2015 Holiday Gift Guide

DESIGN BY ANNA N. YANG

2 • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2015 • HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE • www.gwinnettdailypost.com

Holiday gift guideHoliday gift guide

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Voted by Gwinnett Magazine’s readers as one of the Best of Gwinnett 2015,

Gwinnett Place

Mall is ready to offer

you the best shopping

experience for the

holiday season! Macy’s,

Sears, Foot Locker,

Victoria’s Secret and

Bath & Body Works are

just a few of our stores

offering special sales

to make your shopping

more enjoyable. And

speaking of enjoyment,

Gwinnett Place Mall is

decked out and ready

to kick off the season

with the arrival of

Santa on December 21,

block buster deals on

Black Friday, unique

gifts from our local

businesses on Small

Business Saturday,

AND our Bonus Back

program - spend $100

11/26/15 thru 01/2/2015

and get a Gift Card up to

$100 back. Spend $500

and get a Free Tablet.

And, if that doesn’t get

you excited, Gwinnett

Place Mall is randomly

giving away gift cards

and gifts during our

25 Random Acts of

Kindness-Customer

Appreciation Month.

We feel Gwinnett

Place Mall is one of the

best...and we hope you

do as well.v

Happy Shopping at Gwinnett Place Mall

Voted by Gwinnett Magazine’s readers as one of the Best of Gwinnett 2015

2100 Pleasant Hill Rd, Duluth, GA 30096 | www.shopgwinnettmall.com

www.gwinnettdailypost.com • HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2015 • 3



Nearly every holi-day shopper has at least one person on their list who seemingly has ev-erything. When shop-ping for such loved ones, shoppers often find the perfect gift to be espe-cially elusive.

While gift cards are a go-to fallback option when shopping for the person who has it all, many gift givers feel such cards are a tad too imper-

sonal. But in lieu of tradi-tional store-bought gifts, shoppers stuck on what to buy should consider the many great reasons to give homemade gifts.

Homemade gifts show your loved one how much they mean to you. Gift cards are prac-

tical, but they rarely elicit the warm feelings holiday shoppers want their gifts to produce. A homemade gift will show your loved one that you put time and effort into making their holiday season special, and that’s something they will appreciate when they use or see the gift.

Homemade gifts won’t break the bank.

Holiday shoppers work-ing on tight budgets likely won’t have to break the bank to create a homemade gift. The Internet is a great resource for inexpensive homemade gift ideas.

You can control quality with homemade gifts.

Store-bought items are not always of the highest quality, and no shopper wants to give a gift that falls apart within a few days. By creating the gift yourself, you can ensure it’s made with the highest quality materials so it will withstand the test of time.

3 Great Reasons to Give Homemade Gifts

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2

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Disney Live! Three Classic Fairy Tales Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt is a Dazzling Theatrical Experience for the Entire Family

Coming to Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Dec. 12 & 13

Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy guide audiences on a journey through the timeless tales ofSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast

When the curtains are drawn back to reveal the all-new stage show experience Disney Live!Three Classic Fairy Tales Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt,Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt,Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt audiences will find themselves on an enchanted adventure journeying through the awe-inspiring stories of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. Mickey, Minnie and more than 25 of their Disney pals make appearances throughout the show where scenes from each story magically come alive to create an unforgettable experience for kids and adults, alike. Produced by Feld Entertainment®Feld Entertainment®Feld Entertainment , Disney Live! Three Classic Fairy Tales is anchored amidst a transforming set, with captivating choreography, innovative lighting and breathtaking costumes; all created to treat families to an authentically woven tale of “happily ever after.”

Disney Live! Three Classic Fairy Tales begins when Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy embark on an unexpected quest and find a magical storybook hidden in Mickey’s attic. Upon discovery the four pals curiously turn the pages and discover Snow White as she searches for her one true love, Cinderella getting ready for her magical night at the ball and Belle as she finds happiness in the most unusual place. Along the way, the audience will be invited to join in on the fun by solving clues, clapping along and singing time-honored songs, such as Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo, Heigh Ho and Be Our Guest.

“The interactive nature of this show and the connection the audience will have with real Disney stars is unlike anything we’ve done before,” says Producer Alana Feld. “We wanted to create a show that evokes different emotions and, in the end, leaves moms, dads, kids and even grandparents with smiles on their faces and hope in their hearts.”

For more information, go to www.feldentertainment.com/threeclassicfairytales or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. . To learn more about Disney Live!, To learn more about Disney Live!, To learn more about go to www.disneylive.com.

