CONTENTS features

56 ///

Christmas in Vermont

Looking for the ultimate holiday experience? Two towns in the Green Mountain State—Manchester and Woodstock—deliver Yuletide festivities for all ages. by Bill

Scheller

74 /// A

Blue-and-White Christmas

Holiday traditions may vary, but one thing is universal: the joy and warmth of family and friends coming together. by Naomi Shulman

78 /// The Natural

Meet New Hampshire’s Beatrice Trum Hunter, a pioneer of America’s healthy eating and environmental advocacy movements. by Edie Clark

84 /// Angels

Among Us

Yankee celebrates ordinary New Englanders who are making an extraordinary difference in others’ lives. by Ian Aldrich

88 ///

A Truly Miraculous Creature

The humble oyster just may be the key to rebuilding New England’s coastal ecosystems. by Michael Sanders

66 ‘Ordinary, Obscure, and Laborious’

The Trappist monks of Spencer, Mass., devote their lives to work and prayer in a community of kindred souls. text by Justin Shatwell, photographs by the Brothers of St. Joseph’s Abbey p. 56).

Journey to Cuba in 2016 with Pearl Seas Cruises on an 11-day immersive people to people experience focused on the rich history, heritage, and contemporary life of the Cuban people. The brand new 210-passenger luxury

Pearl Mist allows access to more of Cuba’s ports and regions, while providing a relaxed means to interact with Cubans and explore the rich fabric of Cuban culture. These cultural voyages are subject to final approval by the U.S. and Cuban governments.