Development

There is a special kind of silence—hushed anticipation, if you will—which occurs in the final minutes of a hockey match, especially if it is the championship match itself. It’s not so much the absence of noise, but rather a breathless tension that falls on everyone. The crowd is still roaring, and the sharp scrap of the skates are still carving dents into the ice, but that gnawing suspense is deafening. It clutches on to everyone’s hearts—spectators and players alike—and refuses to let go.

If someone told you the secret to feeling calmer, sleeping better, and lowering stress was something you learned before you could talk, you might roll your eyes. Surely it can’t be that easy. But surprise—it is. The secret is humming.

Nothing says December in Northern Virginia like cruising Meadow Farms’ dazzling light show in Vienna, sipping hot cider at the Reston Town Center tree lighting, or spotting the 20-foot inflatable Santa waving from a Fairfax Station rooftop. From Leesburg’s holiday parade to Old Town Alexandria’s Scottish Christmas Walk, our corner of Virginia goes all in on sparkle, songs, and togetherness every December 25.

Rugby fans across the DMV have something huge to cheer about: Old Glory DC is officially bringing all 2026 home games to George Mason University in Fairfax—and the move promises to energize not just the team, but the entire region. “This is a milestone in our community. The first pro sports team in Fairfax since 1976. When the NASL’s Washington Diplomat played at Woodson High School,” city resident, Chap Petersen continued, “as a long-time rugby player, I am very excited to see OG drop anchor here.”