DisneyLive.com#DisneyLive

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Tickets On Sale NOW!

Buy Tickets: ticketmaster.com • 800-745-3000 • Venue Box Office Groups of 10 or more, call 770-578-5125

DEC. 12 & 13COBB ENERGY

PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

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Holiday gift guideHoliday gift guideHoliday Gift Guide

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the gift of golf this holiday season by purchasing tickets to the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, an official event on the PGA TOUR’s Champions Tour. This year’s golf tournament will take place the week of April 11-17, 2016 at the prestigious TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, GA.There are a variety of ticket options to choose from with grounds to choose from with grounds admission starting at just $20 and admission starting at just $20 and 2-for-1 Weekly Badges on sale for $55 through January 31st. You could also enjoy a higher order of golf viewing in the groovy Mellow Mushroom Chill Club. Tickets in this open-air tent on the par-three 16th hole include a meal provided by Mellow Mushroom

and one alcoholic beverage or Coca-Cola product.Be a gift giving hero by purchasing an amateur playing position in the State Bank Pro-Am. Participants in the Pro-Am will have the opportunity of a lifetime as they play alongside a Champions Tour professional. The memories created by playing with the likes of Fred Couples and Tom Watson will not be forgotten.

W h e t h e r p u r ch a s i n g tickets or gifting a spot in the State Bank Pro-Am you are doing more than providing a great

experience for your family and friends; you are making a difference in the community. Proceeds from the 2016 Mitsubishi Electric Classic will benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Gwinnett Medical Center Foundation.For more information and to purchase visit MitsubishiElectricClassic.com or call 770-232-7872.

G i v e

Mitsubishi ElectricClassic Gives Backto the community

holiday season by purchasing tickets

W h e t h e r p u r ch a s i n g tickets or gifting a spot in the State Bank Pro-Am you are doing more than providing a great

BENEFITINGBENEFITING

Mitsubishi Electric Classic Gives Back to the community



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Santa Claus is public enemy #1.When Santa’s gift-giving mania destabilizes the world economy and global warming threatens to reduce Frosty to a puddle, an unlikely duo must team up to save Christmas.

This Broadway-scale production will warm your heart whether you’re

coming again or for the first time.

Family

Four Packs

only $149with promo code*

FAMILY

*Not to be combined with other offers. Offer based upon availability. Not valid on previously purchased tickets. Excludes sections A & B.

By Charles DiCkens AdApted By DaviD h. Bell

directed By rosemary newCott

Nov. 19–Dec. 27 tickets as low as $20 @ 404.733.5000 alliancetheatre.org/christmas

Nov. 27–Dec. 19 tickets as low as $15 @ 404.733.5000 alliancetheatre.org/dadsgarage

By arlen konopaki And kevin gillese

directed By kevin gillese


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GWINNETT COUNTY

CANATHONInfinite Energy Center

(formerly Gwinnett Center)

Friday, December 45:00am - 1:00pm

Drop off your donations ahead of time at:

Gwinnett Daily Post725 Old Norcross Road,

Lawrenceville

1000 University Center Ln. Lawrenceville

3699 Buford Drive Buford

Free Lanier Islands’ Magical Nights of Lights or Winter Adventure ticket to the first 100 donating vehicles



When John McFall joined Atlanta Ballet as only its third artistic di-rector in 1994, one of his first orders of busi-ness was to create a new “Nutcracker” production for the city of Atlanta.

This December, Atlan-ta Ballet will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mc-Fall’s production, which has not only become an Atlanta Ballet staple, but a centerpiece of the city’s holiday festivities.

For more than 35 years prior, Atlanta Bal-let had been performing the famed George Bal-anchine version, making it one of the first in the country to ever present the holiday classic. But despite the long-stand-ing tradition, McFall felt it was important to have a signature production that was reflective of the city’s culture and its peo-ple. What he created was a “Nutcracker” that, in his own words, was “tra-ditional yet new, famil-iar yet different, classic yet contemporary and

above all, magical.” Every year since then

he has added a special touch to the production in an effort to keep it vi-brant and fresh, which over the years has in-cluded dancing pink pigs (in tribute to the Rich’s Pink Pig, another Atlanta holiday tradition) fall-ing snow, pyro displays, and even actual magic by famed illusionist Drew Thomas, which remains in the production today.

Set in the elaborate Moorish décor of the historic Fox Theatre, this unique production of the beloved “Nut-cracker” tale takes 20 pounds of snow, eight tons of scenery, light-ing, and props, and a 38-foot-tall Christmas tree to make the magic of Marya’s unbelievable story come to life.

