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 Celebrate 30 years of family tradition with a new spectacular scene on the lake, 10 million twinkling lights and 2,500 acres of Christmas cheer! A beloved Christmas tradition shines even brighter! This season, experience the NEW Celebration Lake, a floating spectacular featuring 30 dancing trees honoring 30 years of Fantasy In Lights! Surround your family with Christmas cheer when you walk, drive and celebrate the bigger and brighter Fantasy In Lights, one of National Geographic’s Top 10 Light Displays in the World! This holiday season, we invite you to one of the best family activities near Atlanta. Step out of your car and into the All-New Callaway Christmas Village! Wander through an immersive Winter Wonderland where you’ll explore a forest of twinkling lights and larger-than-life Christmas scenes featuring towering nutcrackers and gigantic snowflakes! Next, stroll through a forest of perfectly decorated trees on Christmas Tree Lane and stop for seasonal snacks and character meet-and-greets at the Christmas Market! The fun continues with our classic drive-through experience, now featuring an enchanting Tunnel of Lights! Journey through the beloved seven-mile Fantasy In Lights Enchanted Forest, where festive music fills the air and the mesmerizing Magical Field of Lights returns to delight your family for another year. Make the most out of your magical night of lights with an overnight stay in a cozy Cottage, Villa or The Lodge & Spa. Capture the spirit of the season with a visit to Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Resort & Gardens today Other than certified service animals, pets are not allowed in the Christmas Village, Walk-Thru experience, Jolly Trolley or on the beach at Robin Lake. Pets can enjoy Fantasy In Lights Drive-Thru in a personal vehicle. Mark your calendars to visit Callaway Gardens November 15th through January 4th.   

While fall has only just begun, planning for Tifton's Hometown Holidays Celebration is fully underway.

Downtown Tifton's biggest celebration, scheduled Saturday, Dec. 7, has a theme this year of "Christmas Around the World."

"Think of tradition, culture, and travel as we capture the joy of the holiday season from all around the world," organizers say.

Tifton's Christmas Parade will begin at 5 p.m. that Saturday. Immediately following the parade, folks will gather in front of City Hall for the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony as the night commences with rides, vendors, food, fun activities, and lots of surprises.

For questions and sponsorships, email hillery@downtowntifton.com

Source: Tifton Grapevine | Tifton | Tifton, GA, USA 

Jessa May’s Mom started a new holiday tradition a few years ago. She wrapped 25 books to countdown to Christmas. Each day she will unwrap and read a book to Jessa May.  This is a great way to help your children read a thousand books before kindergarten.  At The Margaret Jones Public Library, they are there to help you reach this goal with your little ones.  The library recognizes the connection between reading to young children early, library use and educational success. The National Commission on Reading concluded that, “The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.”  The Margaret Jones Public Library is committed to instilling a love for reading in the very young child.  They provide a variety of children’s books in several different age-appropriate formats. For babies and toddlers, they have durable little board books. For preschoolers through third grade, they have picture books. Easy readers allow beginning readers to begin the formal process of reading and word recognition. The Margaret Jones Public Library also has Juvenile nonfiction and chapter books for grades 2nd through 8th. Kids have their very own card catalog at http://gapines.org/kpac . Only those 350,000-plus books, DVDs, CDs and other items that have been cataloged in PINES as children's materials will show up in search results.  Books & Bubbles is their story time for children ages zero to three and it is presented on Tuesday mornings at 10:30 am at the Margaret Jones Public Library. The group sing songs, use flannel stories and rhymes, and read books of course in this 20 minute story time. Then they have time of play.  Preschool Story time is for children ages three to five and it is presented on Thursday mornings at 10 am. In this 60 minute story time they read books, sing songs, and create crafts all related to a theme.  During the summer months when school is out, the library offers the Summer Reading Program. Research has shown that reading over the summer break helps prevent students from losing ground and helps prepare them for the next school year. Participating in the library's Summer Reading Program is a great way to stop the "summer slide”. Each year there is a new theme. Check the library’s event calendar for more details.  Whether you need help locating a good book to read or information to complete a school project, we’re here to help.  Come by the Library to pick out some holiday books to share with your little ones. 

