The world-famous Biltmore House in Asheville opened its Christmas season with their over-the-top decorations that include 50 themed trees, miles of garlands, and hundreds of poinsettias.

Located just 125 miles west of Charlotte, America’s largest private home will now be decked out with the most epic Christmas decorations you’ll ever see every day today through January 4th.

I recently visited the awe-inspiring estate to see the decorations.

One of the first rooms you’ll see is the Great Banquet Hall, featuring a 37′ tall douglas fir with 500 gift boxes, 500 ornaments, and 500 LED Edison bulb style electric lights decorating it (as well as several other trees placed throughout the room).

There are over 13,000 additional ornaments on hundreds of other trees placed throughout the castle’s 250 rooms;

The servant’s kitchen in the basement even features a scaled-down gingerbread model of the entire Biltmore House;

Even the indoor pool and bowling alley are decked out for Christmas.

I’d recommend visiting the home in the late afternoon – the sunset views alone are worth the trip and price of admission.

George Vanderbilt first opened the home to his family and friends on Christmas Eve 1895 – with four acres of floor space, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces.

It took 1,000 workers six years to build the 250-room castle, which is now officially the largest privately-owned home in the country.

All pictures in this article were taken by me, if you’d like full-sized images or prints, you can contact me at Scott@CharlotteStories.com

North Carolina has fallen to last place in the nation for public school funding, according to a new report by the Education Law Center. The report ranks all states and Washington, D.C. on cost-adjusted per-pupil spending — and North Carolina landed 50th in the nation, spending less per student than every other state in the country.

North Carolina currently spends $12,193 per student, which is $5,660 below the national average of $17,853. The report also found that North Carolina makes the lowest financial effort in the nation relative to the size of its economy, meaning the state invests far less in education than it is capable of.

By contrast, top-funded states spend more than double — and in some cases nearly triple — what North Carolina provides. Even neighboring South Carolina invests $17,698 per student, more than $5,500 ahead of North Carolina.

Full Ranking: Per-Pupil Funding by State (Cost-Adjusted)

(From highest to lowest)

1. New York – $29,440
2. Vermont – $27,067
3. Washington, D.C. – $26,223
4. New Jersey – $24,402
5. Connecticut – $23,583
6. Pennsylvania – $22,600
7. New Hampshire – $22,137
8. Illinois – $21,923
9. Maine – $21,078
10. Wyoming – $20,971
11. Michigan – $20,919

12. Rhode Island – $20,176
13. California – $19,894
14. Delaware – $19,435

15. Massachusetts – $19,097
16. Ohio – $19,055
17. Oregon – $18,780
18. North Dakota – $18,642
19. New Mexico – $18,616
20. Kansas – $18,132
21. Nebraska – $18,023
22. Washington – $17,888
23. Maryland – $17,809
24. Wisconsin – $17,784
25. South Carolina – $17,698
26. Minnesota – $17,654
27. Hawaii – $17,469
28. Alaska – $17,308
29. Kentucky – $17,058
30. Missouri – $16,866
31. Colorado – $16,780
32. West Virginia – $16,663

33. Indiana – $16,297
34. Montana – $16,291
35. Georgia – $16,049
36. Iowa – $15,940
37. Virginia – $15,815
38. Louisiana – $15,717
39. Alabama – $15,242

40. South Dakota – $15,011
41. Texas – $13,852
42. Arkansas – $13,849
43. Tennessee – $13,584
44. Mississippi – $13,559
45. Oklahoma – $13,295
46. Florida – $13,227
47. Nevada – $12,546
48. Arizona – $12,537
49. Utah – $12,522
50. North Carolina – $12,193

Beyond overall funding levels, the report stresses the stakes. States must provide sufficient resources to ensure qualified teachers, adequate staffing, support services, and programs for students in poverty. North Carolina’s current funding model, according to the report, does not meet these basic expectations.

Advocates warn that continued underinvestment puts public schools—and students—at risk. The Education Law Center notes that federal instability, including potential cuts and agency restructuring, will make states even more responsible for keeping schools adequately funded in the coming years. For North Carolina, that responsibility now starts from the lowest point in the country.

The findings come as lawmakers continue to debate school funding formulas, teacher pay, infrastructure needs, and growing achievement gaps across the state. With North Carolina ranked last, the report is expected to intensify calls for major reform during the upcoming legislative session.