Each year, Atlanta Bal-let invites more than 200 Atlanta area school chil-dren to perform along-side 23 professional company members and four company appren-

tices in this holiday spec-tacular.

“For five decades now, Atlanta Ballet has been presenting Nutcracker, and we’ve become a hol-iday tradition for many families in Atlanta,” said McFall. “It’s an honor, but also a great responsi-bility. Each year we want to make sure we pre-serve the tradition, but also keep the magic and the mystery alive. We are thoughtful about each change we make and confident that it will ulti-mately make for a more enchanting experience.”

“Atlanta Ballet’s Nut-cracker” runs for 19 per-formances Dec. 11 - 27 at the Fox Theatre.

In commemoration of the 20th anniversary, the Company will kick-off of the “Nutcracker” season with a celebratory red carpet opening night, the first in a series of special events to honor McFall and his contributions to the organization before he steps down at the end of the 2015-16 season.

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Atlanta Ballet to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Artistic Director John McFall’s “Nutcracker” at the Fox TheatreCelebration to be first in series of events to honor McFall before his retirement from the organization in June 2016



© 2015 Feld Motor Sports, Inc. Competitors shown are subject to change. MONSTERJAM.COM

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JAN. 9 & MAR. 5GEORGIA DOME

Tickets On Sale Now!

Buy Tickets: Ticketmaster.com800-745-3000 • Venue Box Office

Groups of 10 or more, call 770-578-5125

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Atlanta Monster Jam® Tickets Now AvailableDon’t miss a minute of the excitement with TWO dates in 2016!

ATLANTA – Oct.19, 2015 – Feld Motor Sports® has announced that tickets for Monster Jam®, the world’s premier Monster Jam truck series, are now on sale. Monster Jam events are affordably priced for the whole family with seats starting at $20*. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com.

Venue: Georgia Dome 1 Georgia Dome Dr., Atlanta, GA 30313

Date and Time of Performance: Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 – 7 p.m. Saturday, March 5, 2016 – 7 p.m.

Each event will feature sixteen different trucks including Avenger, Crusader, El Toro Loco, Gravedigger, Max D, Monster Energy and Solider Fortune in January; Alien, Gravedigger, Mohawk Warrior, Monster Mutt Rottweiler, Scooby and Son Uva Digger will showcase their talents in March.

Approximately 12-feet-tall and about 12-feet-wide, Monster Jam trucks are custom-designed machines that sit atop 66-inch-tall tires and weigh a minimum of 10,000 pounds. Built for short, high-powered bursts of speed, these trucks generate 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower and are capable of speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. Monster Jam trucks can fly up to 130 feet over 14 cars side-by-side and up to 35 feet in the air.

The Party in the Pits on January 9 and March 5 from 2 – 5 p.m. gives fans the opportunity to get a view of the trucks up close and meet the drivers of the massive Monster Jam trucks.

To find out more about Monster Jam, visit www.monsterjam.com, or find us on Facebook and Twitter @MonsterJam. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Members of the media should visit www.feldentertainment.com for more information.

Ticket pricing is subject to change based on market demand.

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Fernbank Museum of Natural History features several ways to celebrate the holidays!

Your family will ooh and aah over two floors beautifully decorated trees in the enchanting Winter Wonderlandexhibition, on view No-vember 20 - January 10. Twinkling with lights, glimmering with color and shining with a va-riety of cultural objects, more than 30 trees and other displays recog-nize the diversity of celebrations, holidays, traditions and events from around the world.

CELEBRATION DAYSJoin us every Satur-

day from November 21 - December 19 for Win-ter Wonderland Cele-bration Days. A variety of festive activities will be offered and include live performances-in-cluding ballet, theatre and carols-as well as holiday films, hands-on activities and more.

NOON YEAR’S EVEFamilies are invited

to celebrate the New Year well before bed-time on December 31 with a fun daytime party, featuring a kids’ DJ, games and balloon drop at Noon.

GIVE THE GIFT OF FERNBANK MUSEUM

Share the joy and wonder of Fernbank Museum this holiday season! Give a gift membership, gift cer-tificate or find the per-fect present in the Mu-seum Store.

For tickets and de-tails, visit Fernbank-Museum.org/Holidays or call 404.929.6300. Fernbank Museum is conveniently located near Emory Universi-ty. Parking is free.

