We bought our family farm in 2021, but the wobbly real estate market has delayed restoration of its historic farmhouse. This Christmas, though, I just couldn’t stand seeing it dark and grim anymore. I mixed up an old fashioned, grabbed my favorite little Christmas tree, and headed out to the old place.

When we finally rehab the house, it will become a construction zone, so I’d never bothered to spruce it up. I’d never even stayed inside it for more than a few minutes because there’s not a single clean spot to sit.

That made this moment so special. I lingered in the house for hours, adding some of my favorite ornaments and warm lights, and for the first time, I saw how inviting it must have been for my ancestors — and how cozy it will be again one day. 

I truly loved bringing this house a little light and joy. 

And I hope the holidays bring the same to your family home. 

Mark Lynn Ferguson founded Woodshed. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Virginia Living, and many Appalachian publications. He lives in Roanoke, Virginia, where he loves cooking a mess of fried taters, picking pawpaws, and exploring the old family farm he and his husband bought in 2021.