 This time of year is so much fun to me.  I love the Spirit that the Holidays bring. I love all the Christmas lights to see and love hearing all the Christmas Carol’s.  Another thing I enjoy doing is watching the Christmas programs with events that we cannot actually attend.  One of them is the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting.  The 2024 tree will be lit for the first time on December 4th with live performances starting at 8pm at Rockefeller Plaza, between West 48th and 51st Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues. The ceremony is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Tens of thousands will crowd the sidewalks for the event and hundreds of millions will watch the live broadcast around the globe. The tree will remain lit and open to the public through the holidays.  I will be one of the hundreds of millions watching on television. I have watched it several times over the years but after Larry was born, I have made it an annual tradition with him.  We love the singing and of course the lighting of the Christmas tree.  One thing I didn’t know but I think is a great thing is for the eleventh consecutive year, the Christmas Tree will be donated to Habitat for Humanity. Once the holidays have passed and crowds have dispersed, the tree comes down and is milled, treated and made into lumber that is used for home building. Each year, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree continues to be a symbol of hope, and inspired the children’s book, “The Carpenter’s Gift”, written by David Rubel and illustrated by Jim LaMarche in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity.  This information and more on this story is on rockerfellercenter.com.  For over eight decades, the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center and the holiday decorations adorning and surrounding have stood as a holiday beacon for New Yorkers and visitors alike. From the beginning, the Tree was a gathering place and reflection of what was happening in the world around it. Even before the first formal tree went up, workers lined up beneath a Christmas tree on the Rockefeller Plaza construction site to collect their paychecks during the height of the Great Depression. People from around the world came after September 11th to see the Tree decorated in a patriotic red, white and blue. Today, more than half a million people pass by the Tree every day, making Rockefeller Center the epicenter of New York City’s holiday celebrations.  It is on my bucket list to go there one day and just may happen.   

 Hand washing is easy to do and it's one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of many types of infection and illness in all settings which includes from your home and workplace to child care facilities and hospitals. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community.  Many people ask when they should wash their hands.  The answer is quite simple and includes but is not limited to these.  Before, during, and after preparing food, Before eating food, Before and after caring for someone who is sick, Before and after treating a cut or wound, After using the toilet, After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet, After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste and After touching garbage.  Well as simple as that sounds, many say they do not know the right way to wash their hands.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tell us to wet our hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.  Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.  Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the "Happy Birthday" song from beginning to end twice.  Rinse your hands well under clean, running water and lastly, dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.  Often we are out and about and need to wash our hands and may not have soap and clean, running water.  Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of microbes on them in most situations. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of microbes on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs.  Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.  You may ask “how do you use hand sanitizers?”  Apply the product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).  Rub your hands together.  Rub the product over all surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry.  With December being Handwashing Awareness Month, please take these tips provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and use them all year long! 

Discover a wilder, bigger, and brighter Christmas experience than ever before, with jolly new additions coming this Season! Surround yourself in the magic of the holidays when you step into a world of over 2 million dazzling lights, including the all-new Twinkling Timbers and the Glimmer Grove. Don't miss the return of a mesmerizing Carol of the Animals Lake Show, meet-and-greets with Santa and cheerful holiday characters alike - all united for the ultimate Christmas experience. Don't miss the chance to create cherished family memories and dive into the enchantment of South Georgia's biggest and brightest Christmas event!  Between all the Christmas fun, explore 170 acres of rides, endless entertainment, and exotic animals with the whole family! Enjoy Wild Adventures Christmas Wild & Bright in 2024 and secure your pass to a whole Season of excitement with a 2025 Season Pass! This celebration is included with your Daily Admission or Season Pass admission. 

