Happy Holidays from all of us at Atlanta INtown.
We hope you enjoy this time with your friends, family and loved ones.

Our offices will be closed Dec. 26, Dec. 30 and Jan. 2.

By Annie Kinnett Nichols

We’re supposed to feel all warm and content as the holidays approach, but it’s not always unicorns and rainbows during this politically correct time of the year.

Sometimes I think the holidays can be hard for people, especially if they don’t have a bestest, spouse or family in their lives. I thought I might share a few things that have worked for me when my crazy meter has tipped to far over into the red. Go ahead, clip it out of the paper. If this isn’t a tough time for you, just save it. One day, I promise, it will come in handy.

Exercise: Jump up and down, run around the block, yoga, (toughloveyoga.com, the home school of yoga) ride a bike, pick up an old sport you loved or learn a new one.

Volunteer: Get out of your head and spend time with other folks that need help. handsonatlanta.org

Laugh: Find anything that makes you laugh and go with it – funny movies, cartoons, books. Try and laugh as much as possible.

Smile: Smile in your car, in your shower, in front of your kids,  at your dog. It doesn’t have to be genuine just curve your lips upward and keep them up for a bit. You might be surprised that the genuine thing doesn’t come over you.

Breathe: Whenever you read or see or hear Breathe – do it. Try and breathe (see, I said it again, so take another breath – and again!) a lot. It’s a good way to calm your crazy ass down, which you might want to say every time you take a deep breath: “I’m calming my crazy ass down now.”

Mantras: Tell yourself positive things in your head or aloud – I say “I’m in perfect time with the universe” over and over throughout the day. It helps me calm my crazy ass down (see above).

Eat healthy: Fresh fruits and veggies will make you feel better, or try something different and drink your drink your veggies (ardensgarden.com).

Make time for real friends: You know,  the kind of friends that bring joy into your life.

Get therapy: If you’re broke, an inexpensive group therapy is the 12 step stuff – there are tons and they usually have free coffee.

Read: Two good books for starters – The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra and Passages by Gail Sheehy. It’s an anthropological look at what you’re going through during different times of your life.

Get spiritual:  Whatever this is for you –  Nature. God. Goddesses. Buddha. Sushi (zumasushibar.com). Meditation (kashiatlanta.org).

Do things that make you happy: Go to Old Fourth Ward Park. Go to a movie. Go window-shopping in Little Five Points. Throw out old clothes. Join a choir. Clean off your desk. Make your bed. Play with your dog. Take someone else’s dog for a walk at Piedmont Park.

Hope you have an awesome holiday season and a Happy New Year.

The market will be at the Trolley Barn at 963 Edgewood Avenue  in historic Inman Park. Vendors will be selling baked goods, holiday flower arrangements, traditional and modern handicrafts, Swedish Christmas ornaments, Scandinavian design and delicious homemade foods.

There will also be a Swedish Café with traditional drinks and food. The market also offers kid’s activities hosted by the Swedish School of Atlanta. Admission: Adults $5, 12-18 $2, under 12 free.

Visitors will enjoy tours of the mansion as well as the conservatory, home of “Charming ARTifacts” where Callanwolde instructors and students showcase and sell their works of fine art and crafts throughout the event. Christmas at Callanwolde offers a variety of opportunities to celebrate the season with festive family activities, entertaining cabaret nights, holiday shopping and majestic music played on the Aeolian pipe organ.

More highlights include Breakfast with Santa, Dec. 10 and 17 at 9 a.m. (by advance reservation only), Teddy Bear Tea, Dec. 11 and 18 at 3 p.m. (by advance reservation only), Battle of the Ice, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m., Cabaret Nights, Dec. 9 and 16; 6 – 9 p.m., and raffles to win Delta Air Lines Tickets throughout the event. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, $12 for children 4-12, and free for children 3 and under. Special events may include an additional fee.

All proceeds from Christmas at Callanwolde benefit the continuing operation of nationally acclaimed Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, a non-profit organization providing fine arts programs including classes and performing arts to thousands of metropolitan Atlantans year-round. To purchase tickets and find more details about event times, visit christmasatcallanwolde.org.

By Julia Turner and Collin Kelley

Five Intown neighbors will mark the season with annual holiday home tours that will not only offer a glimpse inside beautifully decorated interiors, but also a chance to taste food from local restaurants and shop for last minute gifts. Mark your calendars.