Fernbank Museum will be closed on November 26 and December 25 but will be open during normal business hours throughout the remaining holiday season.

Celebrate the Season at Fernbank

Museum



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Clip this coupon for savings at GB.Valid for 30 days. Void where prohibited by law. No cash value. For promotional purposes only. Not valid towards gift card purchases. One per table. Valid at participating restaurants only. Not valid at airport locations. Alcohol purchase may be prohibited. Not valid with any other offer or discount. No stored value. Must be used in a single visit. A printed copy of this offer or a digital copy via mobile device must be presented to your server to qualify for this discount. Excludes tax and gratuity. Must be 21 years or older to consume alcohol. Promo to 5off20ATL.

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Jacks CreekCHRISTMAS TREE FARM & NURSERY

2291 Price Mill Road, Bostwick, GA 30623

Nov. 21st - Dec. 19th, 20159:00 am to 5:30 pm

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Fresh Cut Fraser Firs • Arizona Cypress

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Many shoppers run into financial trouble come the holiday season when the temptation to overspend on holiday gifts can be tough to resist. But the following are a handful of ways shop-pers can stretch their bud-gets and avoid going broke this holiday season.

Agree to spending limits.

Come the holiday sea-son, many people over-spend on gifts for their im-mediate family members. Before shopping season begins, speak with mem-bers of your immediate family to discuss spending limits on gifts, agreeing that you each won’t spend more than an agreed upon amount of dollars on gifts

for any one person. Come to a consensus on a reason-able limit and urge family members not to exceed that limit no matter what.

Go shopping with a plan.

Visiting the mall or a town shopping center without any idea of what you’re looking for is a recipe for overspending. Put some thought and re-search into your holiday shopping so you aren’t spending time wandering around and buying on im-pulse, which can increase your chance of overspend-ing. The more thought you put into your shopping, the more you can compar-ison shop and find the best price for each gift.

Start early. If your holiday shop-

ping list is long or if you know money will be tight come the holiday season, begin your holiday shop-ping early. Doing so al-lows you to stretch your spending out over several months as opposed to several weeks. Shopping early also gives you more time to comparison shop and find the best price.

Resist the temptation to put it all on plastic.

Credit and debit cards are more convenient than cash, especially now that you can buy every-thing from cups of coffee to big-ticket items with the swipe of a card. But

cash can be your friend when holiday shopping, especially if you have a history of overspending during the holiday sea-son. Leave cards at home when holiday shopping, spending only the cash you have in your pocket. While this may be a less convenient way to shop than you’ve grown ac-customed to, it will save you the grief of large credit card bills come January.

Holiday shopping can easily get out of hand. But shoppers who com-mit to spending only what they can afford be-fore their first shopping trip can make it through the season with their fi-nances intact.

How to Approach Your Holiday Spending

Proudly sponsored by:

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HomeForTheHolidayExpo.com

Gwinnett Daily Post presents

Saturday, December 5 • 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Sunday, December 6 • Noon - 5 p.m. | Infinite Energy Forum (formerly Gwinnett Center) | 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Duluth

2E • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2015 • HOME FOR THE HOLIDAY EXPO • www.gwinnettdailypost.com

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Drop off your donations to support local food banks during the month of November to

Honda Mall of Georgia 3699 Buford Drive, Buford

Proud to support the Gwinnett County Canathon

Samples of some of the great

items you’ll find

at the expo

www.gwinnettdailypost.com • HOME FOR THE HOLIDAY EXPO • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2015 • 3E

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HomefortheHolidayExpo.comKids 12 & Under Free

Georgia DomeJAN 9 & MAR 5, 2016monsterjam.com

SEE GUNSLINGER MONSTER TRUCK

on Sunday In the Kringle’s Kids Korner at

December 5 & 6Infinite Energy Forum


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PROUD SPONSOR

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TO FIRST 200

ON SUNDAY

ONE-STOPHOLIDAY SHOPPING

Over 125 vendorsIncluding 50 Handmade Crafters &

Specialty Items


ENTRANCE

Crafters / Independent Booths = Red BoothsRetail / Commercial Booths = Black Booths

FREEGiftWrappingZone

KRINGLE’SKIDS

KORNER

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SANTA StageGUNSLINGERMonster Truck

(Sunday Only)

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TICKETWINDOW

MALL OFGEORGIA

LOUNGE

Belk ......................................................203

Choices To You ...................................204

Feld Entertainment .............................208

Gwinnett Daily Post ...........................209

Lanier Islands - Magical Nights of Lights & Winter Adventure ............214

Mall of Georgia ....................................314

ENTRANCE



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527 528 427 428


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833

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LanierIslands

FeldEnt.

