New Years Eve in Helen, Georgia

“The new year stands before us, like a chapter book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals.”

Melody Beattie

Are you wanting to do something completely different for this New Years Eve? That is what Joe and I did last year. Joe heard about the celebration in Helen, Georgia and we thought we would give it a try. Helen is an easy drive from Augusta and a very pretty drive. We drove all country roads all the way and enjoyed driving through the quaint towns along the way. When the mountains start to come into view it is so elating. They seem to project their energy on me and revitalize my soul. The closer we get, the more majestic they stand.

On the way to Helen, we stopped in the small town of Clarksville. We had stopped there before when we discovered a wonderful pizza place called the Copper Pot, that makes stone hearth pizzas. The staff was lovely and depending on the weather, there is outside seating. Today was cold outside, so we ate inside. Their pizza is excellent and we really enjoyed them. On Sundays, they always run a two for one pizza deal. That works great for us as we always have some at the restaurant and take the rest home. Clarksville is such a quaint southern town with a nice square that is store lined. This town is not far from Helen and is a good stop to make on the way there.

Just on the edge of the town of Helen is the Habersham Winery located right on Main Street. It was established in 1983 and is one of Georgia’s oldest and largest wineries. We had to wait for awhile for a tasting but in the meantime we shopped in their lovely gift shop with all kinds of unique items to check out. There is also a huge antique shop right next door to check out if the wait is real long. They give you a buzzer so you just wait till your buzzer goes off and run in for your tasting. The staff serving the tastings were very pleasant and informative. We enjoyed the tasting as their wine was very good. They have a good variety of wines and we left there after buying a couple bottles to take to our hotel room for the night. Check them out at: habershamwinery.com.

Helen is a very unique town located along the Chattahoochee River and back in the day was an old logging town. During the gold rush in the Nacoochee Valley, back in 1828 the town was a boom town for a short while. Then there was a long period of time that Helen was just a sleepy town that no one would stop and would just drive through. In 1969, the people of the town got together and passed a zoning mandate to make all the homes and businesses to be constructed in the southern German Style. When you drive through this town it looks just like you entered a town in Bavaria Germany.

We stopped at our hotel in town to rest before the nights activities. We stayed at the America’s Best Value Inn which is right in the middle of Helen and convenient to the stores. It was a nice clean room. It was nothing fancy but the bed was comfortable and there was a refrigerator and microwave for our pizza. It felt good to rest for a few before heading back out.

It was a freezing day in Helen. We didn’t realize how cold until we decided to walk to the Oktoberfest Festhalle where tonight’s activities were taking place. At 7:30, we walked out of the hotel room all bundled up for our stroll. It was a bitter cold night that was made worse by the gusts of wind blowing on us around every building. It took our breath away. I was so cold, I made Joe stop at the Huddle House on the way to buy a large hot tea to carry with me help keep my hands warm. Even the Huddle House has a German front to it, keeping with their tradition here in Helen.

The town was beautifully decorated with all the Christmas lights and looked gorgeous. They had lights everywhere you looked. The buildings were outlined in white lights and looked so festive and bright. The down town had some people walking around but not like usual. We walked down Main Street and over the bridge and looked down on the Chattahoochee River below us and saw the ice covering the rocks and the water rushed by. We felt even colder then so we continued on. 

We got to Festhalle early since it was so cold and we could bear to walk around town no more. It cost us $35 for the two of us to get in and if we brought children 6 – 12 are half price and under 6 get in for free. It is a family event and they welcome all.

The Festhalle was decorated up lovely and very festive and since we got there early, we had a choice of sitting anywhere. We decided on a raised section so we could have a good view of the band and everything that was happening in the main section. The band started playing Om Pa music as the people filed into the building. It was lovely being warm and listening to the German music.

We ordered a wine and a German beer for Joe. We sat and relaxed. A lovely couple came in to join us. We found out they were from the small town of Tallapoosa, Georgia near the Alabama border. They were telling us about their town and the traditions they have their on New Years Eve. They do a possum drop at midnight. They told us there used to be a live possum in a cage but they now do a stuffed replica. We laughed about that. It sounds like that would be quite the adventure. Maybe another year we could branch out and see that. They say it is quite the event.

After chatting for a while, they announced the food was ready. We walked up after being called by tables to go towards the kitchen area where they had set out tables and tables of home made food. They called the food light hor dourves but we thought it was more like a meal. What a spread and everything was wonderful. It was a lot of food.  