Virginia Highland Tour of Homes

The 17^th annual Virginia Highland Tour of Homes is set for for Dec. 10-11. Presented by the Virginia Highland Civic Association, tour times are Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

The seven homes on this year’s tour include several beautifully renovated bungalows, a new construction that captures the spirit of the craftsman style in meticulous detail, as well as a new construction contemporary home in the Modernist/International style. Also featured is a renovation that appeared in an issue of Southern Living magazine earlier this year.

Food tastings from local restaurants will be held in each of the seven homes on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Restaurants will include Genki Noodles and Sushi, Atkins Park, Goin’ Coastal, La Tavola/El Taco and D.B.A. Barbeque.

Over the past six years the tour has raised over $100,000, which has helped create the Cunard playground at John Howell Park, renovate Orme Park, and plant trees with Trees Atlanta. Funds raised this year will also go towards the new Highland Park project, annual grants to local schools, and other projects.

Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 the weekend of the tour. Tickets may be purchased online at vahitourofhomes.org or Intown Ace Hardware, Aurora Coffee or San Francisco Coffee.

Peachtree Garden Club Christmas Home Tour

Peachtree Garden Club’s annual holiday treat is set for Thursday, Dec. 8, and features four distinctive homes in close proximity in an exclusive northwest Atlanta neighborhood. The homes, two on Garraux Road, one on Garraux Place, and one on Nancy Creek Road, will be festively decorated and open to Tour goers from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased online for $26 at peachtreegardenclub.org. Tickets are also available in person at Boxwoods, The Mercantile in Brookheaven, Erika Reade Ltd., Glen Weakley Ltd., and Gramercy Fine Linens & Furnishings.  Or you can urchase at the door of any of the homes on the day of the tour for $30 per ticket, cash or check only.

All proceeds benefit the Peachtree Garden Club Community Fund, which in turn supports charitable, scientific and educational needs in the fields of horticulture and conservation through the donation of funds to organizations in the Atlanta area.

Avondale Christmas Tour of Homes & Holiday Market

Visit some of Avondale Estates’ oldest homes on Dec. 11from 3 to 8 p.m. The tour features seven homes starting with and English Tudor on Covington Road, built in the early 1920s. Other homes include a newly renovated ‘30s bungalow, a transformed ‘50s brick bungalow, and a brick two-story American foursquare built in the late ‘40s. Points of interest on the tour are The Museum School, a new addition to the community, a charter school that opened in the fall of 2009, and Avondale Baptist Church, with its sanctuary filled with members’ nativities from around the world.

The Holiday Market will be open from noon to 6 p.m. and feature 30 booths where shoppers can purchase a variety of items such as jewelry, pottery, purses, bottle stoppers, soaps, lotions, leather items, jams and jellies, baked goods, pecans, grits bits, and cured meats. The holiday café will serve delicious soups and desserts.

Trolleys for the tour will run from 3 to 5 p.m. and from 5:30-7:30 p.m., or participants may drive themselves to each location. Tickets may be purchased for $12 in advance at Avondale City Hall, Finders Keepers Furniture, REAL Salon and Seventeen Steps, or for $15 on the tour day at the Avondale Community Club. Assure your place on a trolley by signing up in advance at various Avondale businesses or contact Margaret Lunsford at mplcvl@aol.com. More information can be found at avondaletourofhomes.com.

Decatur Candlelight Tour of Homes

The 29th annual Decatur Holiday Candlelight Tour of Homes is Dec. 2 and 3 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. The tour features homes in the Winnona Park and Glenwood Estates neighborhoods, including six single-family homes and one condo located in a completely renovated apartment building.

In addition to the seven beautiful homes, guests on the tour will also enjoy seeing points of interest that include the historic chapel at Decatur First United Methodist, the chapel at Agnes Scott, and the brand new 4/5 Academy at Fifth Avenue.

The tour supports several local non-profits that benefit the Decatur community. The Decatur Education Foundation works to help Decatur youth realize their full potential, not only in the classroom but also through learning experiences that contribute to personal development. The Decatur Youth Fund provides scholarships to low-income youth for summer camp programs. The DeKalb History Center collects, preserves and shares the history of DeKalb County. The Oakhurst Community Garden Project teaches environmental awareness through hands-on gardening and outdoor education programs.

Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and will be available soon at select locations in and around Decatur. For more, visit decaturtourofhomes.com.