In�niteEnergy

ChoicesTo You

ENTERTAINMENTStage

821

1012 1014 1016

TICKETWINDOW

MALL OFGEORGIA

LOUNGE

Kringle’s Kids KornerFree photos with Santa

Write your letter to Santa & personally deliver

GUNSLINGER Monster Truck (on Sunday)

Mascot Appearances

Ornament Making

Face Painting

Entertainment StageSaturday, 12/5Saturday, 12/5 10:30am Honey Bee Records Music School Performers11:30am Norcross High School Master’s Chorus12:30pm Dance Warehouse1:00pm Duluth Middle School Chamber Orchestra2:00pm Paris Dancers3:30pm Mill Creek High School Show Choir

Sunday, 12/6 12:30pm Lucille Roberts - Standing Yoga Demonstration1:30pm The North Atlanta Trombone Quartet2:00pm Dance Warehouse3:00pm Reid Soria w/ Autism Sings

Free Gift Wrapping by Santa’s ElvesJunior League of Gwinnett County & North Fulton

LOUNGEWatch College &

Pro Football All Weekend


DOOR GIVEAWAYS AND REGISTER FOR RAFFLE PRIZES Saturday — First 200 adults receive a tickets to Disney On Ice Frozen or

Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus (up to a $25 value)

Sunday — First 400 attendees receive a Monster Jam or Supercross ticket (value $20)


www.gwinnettdailypost.com • HOME FOR THE HOLIDAY EXPO • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2015 • 5E

ENTRANCE



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527 528 427 428


(Sunday Only)

833

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LanierIslands

FeldEnt.

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ChoicesTo You

ENTERTAINMENTStage

821

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MALL OFGEORGIA

LOUNGE

EXHIBITOR................................BOOTH #Annie Greene Artist ..............................108Artifactis................................................420Atlanta Dream.......................................437Aurora Theatre .....................................319B. Watts & Company ............................625Bamboo Sleeper...................................718Bath Fitter of Tennessee.......................431Belk ......................................................203Blue Ribbon Foods...............................414Brenda’s Fused Glass ........................1028Brookwood Co. .....................................122bswitched Jewelry ................................521C4 Belts ................................................313Charmingly Fun ....................................424Choices To You ...................................204Christina Steward Handcrafted Jewelry .....418Clear Captions......................................321Colonial Wagon & Wheel......................535Costco ..................................................103Couture Recycle.....................................52Cravens Design Studio.........................120Crusader Hobbies.................................112Discovery Toys .....................................426Divine Icy Wine.....................................523doTerra .................................................633Entourage / Jolly Christmas Shop ........618Equitrade ..............................................315Everdry Waterproofing..........................538Exploria Resorts ...................................325Family Affair..........................................531Feld Entertainment .............................208Flint River Outdoor Center....................720For the Love of Missions ......................421Furkids..................................................100Gallerita Studio.....................................427Georgia Aquarium.................................119Georgia Swarm.....................................217Gift Exchange Game Kit .......................422Girlfriend Crafters .................................116Go Touch Down Travel & Tours ............222GoSwing...............................................524Gutterdome...........................................640Guzel Accessories & Home Decor .......526Gwinnett Daily Post ...........................209Gwinnett Place Mall..............................105HealthSource........................................125Heaven’s Sweet Tooth..........................525Home Appetit ........................................438I9 Sports.com ............................ Kids ZoneInfinite Energy Center...........................206J Southern Boutique.............................317J.R. Watkins .........................................128Jr League of Gwinnett County/North Fulton ... 337KAM by Design.....................................126L’dara....................................................110Lanier Islands - Magical Nights of Lights & Winter Adventure ............214LeafFilter Gutter Protection ..................617LeAnn’s Gourmet Foods.......................428Lemon-Aid Organics.............................419Lorraine’s Creative Designs ...................50Lucille Roberts, The Women’s Gym .....324Luvin My Soaps....................................519Madaris Siding & Windows...................534Mall of Georgia ....................................314Mary Kay Cometics ..............................102Max PR 35 - All Natural Pain Relief......104Mitsubishi Electric Classic ....................212Mix It Up ...............................................417Nectar of the Vine.................................115

