It's Holiday Time in Atlanta: A Guide to What to See and Do

There's a chill in the air. Leaves are beginning to fall. The holiday season is here! As we embark on the season of Thanksgiving,Christmas,and New Year's, opportunities abound in and around Atlanta for family celebration.

Please note: I realize many people celebrate other holidays during this time, such as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. However, I do not have information at hand about celebrations for those holidays. I am certain that our diverse and wonderful city will have much to offer, no matter what holiday you celebrate, however, and invite you to contact the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce for more information. Their phone number is (404) 880-9000.

On Thanksgiving, you can make the day truly meaningful by helping feed those less fortunate. One way is by volunteering for the 37th Annual Hosea Feed the Hungry Foundation Thanksgiving Dinner. Founded by Civil Rights activist Hosea Williams, the event, which takes place in Turner Field in Atlanta, annualy feeds over 15,000 homeless or poverty-stricken people.

The official kickoff of the holiday season in Atlanta is the Thanksgiving day Great Tree Lighting at Macy's in Lenox Square. This year, the 59th lighting of the tree, special guests include LeeAnn Rimes and Third Day. Just be aware: This event, which is free, will be very crowded!

The Great Tree Lighting ushers in a flurry of Christmas activities.Of course there must be a parade, and Atlanta's Children's Christmas Parade has been thrilling children and adults for years. Beginning at Centennial Olympic Park, the sights and sounds of Christmas pass before you in a dizzying array as the parade winds its way through downtown to end, as it seems every thing in Atlanta must do, on Peachtree Street. There will be marching bands, animated floats, giant balloons, and of course, that jolly old Santa Claus! This year, the parade takes place on December 2nd, stepping off at 10:30 AM.

December 2nd is also the beginning of the nine-day Festival of Trees, another dazzling and beloved Atlanta tradition. This Christmas wonderland at the World Congress Center has been a fundraiser for children's healthcare for the past 30 years. Some of the city's top designers volunteer their time to decorate over 200 trees and holiday scenes, as well as gingerbread houses and other holiday goodies. In addition, there is continous live entertainment and activities for the children.

If the overwhelming beauty and whimsy of the Festival of Trees is not enough, this year, Atlanta has added a new spectacular: The Festival of Lights. Visitors can walk across the street from the Congress Center to Central Olympic Park to view an explosion of brilliant luminaries, some of which are as much as 50 feet high! Adult tickets for the Festivals are $12, and tickets for Seniors over 65 and children 2-12 are $6. Children under two are free. From December 2-10, Festival hours will be 10AM-9 PM weekdays and Saturday and Sunday noon to 6.

Still need more lights? Atlanta delivers! The best-loved are Callaway Gardens' Fantasy in Lights, with over 8 million lights, and Lake Lanier's Magical Nights of Lights. Both of these exhibits start in mid-November and run throughout the holiday season. Tickets for Callaway Gardens' display are $20 for adults and $10 for children over 5. Children under 5 are free, but require a free child's ticket. Tickets for Lake Lanier's lights are $30 per car Monday-Thursday, and $40 per car Friday-Sunday. There are special prices for vans and buses. Of course, there are plenty of decorated homes to view for free in Buckhead and around Druid Hills, as well as in the neighborhoods where ordinary folk live.

The list goes on and on. But I'm going to complete my report with theatre and dance.

For many people, it just wouldn't be Christmas without A Christmas Carol. While there are numerous productions around town each year, the Alliance Theatre performance is always hugely popular. Tickets will range this year from $15-$45, and performances will run from November 24th-December 24th.

Then, of course, there is The Nutcracker. This one also gets various interpretations, but for true timeless perfection, don't miss the Atlanta Ballet performance at the fabulous Fox theatre! Throughout December, snowflakes will swirl, fairies will dance, and Christmas will be as magical as any holiday can ever hope to be! Tickets range from $15 to $80.

If you survive the Christmas onslaught, New Year's arrives with too many partes to mention. New Year's in Atlanta is also the Peach Bowl, now officially known as the Chick-fil-A Bowl, but it will always be the Peach Bowl to us, as it has been for 40 years. This is Georgia, after all, and football is very close to sacred here.

Then, there's the Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta at midnight, New Year's Eve. New York may have a Big Apple, but we've got an 800-pound Peach to usher in our New Year memorably! After a full day of activities, the festivities end with a concert by the ever-popular Collective Soul.

As you can see, Atlanta is a holiday extravaganza. The only thing to slow down your celebration this year will be exhaustion.