: 1615 Senate St. 803-777-4236. Open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 21-22.

Food

Fuel your holiday cheer with a cookie or two at Blue Flour Bakery. The sweet treat shop and café promises a smile on every customer’s face with every bite of cookie they take, from themed sugar cookies to classic minis. Get into the Thanksgiving mood or sugar your way into Christmas over a chocolate chip cookie and a cup of hot chocolate. To place special orders for your next holiday get-together, email

Hello@BlueFlour.com.

Where to find it: 1210 Main St. www.blueflour.com. 803-764-3982. Open 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.

Fun

Keeping traditions alive is especially important around the holidays, and what better tradition to keep than witnessing Vista Lights in Columbia? For one night only more than 60 restaurants and shops open their doors for mixing and mingling, drinking and dining, and holiday shopping. In addition to delicious meal options there will be live entertainment throughout the night and performances following the lighting of the Vista’s tree at the corner of Gervais and Lincoln streets. It’s a jolly good time for the whole family.

Where to find it: www.vistacolumbia.com. 6-10 p.m. Nov. 21.

Drink

Not quite ready for the holidays? Take the short drive from the Vista to Tazza Kitchen in Forest Acres for a little liquid courage and a few mood-boosting cocktails. If the thought of your to-do list already has your head hurting, sip on a Penicillin: johnny walker black, ginger, lemon, honey and thyme. Or speaking of thyme, in keeping with the season, order a Moody+Merry, a mixture of tito’s vodka, becherovka, spiced cranberry syrup, honey, line, and rosemary. It will have you saying “tis the season” up until the last drop.

Where to find it: 4840 Forest Drive, suite 20. www.tazzakitchen.com. 803-782-0760. Open 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Monday; 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.

Alyssa Velazquez, special to GoColumbia

This story was originally published November 21, 2019 at 6:00 AM.