North Georgia Canopy Tours................532NYR Organic ..........................................56Oh Jewelry..............................................68Origami Owl..........................................631Painfreepillow.com................................318PeachDish ............................................522PeachSkinSheets .................................432Photomat4U..........................................118Piece of Cake .......................................109Pine Designs ........................................632Pinnacle Home Improvement ...............433Power Home Remodeling Group..........107Renewal by Andersen...........................223Ritzy Gal ...............................................117Sassy Classy Monogram......................518Scentsy Wickless Candles & Gifts........527Shaston Wear.com ...............................130Smack Yo Mama Gourmet BBQ Sauce ....620South Hill Design..................................114Southern Remodeling...........................123

Springfree Trampoline ..........................224State Farm............................................218Sugar Island Essentials ........................425Sugarloaf Spine & Rehab.....................726Sunglasses Diva & Gifts .........................66Super Peeler.........................................219Suzseams Millinery...............................106Tainos Hidden Treasures......................517Taylor Construction...............................320The Beautiful Shoes .............................113The Juice Plus & Company ....................54The Lona Gallery ..................................220The Vintage Magnolia...........................423Thermal Heating & Air Conditioning .....626Traveling Chic Boutique .......................724Tupperware ..........................................124Usborne Book & More ..........................225Variety of Crafts ......................................54Wicked Jack’s Tavern ...........................326YIP and More........................................528

ENTRANCE



KRINGLE’SKIDS

KORNER

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Sunday — First 400 attendees receive a Monster Jam or Supercross ticket (value $20)



Drop off your donations until 12/3 at

Gwinnett Daily Post 725 Old Norcross Road, Lawrenceville

December 4: 5am-1pm • Infinite Energy Center (formerly Gwinnett Center)

1000 University Center Ln. Lawrenceville

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Kids - Naughty or Nice...Santa is waiting to read your letters!

Dear Santa,

Mail it, Email itor Bring it!

Mail your letter to: Letters to Santa, Gwinnett Daily Post, PO Box 603,

Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Email your letter to [email protected]

Santa Hours:SAT. 12/5

11:00am - 12:30pm, 1:00pm - 3:00pmSUN. 12/6

12:30pm - 2:00pm, 2:30pm - 3:30pm

HomefortheHolidayExpo.com

or Bring it in person to Santa at the

All letters will be posted at the Holiday Expo Santa Stage and a select number of letters

will be drawn to win prizes. (Write your letter inside Santa’s beard and make sure to let

us know your name, age and contact information.)

December 5 & 6 at Infinite Energy Forum


NAME: ___________________

AGE: _________

EMAIL: ___________________



ELF The Musical is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This modern day Christmas classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner ELF.

Based on the beloved 2003 New Line Cinema hit, ELF The Musical features songs by Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone). The production will feature direction by Sam Scalamoni and choreography by Connor Gallagher.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, now embarked on a lavish and visually re-imagined new tour presented by NETworks, is one of best-loved of all musicals. It’s easy to understand why. Its classic story -- of a beautiful village girl, Belle, who is first repelled by, then attracted to a gruff yet big-hearted Beast --is indeed, as one of the show’s numbers has it, “a tale as old as time.” The songs (music by Alan Menken; lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice) are almost criminally tuneful. And the musical’s appeal crosses age barriers: truly, “Beauty” is an experience that can be enjoyed by child and adult alike.

Many of the songs – the charming “Belle,” the infectious “Something There,” and the spectacular hospitality anthem “Be Our Guest” – were written for the 1991 animated movie, which was the first – and until 2010, the only – animated film ever to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. The movie’s status not just in cinematic history but in critical lore was cemented when the New York Times’ then-theater critic Frank Rich, called Beauty and the Beast the best musical of the year – in any format.

Disney took the cue, and soon started things rolling for the live adaptation. Several new songs, as well as the book by Linda Woolverton, were written for the stage version, which opened on Broadway at the Palace Theater on April 18, 1994, and went on to become the seventh-longest running production in Broadway history.

Rob Roth, who directed the Broadway premiere and is back at the helm for the new tour, says that the “story of the show is about seeing past the exterior of a person and into his or her heart.” He says that conveying that feeling is key to any production of “Beauty.” What’s fresh about the tour, he adds, is not just the timeless moral but a new approach to the visuals.

“So few directors have the opportunity to work on a show several years later in a new form,” Roth says. “I’m lucky that way, and I’m also lucky because I never get bored with ‘Beauty.’”

Stan Meyer, the scenic designer both for the 1994 Broadway version and for the new production, says that the former staging was, essentially, the 1991 movie made live. The latter is “a departure from that.” He explains: “We did a lot of research that involved eastern-European wood carving and gilded manuscripts. The new version is an illuminated manuscript come to life.”