We went back to the table to eat and watch the entertainment that included dancing and singing. It was a fun night and we enjoyed spending it with our new friends. Then about fifteen minutes till midnight, they announced it was near the time to watch the Edelweiss drop, so everyone bundled up to head outside. It was a large crowd outside celebrating even in the cold which didn’t feel quite as cold now since we were all huddled together. The crowd yelled the countdown - 10, 9, 8,…...1 Happy New Year! We saw the Edelweiss drop to the bottom of the pole. Everyone started sing in unison, “Old Lang Signe.” It felt magical.

After that everyone filed back into the hall for a champagne toast. It was a memorable night. As we walked back to the room on the lower part of town, we felt cold but just a little warmer from the unity we felt with strangers and the joy of a new start – a new year.

Christmas Memories and Traditions

"When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest  glow of happiness."

Bob Hope

Columbia, South Carolina Christmas tree

Heather with Sock Monkey in front of Silver tree waiting on Santa

When is Santa coming? 

When I was little, I admit Christmas was all about Santa and gifts. I worked very hard on being good to please Santa so I could be rewarded with toys and goodies on Christmas day. As I matured, I went from being a good person for Santa Claus to being a good person for Christ. In a way, I believe Santa was my first introduction of religion and being taught to be a good person. Santa was who watched to see if I was a good person and to do right. Now it is Christ that I try to please every day of my life.

My sister Hope, Grandpa Horne, Hank, Howard, Heather, and Harlan

Howard, Hank, Hope, Harlan and the little trouble maker, Heather on Christmas Day

Heather, Howard, Harlan, Hope, Hank

Hope and Heather

Silver tree

My first memories and traditions that my family had when I was a child, was walking to Broad Street in Woodbury, NJ to see Santa arrive on top of the Woolworth’s Department Store. What a magical moment that was that is for ever frozen in my memory. It was also known as pajama night in our town so all the children put on their winter coats, hats, gloves, and boots over their pajamas and walked up to Broad Street to witness the big man in red,  joyfully arriving. When Santa arrived all the children were screaming - Santa.   After Santa arrived and came down the ladder, all the kids went into Woolworth’s to visit with Santa while the parents shopped in the store. There was also a Christmas parade with bands, firetrucks, and of course Santa near that time. There was so much candy  thrown to the children. It was a child's dream come true. 

 

Santa waiting to see the children

Lights of the South, Augusta, Georgia

My friends would gather a couple of Saturdays during the month of December, in our small town and we would go door to door Christmas caroling. We would go to all our neighbors houses to sing  a couple songs and they would bring out cookies, candy, and sometimes hot chocolate to share with us. We knew all the words to Carols and  had a great time.  I believe we did bring joy to many people. I loved those nights of singing and rejoicing.

Reindeer waiting for Santa

Lights of the South, Augusta, Georgia

As a child, our Christmas traditions were to watch “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman,” while having a nice cup of hot chocolate. Afterwards,  we put cookies and milk on the table for Santa to snack on during his travels that magical night. Sleeping was very difficult in anticipation of Santa, the big man in red to come to our home. We always heard jingle bells ringing after it got dark in our neighborhood that was a sign to go to sleep as soon as possible. If we were not sleeping, we were told Santa would skip our house and their would be no Christmas magic. Somehow I always managed to go to sleep.

Deborah and Barry's tree 

Last years tree

On Christmas morning, my brothers and sister were not allowed into the living room until mom and dad said it was okay. The waiting was torture. Then when they said okay, we ran down to the amazing sight of gifts piled high. I came from a family of five and even with mom and dad not having a whole lot of money, it seemed as if our living room was full of presents. Thinking back now, I do not know how they did all that. They always made it special. The gifts were not huge or expensive for the most part but each gift was cherished. One gift that stands out above all others when I was a young child was one that did not cost my parents a thing. My dad was working for the Children’s Hospital in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as a stationary engineer which was a trait he learned while serving in the Navy. They gave him this box of toys to give to me for Christmas. I unwrapped this box and to my surprise saw that it was full to the top of little trinkets and toys. There were little baby figures, cars, trucks, GI Joe men, spinning tops, little houses, and plastic rings and jewelry. I played for hours with that gift and was so thankful to receive it.

Christmas tree in the Commons - Augusta, Georgia

Another year, my parents bought me a gift that I loved which was a yellow Schwinn Bicycle with a banana seat, high handlebars, and a basket with flowers on it,  in the front. During the time, that bike was all the rave. Everyone wanted one. How I loved that bike. It was my first new bicycle ever and I washed it, decorated it, and took great care of it. I do not know how they could afford to buy a gift like that but I was so proud of the bike. It made me smile just to look at it and now it makes me smile just thinking of it.

