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Candlelight Nights
Experience Christmas past with a candlelit stroll through our beautifully decorated gardens and grounds, and be transported into the warm glow of the holidays. Guests are welcomed by a lively Christmas Market filled with local crafts and artisanal creations. Visit our three historic houses to experience how Southerners celebrated Christmas during the pioneer days, the Civil War era, and the 1930s. Holiday traditions of years past come alive with interpreters, music, and special activities. Enjoy food for purchase and visit one of several cash bars for your favorite holiday libation.
This special holiday program is $20 for not-yet members, $15 for members, and $10 for children.
Schedule of Activities
Main Building
Holiday Market
Ongoing
Not done with your holiday shopping yet? Purchase special one-of-a-kind gifts from local artists and craftsmen.
Vendors
1. Johari Africa - jewelry and other artsy items made by Clarkston refugee women and African female artists
2. Sunavworld - home goods, art items imported from Nepal
3. Mingei World Arts - Vintage treasures and fine craft from artisans and markets of the world
4. Ivy Abena - imported African baskets and pillows from African fabrics
5. Rachel Campbell and Mimi Bradberry - paintings and stained glass
6. Gina Renay - crochet decor and clothing
7. Kristin Replogle - art with spiritual bent
8. Celena Schoen - folk pottery
9. Tortured Pine Pottery - pottery bowls and platters
10. Gina Kirlew - artist-created stickers
11. Gina Nolte - handmade baskets
12. Mary Boyle - jewelry
13. Olivia Thomason - paintings and prints
14. Polly Sherrill - pottery
15. Jimella's Bakery - cookies
Visit with Santa Claus
6:30-9:30pm
Ho-ho-ho! Grab your camera and get ready to photograph the family while your crew visits with Old Saint Nick.
Mama Koku's Holiday Stories
5:45pm, 6:45pm, 7:45pm
Mama Koku helps us celebrate a diverse December with stories that highlight the traditions of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa mixed in with a few winter tales that will leave you feeling warm inside.
All Aboard!
6:00pm, 7:00pm, 8:00pm
Enjoy a special holiday story at our newly restored Texas locomotive and become immersed in the spirit of the holidays as you get ready to board a train to the North Pole!
Octave
6:15pm, 7:15pm, 8:15pm
Enjoy Atlanta's favorite female a cappella singing group performing holiday favorites. Octave was founded in 1996 and has since grown and changed its membership. Each new addition has added something amazing to the group. Their members are teachers, writers, executives, pharmacists, athletes, dancers, grammar geeks, attorneys, and moms--all brought together for great music, great friendships, and great fun.
Reindeer Games with Aurora Theatre
8:00pm
Aurora Theatre produces more than 800 events each year for guests of all ages and tastes. With the Lawrenceville troupe's Reindeer Games, talented performers engage guests in amusing, interactive improv comedy and sing joyful holiday tunes.
Smith Farm
Travel to Christmastime during the Civil War and be welcomed into the holiday traditions on Smith Farm. Encounter characters from 1861 and participate in traditional crafts and activities as you help them decorate for a very special Christmas.
1861 Christmas tree lighting
6:00pm, 7:00pm, 8:00pm, 9:00pm
The sounds of caroling greet you as you gather round to light the candles on the Christmas tree.
Behind the Scenes: A Christmas Feast
7:15pm, 8:15pm, 9:15pm
Learn about the special Christmas dinner being cooked for the Smith family and see open hearth demonstrations of traditional Civil War era delicacies.
The Yule Log
6:15pm, 7:15pm, 8:15pm, 9:00pm
Listen to stories and songs by the fire as the enslaved community celebrates Christmas and hopes for the end of slavery. Afterward, visit with interpreters as they discuss resistance and the history of holidays for the enslaved.
Stephen, Meet the Past Museum Theatre Performance
6:45pm, 7:45pm, 8:45pm
Meet Stephen, an enslaved woodworker who must face a crucial decision regarding his future and that of his family during the holiday season. This decision will impact the lives of those closest to him, for better or worse.
Ongoing Activities
Swan House
Revel in the holiday season of 1930 as you are transported to a Jazz Age Christmas party at the lavishly decorated Swan House while the Inman family and their staff celebrates Christmas.
The Laura Coyle Trio
6:30pm, 7:30pm, 8:30pm
Step back in time with the Laura Coyle trio as they perform old standards of the holidays.
One of the most sought-after singers on the Atlanta jazz scene, Laura Coyle brings a timeless voice and masterful sense of swing to her performances. She collaborates with many of the best musicians in the city and sings with a genuine love for the lyrics, and the traditions of jazz music
Ongoing Activities
Wood Cabin
Stop at our bonfire and enjoy some cider and s'mores!
Atlanta Sacred Harp Singers
7:00pm & 8:00pm
The Atlanta Sacred Harp Singers are a group who perform historic a cappella shapenote hymns from The Sacred Harp, a collection of hymns first published in Georgia in 1844. Their performances entertain and inspire listeners through the active tradition of community sacred singing, which originated in early 19th century Georgia.
Food and Drink
Cash bars are located throughout the campus for some holiday cheer!