Audiences will delight in the eye-popping storybook shapes and colors that Meyer and the other original-version designers (Ann Hould-Ward: costumes; Natasha Katz: lighting) have re-imagined. The production’s look, adds Meyer, “is more evocative of whimsy and very, very romantic.”

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Fifth Third Bank Broadway In Atlanta’s Don’t Miss Events this Holiday Season!

What better gift is there this holiday season than spending time with friends and family at broadway performances at the Fox Theatre! Here are two you won’t want to miss.

ELF The MusicalDecember 2-6, 2015

DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEASTFebruary 2-7, 2016

Looking into the heart of an all-new ‘Beauty’By Brendan Lemon

For tickets to both of these visit www.BroadwayInAtlanta.com


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2 TICKETS AND A

STADIUM BLANKET

FOR $50.00To purchase visit cfbhall.com or call

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Don’t Miss This Special



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Family Fun at The Woodruff Arts Center, every Sunday 1-4pm Every Sunday, from 1-4pm, The Woodruff Arts Center transforms into a cultural destination where families can explore, play, learn, and create art in an interactive family-friendly environment including FREE ACTIVITIES. Children of all ages engage in activities which include interactive story-times, art-making workshops, and music discovery zones, to name a few. All programming is led by the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and High Museum of Art. In addition, every second Sunday of the month the High Museum of Art offers FREE admission to the public.

In addition, two large-scale Family Festivals are planned for February 14th and March 13th . The Family Festivals offer Alliance Theatre and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performances, entrance into the High Museum and a multitude of hands-on activities for FREE.

To make a reservation or find out more about the free activities happening each week, visit woodruffcreateATL.org.

By Andrea Witta




It is often during times of extreme devastation when children first see how commu-nities can join together to help one another. Such efforts may be a child’s initial exposure to charity while highlighting the importance of putting another person’s needs before your own.

But children need not be exposed charity solely dur-ing times of tragedy. Teach-ing children to be charitable is one of the ways to help them become good citizens of the world. By helping others, par-ents can instill early on lessons of kindness, empathy and compassion into their sons and daughters. Children who are ready and willing to lend a helping hand may grow up to be more appreciative of what they have in their own lives. What’s more, they may learn to be selfless while assigning less value to material things.

Youngsters who repeat-edly see their own parents and other role models doing good and lending a helping hand may be more inclined to repeat that behavior, and giv-ing will be the norm for them rather than the exception.

To mold charitable chil-dren, families can employ the following techniques.

START LOCALLYThere are people right in

your own community or on the street where you live who can benefit from a helping

hand. Ask an elderly neighbor if he or she needs assistance with shopping for groceries or could benefit from your child taking in the garbage cans after pickup. Children can help shovel snow from sidewalks or do other age-ap-propriate tasks, such as place a carelessly strewn news-paper closer to a neighbor’s door.

VOLUNTEER AS A FAMILY

The entire family can get together and spend time working at a community-sponsored carnival or clean-ing debris from an area beach. Volunteer work may be avail-able at your child’s school, where families can plant gardens around the prop-erty. When volunteering as a family, not only is your entire family helping to do good, but you’re spending quality time together as well.

MAKE CHARITABLE DONATIONS

Let children see the so-licitations for monetary do-nations that come in the mail. Read aloud the pleas for funds to help children and adults who may not have enough to eat or who may require medi-cal care. This is an important lesson in humility and helps show children that not every person in the world is com-fortable. Once kids have read about the needs of others, in-

volve t h e m

in the donation

process. They can assist with sorting

clothing and toys they may no longer need and then help bag it up and donate it to an agency that takes collected items.

GIVE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

Charity need not be lim-ited to the holiday season. Inform children that many people need throughout the year, and that volunteering is a year-round activity.

MATCH THE KIDS’ CHARITABLE FUNDRAISING

Encourage children to start their own fundraising ef-forts and match the funds they raise. Find companies that will also match the amount your children have raised.

SET UP A GIVING POLICY

Children can learn the im-portance of giving at an early age by dividing their allow-ances and financial gifts into different categories. They can put one-third toward savings, one-third toward spending and one-third toward dona-tions. If children do not have a lot of money in a piggy bank, they can donate their time, which many charities need as much as money.