A past Christmas with our gang on our front porch

 

Teddy -reindeer

When Joe and I got married and had children, at first we continued with Joe’s family traditions when we lived nearby. We would go to his Grandmothers house or one of his Aunts house for Christmas Eve for a family gathering with lots of food, drinks, and festivities. All the cousins would run around and play games in anticipation of Santa’s arrival. Later in the evening Santa Claus would show up so each of the children could get their picture taken with Santa and get a small gift and a candy cane. What excitement there was when he walked through the door. The parents bought their children a small gift for Santa to give them which was so exciting for them. It was always nice being with the family for that event.

Christmas Tree - outside the Capitol in Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia Zoo, South Carolina  - lite up for Christmas.

The Commons in Downtown Augusta, lite up for the holidays.

Santa James Brown decorated up for Christmas in downtown Augusta, Georgia.

Foxes' Lair Christmas

We always enjoyed taking the kids to see Christmas lights during the season. We would drive around and look at the festive homes all decorated up just waiting Santa’s visit. Christmas Eve was spent at the church watching the children preform in a Christmas pageant about the birth of Christ. I always cried as it moved me so. I loved reading “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clark Moore to our children after we set out cookies and milk for Santa. Then on Christmas morning, the children would wake us up before they could go downstairs. We always made them wait until we went downstairs, made our coffee and tea, put on the Christmas music, and set up the video camera. I know what torture it was for them as I had done the same as a child. We just had to be able to save the special moments on film and have our caffeine in hand. When we said okay, it was on. They would come flying down the stairs with their eyes wide and the excitement overflowing. There were lots of squeals of delight. Christmas morning was just as much fun for Joe and I as it was for the children. After wrapping paper was everywhere and the children were playing with their new toys, we would all sit down for a Christmas casserole for breakfast. It was a good feed after working up an appetite from opening all the gifts. When the children were still young and we lived nearby the grandparents, we would spend the day between Joe’s parents and mine. The children got spoiled from all directions. It was like our children had three Christmas’ that day.

Our stuffed animals for the Christmas parade.

Now our Christmas traditions have changed a bit since our children have grown. Right after Thanksgiving we go to the Christmas tree farm to find our perfect Christmas tree.   Jeannine's children love going and it is always a challenge to find the perfect tree. We start out December by being in a Christmas parade, riding on our friends firetruck and throwing stuffed animals that have been collected through the year to the children at the parade. That is a highlight to our Christmas  season seeing the joy of a young child getting a stuffed animal to love. Watching them pick one up and hug it, and the parents mouthing thank you, just melts our heart.

Nutcracker standing guard at our friends, Birkie and Carol home during the Christmas Crawl.

Then our friends in downtown Augusta, Georgia put on a Christmas Crawl where we go from house to house and have a snack and a specialty drink at each home. Some of the homes have a theme.   It is a great way of getting together with friends and seeing their great Christmas decorations.

Can you guess the theme for the Foxes Lair party?

There are always Christmas parties, ornament and cookie exchanges, and open houses during the season which is such a joy. We just love this time of year. This year, we went to church for dinner and to see Jeannine’s children in a Christmas show. They were so cute and we enjoyed the show so much. Seeing Christmas through a child’s eyes is what brings joy to everyone.

Carol's bear hugging on the Christmas tree. 

Edgefield, South Carolina - decorated up for Christmas

Ice Candle

Now our daughter, Jeannine sets out the cookies and milk for Santa, and reindeer treats and then reads “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” by Clement Moore to all her children before tucking them to bed. Joe, myself, and Josh, our son went over first thing in the morning to watch the children tearing open their gifts. They were so excited and just squealed with delight. Darren, Jeannine’s husband was deployed so we had him on the phone so he could see the children opening up their gifts. He was much missed by all. After the excitement was over, we headed back to our home to get Christmas dinner ready which was a lovely smoked ham prepared by Joe. We enjoyed having the family together and friends stopping in.

South Carolina Christmas tree.

Key West, Florida - Christmas Tree 

Key West , Florida  Christmas tree made from Lobster traps

Key West sponge guy

Everyone has different traditions during the holidays so I thought I would share a few with you. I would love to hear of your traditions and what makes Christmas time so special for you. I love Christmas time even with all the hustle and bustle. It is a time for us to reflect on what Christ has given to us and all the blessings we have received. I do believe in the spirit of Christmas and Santa, in whatever way you want to look at it. I pray you all had a wonderful joy filled Christmas. Merry Christmas.