 Christmas is a time for giving, so give yourself a break. “But, what about the kids?”, you may find yourself asking with some frustration. Fear not! Callaway Resort & Gardens is the perfect Christmas vacation getaway for you and the kids!  Nestled in Pine Mountain, Georgia just a short drive from Atlanta you’ll find one of America’s best Christmas vacation spots. Book a suite in the Lodge and Spa, and you’ll be treated to a beautiful view overlooking the lake, woodlands, and the garden. The gorgeous room interior will give you the same comfort as your own home. With quick access to the garden, swimming pool, spa and fitness center, and cabana-style bar, the Lodge and Spa suites are the perfect setup for a fantastic vacation.  But, what about the kids? Well, the resort offers some of the best activities for families near Atlanta. Families can explore the amazing Callaway Gardens together. The Callaway Brothers Azalea Bowl, Overlook Azalea Garden, Ida Cason Callaway Memorial Chapel, Pioneer Log Cabin, Meadowlark Garden, and Thornhill Hydrangea Garden are just a few of the outdoor attractions offered at the resort. There are plenty of nature trails to walk as well.  If you’re looking for a unique nature experience, the Day Butterfly Center houses over 1,000 butterflies for your viewing pleasure–it’s one of North America’s largest tropical butterfly conservatories! You’ll have the chance to learn all about the wonderful butterflies that inhabit the Center and watch them in their natural habitat.  At the Callaway Discovery Center, you can enjoy a show so spectacular, it that requires the approval of both U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Callaway Gardens’ Birds of Prey program is designed to educate visitors about their impact on wildlife, but it also gives visitors an up close and personal demonstration of predatory birds’ strength, speed, and natural instincts. It’s definitely a must-see!  If your kids are looking for a little more adventure, they’ll love the Callaway Resort & Gardens’ Treetop Adventure – Zip Lines & Obstacle Courses. The self-guided, in-air obstacle course will entertain any thrill seeker. The 10 zip lines and 34 challenges will take the average zip liner two to three hours to complete. The challenges and thrilling heights are sure to bring any family closer together and give a sense of accomplishment when completed.  You can also sign up the kids for the zip lines and take those two to three hours to unwind. The resort offers two world-class 18-hole golf courses that take you through some of the most breathtaking scenery in America. You can also work up a sweat at the Mountain Creek Tennis Center, where you’ll find both hard-surface and soft-surface courts. If you prefer the calmness of the waters, you can opt to rent a canoe, kayak, or jon boat and venture onto Mountain Creek Lake. Let’s face it, though—if you’re going to unwind, you’ll do it best at the Spa at Callaway Resort & Gardens. Sign up for massage therapy, facials, manicures, pedicures, salon services, or botanical body treatments. While the kids climb sky high, you’ll be floating along on cloud nine.  “That sounds great,” you might say, “but what about Christmas?” Well, if you’re at Callaway Resort & Gardens during Christmas, you’ll be treated to one of the world’s Top 10 Places to See Holiday Lights, according to National Geographic Traveler. At Callaway Resort & Gardens’ Fantasy In Lights, there are eight million lights, 15 scenes and shows, and awesome Christmas characters that will bring the holiday spirit to your amazing Christmas vacation. You can even sign up to have breakfast with the Christmas characters!  If you’re wondering where to spend Christmas vacation with kids, you’ll find all the makings of a perfect vacation at Callaway Resort & Gardens. Call today to book your stay!                                                                                            
Source:  Callaway Gardens  

 With the holidays coming up, we all seem to stay so busy but try during them to take a little time for yourself and relax!  You can learn to relax with some practice and patience.  Be sure to get advice by talking with your health care provider about methods that may work best for you.  Check with him or her before changing your diet or starting an exercise program.  Talk to people experienced in relaxation techniques, too.  Set aside time every day.  Many relaxation techniques take a bit of practice to achieve results so be sure to plan time in your schedule everyday to accomplish this.  Always find a quiet place.  You should feel comfortable and safe in whatever setting you choose.  Dim the lights and add soothing background music and enjoy the moment!  One thing that will help but is very hard to do is be patient.  Don’t worry if you don’t notice the results right away.  Give yourself time to learn the techniques and relaxation will come.  Relaxing is very important because it can help relieve or prevent problems related to stress.  Health problems that relaxation can help include headaches, trouble sleeping, clenching or grinding of teeth, stomach and digestion problems and high blood pressure.  Believe it or not, relaxation can help emotional distress.  Through relaxation, you can reduce emotional response to stress, such as irritability, tension, anxiety and depression.  So try to follow these to relax and enjoy the holidays! 

 December 27th, 2024 is “Visit a Zoo” day.  If you are looking to make your zoo trip an overnight adventure for your family, consider visiting Zoo Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia.  Zoo Atlanta dates back to 1889 when it was a traveling carnival operated by George W. Hall. It is home to some of the most exotic animals in the world. A number of rare and endangered species are featured in the park, including Komodo dragons, Arakan forest turtles and clouded leopards. In 1999, Zoo Atlanta introduced an exhibit of giant pandas, becoming the fourth zoo in the US to house the rare animals.  The grounds of Zoo Atlanta cover 40 acres. It is open every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas. An indoor playground, an outdoor playground, a petting zoo and an interactive naked mole rat tunnel play area are available for children to enjoy. A zoo gift shop sells mementos, toys and collectible items.  Always remember for a day trip, Chehaw in Albany is a great zoo to enjoy for the day with the family.  There is a park to play in and enjoy a picnic, animals to visit, feed and interact with, train ride, gift shop to browse around in and much more.  Be sure to plan your zoo trip and have a great time with the family.

 Pneumonia Awareness Month is in November.  Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. A variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, can cause pneumonia.   Pneumonia can range in seriousness from mild to life-threatening.   It is most serious for infants and young children, people older than age 65, and people with health problems or weakened immune systems.  The signs and symptoms of pneumonia vary from mild to severe, depending on factors such as the type of germ causing the infection, and your age and overall health. Mild signs and symptoms often are like those of a cold or flu, but they last longer.  Signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include:

· Fever, sweating and shaking chills
· Cough, which may produce phlegm
· Chest pain when you breathe or cough
· Shortness of breath
· Fatigue
· Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea

Newborns and infants may not show any sign of the infection. Or they may vomit, have a fever and cough, appear restless or tired and without energy, or have difficulty breathing and eating.  People older than age 65 and people in poor health or with a weakened immune system may have a lower-than-normal body temperature. Older people who have pneumonia sometimes have sudden changes in mental awareness.  Many germs can cause pneumonia. The most common are bacteria and viruses in the air we breathe. Your body usually prevents these germs from infecting your lungs. But sometimes these germs can overpower your immune system, even if your health is generally good.  Pneumonia is classified according to the types of germs that cause it and where you got the infection.  If you have any of these symptoms, be sure to contact your physician. 