Grant Park Candlelight Home Tour

Grant Park captures the holiday spirit with their Candlelight Home Tour on Dec. 10 and 11 from 6 to10 p.m. The neighborhood is Atlanta’s largest historic district with homes built in the Victorian, Craftsman, Italianate and various other styles from the turn of the 20th century.

The Candlelight Tour of Homes features eight to 10 homes representing renovations as well as new homes built to reflect the historic district’s character. Adding to the festivity are caroling hayrides, visits with Santa, an Artists’ Market, and holiday concert by the St. Paul choir.

The holiday home tour provides funds to three of Grant Park’s community enriching non-profits – St. Paul, the Grant Park Cooperative Preschool and the Grant Park Parent Network.

All activities, including the ticket booth and where pre-purchased tickets are exchanged for programs, are at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 501 Grant Street. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the weekend of the tour and may be purchased by calling (404) 688-7501 or online at CandlelightTourofHomes.com.

By Collin Kelley

Decorating your home for the holidays doesn’t necessarily have to mean the usual red and green for the season. Everyday objects in your home can be repurposed for the holidays or consider adding a touch of whimsy with unexpected decorations.

Nandina Home and Design (nandinahome.com) owner John Ishamel said simple can make a statement as well as be beautiful. “You can simplify your decorating to fit your home and so that it doesn’t change the whole room,” Ishamel said.

On display at the Nandina store in Inman Park, which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, there is a mix of  “old world” and modern ideas for the holidays.

Simple stockings to hang from the fireplace were created using scrap material from the Nandina workroom, while moss-covered ornaments add a muted punch of color to a white-flocked tree.

Ishamel also likes to “tablescape” using colorful vases, silver-tinseled wire trees and hanging candlelit globes to set the mood for the season. Nandina also has whimsical bobble head and wood ornaments for the Christmas tree or that could be group on a table.

Margaret Barnett of Barnett + Co Interior Design (margaretbarnett.com) in Decatur says her ideas for decorating are “frugalista-friendly.”
“Scour your yard for pine cones, dried berries and colorful leaves or evergreen branches to put on the mantle,” Barnett suggested.  “Trim back your holly bushes and pine branches and place the cuttings on your mantle with a few votive candles.”

Repurposing items such as old pitchers  – any color and size – can be arranged on a sideboard with fresh, colorful flowers mixed with greenery to create a wonderful grouping, Barnett said.

More ideas from Barnett:

• Pull out an old basket lined with a tablecloth along with a sprinkling of nuts and dried berries for a fresh and colorful sidepiece.
• Incorporate the vibrant colors of seasonal fruits such as apples, pears and pomegranates.
• Fill old mason jars and jelly jars with grasses such as wheat and pampas, all cut to the proper size. Use jute twine to make an accent at the top of the jar. When you tie the jute place a colorful sprig of a holly berry in the knot for a colorful accent.

You may think your yard is done for the winter… take one last look and you will find lovely berries, dried flowers, beautiful leaves from bushes and fresh herbs such as mint, sage and oregano are still hardy. Bundle and tie with a piece of jute. Place in the powder room for a nice touch.

Over 200 student and faculty musicians will perform as part of this university-wide celebration of the season, including members of the University Symphony Orchestra, Choruses and Jazz Band and faculty and student soloists. Conductors Michael Palmer, Gordon Vernick and Deanna Joseph will lead the musicians in a potpourri of works by Duke Ellington, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Schubert and others, including selections from Gian-Carlo Menotti’s opera Amahl and the Night Visitors, Handel’s Messiah and Randol Bass’ A Feast of Carols. Other selections will highlight the musical traditions of China and Greece—including Nick Demos and the Greek Islanders performing a traditional Greek holiday medley. W. Dwight Coleman serves as artistic director.

Back by popular demand, the concerts will again feature a special presentation of African dance and percussion by students from the Charles Drew R. Charter School. The School of Music has had a partnership with the Drew Charter School, located in the East Lake neighborhood of Atlanta, since 2006, thanks to a generous, multi-year grant from the Cousins Foundation, Inc. This year, the School of Music/ Drew Charter School partnership was awarded funding through the Race to the Top program to help create one of Georgia’s first STEAM (science, technology, engineering,arts and mathematics) models of education.

Tickets range from $22-$48 (Georgia State students, faculty and staff may receive 1/2 price tickets with ID) and are available in person at the Rialto Center Box Office, by calling 404-413-9TIX or online at www.rialtocenter.org. Free parking is provided for this event at the Equitable Building deck on Fairlie Street.

