You may recognize Meredith Land from her news desk, where she has anchored at NBC 5 with Brian Curtis for the past 17 years, but her roots take her back to Charleston, South Carolina. And that Southern upbringing informs most of her choices when it comes to holiday decorating. “A lot of what I have going on in this house is from my childhood and echoes what I grew up with in Charleston,” she says.
The home she shares with husband Alexander (“Xan”), 12-year-old daughter McCall, 9-year-old son Alexander, and Teddy, the rescue Yorkie, is full of traditional elements in light colors that breathe new life into old classics. She’ll mix family heirloom pieces like her vintage Tiffany pink glasses or Spode “Christmas Tree” china with bargain finds like World Market napkins. But to her, it’s less about the items on the table as the tradition surrounding it. “My grandmother, Adelaide, taught me so much and still does,” Land says. “I have so many memories of her setting a table, even if it wasn’t perfect.” Now, she teaches her own family those same traditions. “Both of my children love sitting down at the table,” Land says. “We do it as much as we can.”
Remembering the Reason
As a news anchor, Meredith Land is always in the know regarding holiday happenings. But her favorite local tradition remains true: ringing bells with her family for the Salvation Army at NorthPark Center and serving food in the nonprofit’s kitchen. (Land has sat on the advisory board for six years.) She even keeps a reminder of this on her mantel—in addition to the Byers’ Choice carolers that were her parents’, Land has a set of Salvation Army carolers that were a gift. “Even with all these collectibles we have, the message of the holidays is giving back and gratitude and teaching my kids to be thankful and empathetic,” she says.
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