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News
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A suspect died Friday morning after opening fire at Florida’s Naval Air Station Pensacola, killing at least two people and injuring several others. >> Read more trending news Update 10:25 a.m. EST Dec. 6: Vice President Mike Pence said he’s monitoring the situation in Florida after a shooting left two victims and a suspect dead at Naval Air Station Pensacola. “Praying for the victims & their families,” Pence wrote Friday morning in a Twitter post. “We commend the first responders for their swift action in taking down the shooter & getting those on base to safety.” Update 10:20 a.m. EST Dec. 6: White House officials said President Donald Trump has been briefed on the deadly shooting reported Friday morning at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Update 10:15 a.m. EST Dec. 6: Officials with Naval Air Station Pensacola said the base will closed for the day Friday after a shooting left three people dead earlier in the day. Authorities said at least three people, including the suspected shooter, were killed in the incident. Reports indicated at least eight other people were wounded in the shooting. The incident happened two days after authorities said a U.S. sailor shot and killed two civilian employees before turning the gun on himself at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. One other person was injured in that shooting. Naval Air Station Pensacola employs more than 16,000 military and 7,400 civilian personnel, according to officials. Update 10:10 a.m. EST Dec. 6: Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, said his office has been in “close contact with all the relevant officials & closely monitoring events” after a shooter opened fire at Naval Air Station Pensacola on Friday morning, killing two people. Authorities said the shooter also died. “Please pray for everyone impacted by this horrible situation,” Rubio said in a Twitter post. Update 10 a.m. EST Dec. 6: A spokesman at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital told CNN that hospital officials expected to get three patients who had been injured in Friday morning’s shooting, down from the six expected earlier in the day. Hospital spokesman Mike Burke told the news network most victims were taken to Baptist Hospital because of its proximity to the base. Kathy Bowers, a spokeswoman for Baptist Hospital, earlier told the Pensacola News Journal that the hospital had received five patients wounded in Friday’s shooting. Update 9:45 a.m. EST Dec. 6: Officials with the U.S. Navy have confirmed that a second person has died after a shooter opened fire Friday morning at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Update 9:35 a.m. EST Dec. 6: Officials told the Pensacola News Journal two people were confirmed dead after Friday morning’s shooting, in addition to the shooter. Naval officials previously said at least one person had been killed. Update 9:20 a.m. EST Dec. 6: At least 11 people were hospitalized in the immediate aftermath of Friday’s deadly shooting, according to The Associated Press. Ascension Sacred Heart spokesman Mike Burke told the AP six people were taken to the hospital after a shooter opened fire at Naval Air Station Pensacola early Friday. The Pensacola News Journal previously reported five other people were taken to Baptist Hospital with injuries. Naval officials said at least one victim was killed in Friday’s shooting. Authorities continue to investigate. Update 9:10 a.m. EST Dec. 6: Officials with the U.S. Navy said at least one person died Friday morning in a shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida. Authorities said the suspected shooter was also dead Friday morning. Update 9 a.m. EST Dec. 6: An official with Baptist Hospital told the Pensacola News Journal five patients were taken to the hospital after Friday morning’s reported shooting. Authorities continue to investigate. Update 8:55 a.m. EST Dec. 6: Authorities with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said a suspected shooter was dead Friday morning at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Original report: Authorities are responding Friday morning to reports of shots fired at Naval Air Station Pensacola, according to base officials. Authorities at NAS Pensacola said both gates to the base were closed Friday morning as authorities investigated. Officials with the U.S. Navy said the base was on lockdown around 7:45 a.m. local time. A spokeswoman for ECSO told the Pensacola News Journal deputies were working to “take down” what was described as an active shooter around 7:30 a.m. local time. Officials with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office told WEAR-TV injuries were reported. Details on the number of people wounded and the extent of their injuries was not immediately available. Check back for updates to this developing story.
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Tennessee executed a blind man Thursday night convicted in the 1991 murder of his estranged girlfriend, multiple news outlets reported. According to the Tennessean, death row inmate Lee Hall became the state’s fourth prisoner executed in the electric chair since 2018. Hall, 53, was pronounced dead at 7:26 p.m., according to the Tennessee Department of Corrections. >> Read more trending news Hall, also known as Leroy Hall Jr., was found guilty in 1992 of first-degree murder and aggravated arson in the 1991 death of his former girlfriend Traci Crozier, the newspaper reported. According to CBS News, electrocution is an execution option available to Tennessee inmates convicted of crimes prior to January 1999. A witness to the execution said that Hall’s final words were that 'people need to learn forgiveness and love and make the world a better place,” the network reported. According to the Tennessean, Crozier’s sister, Staci Wooten, read a prepared statement following the execution, stating 28 years of pain for her family has finally ended. “Our family’s peace can begin, but another family’s hell has to begin. We all fought this battle for you, Traci, and today we won,” Wooten said. The paper also noted Hall released his own statement – read by his attorney John Spragens following the execution – apologizing to the Crozier family. “I’m sorry for the pain I caused,' Hall's statement read. “I ask for your forgiveness, and I hope and pray that someday you can find it in your heart to forgive me.' Read more here and here.