By Julia Turner

After the holiday parade, annual theater productions and concerts, what else is there to do in Atlanta for the holidays? Plenty! We’ve rounded up some upcoming events that you should add to your calendar if you’re looking to entertain the kids, family or just take a break from shopping.

Christmas on Peachtree
The event is billed as the largest indoor Christmas festival of its kind in the Southeast, featuring more than 70,000 square feet of festive family fun, food and shopping. See the Symphony of Lights music and light show, let the kids play in the Cartoon Network Children’s Adventure Area (which includes a life size toy train), enjoy a meal in the North Pole Café and shop in the retail village. Get your child’s photo made with Santa with a number of affordable packages available for purchase.The festival is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and to 8 p.m. on weekends from Nov. 25 to New Year’s Eve. Tickets are only $12 for adults and $8 for children and can be purchased online at ChristmasOnPeachtree.com.

Holidays at the Aquarium
The Georgia Aquarium is celebrating the holidays with mermaids, mantas, and Santas. Beginning Nov. 26, the aquarium has five weeks of fun for the holiday season. There will be holiday face painting, arts and crafts on select dates and more, including the “Fin-tastic 5th Birthday” live musical revue, which will continue Thursdays-Sundays through the holidays. The mermaids of Florida’s Weeki Wachee Springs State Park will perform in the 6.3 million gallon Ocean Voyager exhibit. Their synchronized underwater acts are performed to holiday music while breathing through special air hoses. Photos with Santa in the aquarium atrium will be available on special dates. For more information visit georgiaaquarium.org.

Gingerbread House Holiday Workshop
The Piedmont Park Conservancy offers the Gingerbread House Holiday Workshop on Dec. 4 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Participants construct their own gingerbread house to decorate and take home. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit piedmontpark.org.

Chanukah Wonderland
Want to see Atlanta’s largest Draidel? On Sunday, Dec. 18, have fun losing yourself in the festivities at the annual Chanukah Wonderland presented by the Intown Jewish preschool. This free event is fun for the whole family and will feature activities like olive press shows, face painting and arts and crafts. For more information call (404) 898- 0434.

Elf on the Shelf Cupcake Tea and Book Reading
On Dec. 19, The Mansion on Peachtree welcomes The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition authors Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell to host the Elf on the Shelf Cupcake tea featuring a book reading and signing. Young visitors will be treated to a special holiday tea service menu complete with festive miniature cupcakes and traditional assorted tea sandwiches for adults. Young guests are encouraged to bring their own copies of Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition for the signing and gift sets will also be available for purchase. The tea will be held at 2:30 p.m. in NEO Restaurant and is $40 for children ages 3-12 and $52 for adults including a glass of prosecco. The price includes tax, gratuity and valet parking. Reservations are required by calling (404) 995-7545.

Santa at Underground Atlanta
On Saturday, Dec. 19 from 1 to 4 p.m., Santa makes his appearance for Santa’s Holiday Celebration at Underground Atlanta. Visit with Santa and his reindeer, sing-a-long to your favorite holiday tunes, get festive with face painters and balloon artists and have fun at the arts and crafts activity table. For more information, visit underground-atlanta.com.

Garden Lights
Experience a dazzling extravaganza featuring nearly 1 million lights crafted into displays inspired by nature at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Midtown. Highlights include a galaxy of stars in the woodlands; whimsical bees, butterflies, and other lighted pollinators in the Edible Garden; and 200 show-stopping, color-changing topiary forms choreographed to holiday music on the Great Lawn. The lights were turned on in November and will remain until Jan. 7. Tickets are $14.95 for adults, $9.95 for kids ages 3-12. AtlantaBotanicalGarden.org

Downtown Countdown
For the eighth year in a row, Lindy Promotions & USA Entertainment, along with Metromix, Dave FM and Heineken, are coming together to present Atlanta’s largest New Year’s Eve party. Located in Downtown Atlanta, at the newly renovated Hyatt Regency Hotel. It’s conveniently located in the heart of Atlanta’s Peachtree Center, and in close proximity to the Georgia Dome, Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca Cola, and the CNN Center. The all inclusive party ticket will get you a premium open bar, an array of the Hyatt’s top notch cuisine, decorations, party favors, access to all areas of entertainment, and Atlanta’s largest balloon drop at midnight as well as a late night breakfast buffet. You must be 21 or older to attend the event. Dress is formal, creative black tie, optional. downtowncountdown.net