 As parents and caregivers, we can make choices to ensure time spent with our children is high-quality even during the holiday season. Here are nine tips for busy families:  1. Have a daily “connect” time with your child. Do this face-to-face, if possible; but if this isn’t an option, create a routine for doing so in other ways, such as posting a note by his toothbrush or writing an encouraging saying on a shared whiteboard in the house.  2.  Create a special ritual for you and your child—something that can be done every day. For example, let your child choose and read one book with you at bedtime.  3. Tell your child you love them every day. And tell them how important they are to you and how they make you feel.  4.  Reinforce positive behavior. For example, if your child completes his chores without you asking, acknowledge it with words of appreciation—even if you don’t have the chance to do so until the next day.  5. Make and eat meals with your children whenever possible. If time is limited, look for simple meals that require very little preparation, or grab a healthy snack such as an apple and sit for a few minutes and chat with your child.  6.  Schedule time for doing an activity of your child’s choosing. Be sure to follow through and complete the activity without any distractions.  7.  Play with your child, even if it’s during bath time or outside.  Every little bit of time makes a positive impact!  8.  Laugh and be silly with your child.  9.  Turn off technology when you spend time with your child. Try not to text, answer calls, scroll through social media, or watch television. 

I would have thought this day was before Christmas but it seems that it is after Christmas.  What day am I talking about?  I am talking about National Candy Cane Day.  I am guessing it is after Christmas because everyone is taking down their Christmas Trees where they have had the candy canes hanging and now it is time to eat those yummy things.  There is so much to learn about the candy cane and many of the facts that I did not know.  Legend has it that in 1670, the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany handed out sugar sticks among his young singers to keep them quiet during the long Living Creche ceremony. In honor of the occasion, he had the candies bent into shepherds’ crooks. In 1847, a German-Swedish immigrant named August Imgard of Wooster, Ohio, decorated a small blue spruce with paper ornaments and candy canes. It wasn’t until the turn of the century that the red and white stripes and peppermint flavors became the norm.  In the 1920s, Bob McCormack began making candy canes as special Christmas treats for his children, friends and local shopkeepers in Albany, Georgia. It was a laborious process – pulling, twisting, cutting and bending the candy by hand. It could only be done on a local scale.  In the 1950s, Bob’s brother-in-law, Gregory Keller, a Catholic priest, invented a machine to automate candy cane production. Packaging innovations by the younger McCormacks made it possible to transport the delicate canes on a large scale.  Although modern technology has made candy canes accessible and plentiful, they’ve not lost their purity and simplicity as a traditional holiday food.  How are candy canes made?  Many machines help with the production of this popular Christmas confection.  Sugar and corn syrup are heated in large kettles and then vacuum cooked. The candy is poured on a cooling table where peppermint and starch are added. The starch holds flavor during mixing and prevents stickiness. Next, a kneader mixes the flavoring and candy together until it turns a golden brown color. Afterwards, it is placed into a puller that turns the candy silky white. It moves to a batch former and is made into a log-like shape.  The stripes are formed on a heating table and placed on the white log. The candy is put back on the batch roller and formed into a cone shape. Sizing wheels reduce the cone to the diameter of a candy cane and turn it into a rope. Next, a twister will make the rope into a barber pole.  Finally, it moves to a cutter that snips the candy into strips. The candy is kept warm so it will not harden. It is placed in wrappers and the heat of the candy will shrink the wrappers. The canes move to a crooker, which will give the candy its Shepherd's Crook or hook. The candy canes are placed into a box, called a cradle, inspected and shipped.  Fun facts about candy canes:  For 200 years, the candy cane came only in one color — white. The red stripes did not appear until sometime around the turn of the 20th century.  National Candy Cane Day is celebrated December 26 in the United States.  Considered a seasonal item, 90 percent of candy canes are sold between Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

Whether fall or winter, these will be yummy to the tummy!   You will definitely want to add these to your goody table during the holidays.  Who doesn’t like Hershey Kisses?  So be sure to enjoy these this Christmas!  Your guests will grab these by the handfuls.  We hope each and every one of you has a very Merry Christmas.