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WATCH: 2-year-old steals spotlight, warms hearts worldwide in viral, low-budget Christmas commercialA Welsh hardware store’s low-budget Christmas advertisement has plucked the heartstrings of consumers worldwide. Hafod Hardware, a family-owned store in the Welsh town of Rhayader, debuted its 2019 Christmas spot Sunday, and the Internet simply cannot get enough, Time magazine reported. >> Read more trending news The spot, which cost only $130 to produce, features owner Tom Jones’ 2-year-old son Arthur while he helps out around the store and encourages viewers to “Be a kid this Christmas,” Time reported. Jones, 30, told the Evening Standard he runs the store with his wife Laura and his parents. “We just make it for fun, really. We try and put a bit of a spotlight on small independent businesses that you get in rural areas where we are, and we try and show that we can offer just as much as your high street chains,” Jones told CNN, noting this is the third year he has produced a commercial specifically for the holidays. >> Need something to lift your spirits? Read more uplifting news According to the Evening Standard, the homemade two-minute spot features not only Arthur serving customers, cleaning the shop and even wrapping presents but cameo appearances from his dad, grandparents and great-grandparents as well, making it a full-on family affair. Read more here and here. -
Four people are dead following a dramatic south Florida police chase – involving a hijacked UPS truck – that ended in gunfire, authorities confirmed late Thursday. >> Read more trending news The incident began shortly after 4 p.m. when Coral Gables police responded to a robbery at a Regent Jewelers store. Coral Gables Police Chief Ed Hudak told USA Today responding officers were met with gunfire from two suspects upon arrival. About 20 minutes after fleeing the scene in a truck, the suspected robbers then hijacked a UPS delivery truck and took its driver hostage, FBI Special Agent in Charge George Piro, the head of the Miami field office, said during a news conference. Pursuing officers chased the stolen vehicle until traffic forced it to stop near a busy intersection during rush hour, USA Today reported. The hail of gunfire that erupted killed four people, including the two suspected robbers, the UPS driver and a bystander who was inside an idle car at the intersection, the Miami Herald reported. Piro said during the news conference it is unclear if bullets fired by police or the hijackers are responsible for the deaths of the UPS driver and the bystander. “It is very, very early on in the investigation and it would be completely inappropriate to discuss that,” Piro said. “We have just began to process the crime scene. As you can imagine, this is going to be a very complicated crime scene.” UPS spokesman David Graves told USA Today the company will cooperate with authorities. “We are deeply saddened to learn a UPS service provider was a victim of this senseless act of violence,” Graves said in a statement, adding, “We extend our condolences to the family and friends of our employee and the other innocent victims involved in this incident.” Read more here or here.
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Swifties, rejoice. Taylor Swift released her new holiday song, “Christmas Tree Farm,” just after midnight Friday with an added bonus, People reported. >> Read more trending news An accompanying music video features footage shot by her parents, Andrea and Scott Swift, on the family’s actual Christmas tree farm, Pine Ridge Farm. The nostalgic stroll features the young songstress as well as her brother, Austin Swift, and other friends and family, the magazine reported. Swift also offered fans a little background on what makes this particular track so special. Original report It’s beginning to look a lot like Swiftmas! Taylor Swift is giving her fans an early Christmas gift wrapped up in song. The songstress announced Thursday morning that she will be releasing her Christmas song “Christmas Tree Farm,” Billboard reported. She said she wrote it over the weekend, “Good Morning America” reported. In the announcement on Instagram she said, “I feel like it’s weird to wait a year to put it out.' Buzzfeed reported the song will come with a music video, made from her home videos as she grew up on a Christmas tree farm in Pennsylvania. The video is expected to be released at midnight EST, Buzzfeed reported.
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Thursday was a happy day at a local middle school. Friends were thrilled to see a friend back at school after he nearly choked on a water bottle cap. >> Read more trending news It was the quick thinking from several people that saved his life. WSB-TV’s Wendy Corona visited Red Top Middle School in Bartow County and met the heroes. 'It was a scared, frantic, kind of, like, ‘‘Help me' look and his face was blue,' Red Top Middle School school resource officer Duane Smith said. Smith recalled lunch on Tuesday. He had just finished eating his chef's salad. 'He was, like, 'Go grab the teachers,' like, in a stuttering voice,' student Rudra Parmar recalled. Parmar's buddy, Ethan Hamrick swallowed a water bottle cap and needed help. 'I didn't think about the outcome. I just thought about what I was going to do and I wasn't going to stop until I was done,' Smith said. 'A teacher hollered, 'They think he swallowed a water bottle cap!' At that time, I knew it was on. I had to continue.' He said it felt like slow motion. 'He's 11 years old. He's a lot shorter than I am and I was talking him through it. I said ‘Hang on buddy. Hang on buddy,' Smith said. It took Smith 14 thrusts of the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the cap. He believes divine intervention had him there to help. 'I wasn't even supposed to be back on this campus yet, but something told me to head on back to Red Top,' Smith said. 'That day, we were lucky that he was there,' Parmar said. 'I guess it was destiny or something.
Jamie Dupree
