Once the holidays rolled around this year, Dichotomy Coffee and Spirits transformed into a whimsical festive display complete with life-sized “gingerbread” details, floating presents, Whoville-style décor and this year, an igloo home to plush penguins.

The Junior League of Waco brought holiday magic to the Extraco Events Center with its 19th annual Deck the Halls Holiday Gift Market. Held Oct. 23–26, the four-day event transformed the venue into a festive winter wonderland, drawing crowds from across Central Texas for shopping, celebration and community impact.

As a former Starbucks barista, I used to dread the start of fall drinks. Every August, my coworkers and I would be bombarded by groups of people enthusiastically ordering the most famous seasonal drink: the pumpkin spice latte. I’ll admit, when I was a 15-year-old, I also enjoyed a festive pumpkin beverage, but after working at Starbucks and being around it, I’ll say it doesn’t deserve the hype that it gets.