Teach Children

to be Charitable



During the busy holiday season, men and women pressed for time may be tempted to turn to the con-venience of fast food come mealtime. While these fast foods may be convenient, the cost of dining out each night and the lack of ad-equate nutrition may not justify the convenience. But no matter how busy men and women may be during the holiday season, there are still ways to eat healthy meals that don’t take much time to prepare.

PREP WORKMeal preparation can

take a lot of time. But buying ingredients in advance, and saving the trouble of last-minute trips to the grocery

store, can make prep work go much more smoothly and quickly.

Devote some time on the weekend to stocking up on ingredients you will need for the week ahead. Stock up on storage containers so that food can be pack-aged into the refrigerator or freezer. Prepare rice and parboil pasta to use as a starchy and filling base to some recipes. Peel, dice and chop vegetables and store in containers for later use during the week. Separate meat and poultry into small-er, meal-sized containers so you only thaw out what you need for a given meal.

HAVE A PLANCreate a menu plan so

you will know which recipes to create and when. Build room into your meal plan for really quick meals, such as a soup and sandwich night or breakfast for dinner.

Planning a meal weekly meal schedule saves you time because you won’t be searching for recipes each weeknight. Such planning also helps you to ensure there’s plenty of variety in your weekly meals.

SEEK HELP FROM SLOW COOKERS

A slow cooker can be a real time-saver during the holiday season. Slow cook-ers can be set to cook while you’re out of the house. When you return, you will find the meal ready and waiting.

Slow cookers are very popular, and as a result it’s easy to find recipes both on-line and in cookbooks. Slow cookers can be used to pre-pare sauces, soups, roasts, casseroles, and so much more. To make slow cook-ers even more convenient, prepackage ingredients for recipes in advance, storing them in a plastic zip-top bag. Then simply pour the ingredients into the slow cooker in the morning be-fore leaving for work.

EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS

A meal need not always be a three-course offering. On days you expect to be particularly busy, plan for a no-heat meal. Cold cut

sandwiches and salad can fit the bill. A platter of finger foods, such as cheeses and crackers, fruit, and vegetable sticks with dips, can be filling as well. If the kids are requesting a bowl of cereal, let them have it and save time. Eggs and reheat-ed leftovers are quick and easy to prepare.

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sandwiches and salad can fit the bill. A platter of finger foods, such as cheeses and crackers, fruit, and vegetable sticks with dips, can be filling as well. If the kids are requesting a bowl of cereal, let them have it and save time. Eggs and reheat-ed leftovers are quick and easy to prepare.

Holiday Season Meal Tips When You’re Pinched for Time

A slow cooker is a valuable asset for home cooks pressed for time during the busy holiday season.



Come the holiday season, shipping com-panies work around the clock to ensure pack-ages, merchandise and more make it to their destinations on time. What would December holidays be without gifts under the tree?

In 2013, overtaxed carriers failed to meet Christmas deadlines for many packages. Some analysts say big retailers and carriers may have underestimated con-sumers’ growing reli-ance on online shopping — especially for last-minute presents. Since those mishaps, both UPS and FedEx have spent millions on upgrades. More fuel-efficient planes, upgrades to air cargo networks and im-proved infrastructure and ground shipping operations have helped shipping companies bet-ter handle the increased volume.

As shipping compa-nies work harder to en-sure holiday packages arrive at their destina-tions on time, there also are things consumers can do to increase the chances that gifts make it under the tree before the big day.

Shop as early as possible.

If you plan to buy on-line or ship gifts to fami-ly and friends, shop ear-ly so the gifts have time to make it to their desti-nations. Make a list of all the people whose gifts you will need to mail, then shop for their gifts first so you will have ample time for them to arrive on time.

Double-check all mailing addresses.

Make sure you have the correct addresses for all friends or fam-ily members you will be sending gifts to. An in-correct address can re-sult in packages being returned to sender or floating around in ship-ping limbo. All of this only decreases the like-lihood that gifts will ar-rive on time.

Consider a ship-to-store option.

A number of big re-tailers now offer various options that allow cus-tomers to purchase items online and pick them up in a nearby store. In-stock items may be avail-able the same day, while others may have to be shipped to the store for a later pickup.

Enter shipping parameters.

Signing up for either My FedEx or MyUPS gives you a little extra control over how pack-ages are sent to you.

For example, you can request that packages be held at a delivery center or you can presign for deliveries. These perks can help limit some lost or delayed packages.

Use proper postage.

Bulky envelopes or large packages are bet-ter off brought to the post office for shipping instead of mailing them from home. Inadequate postage could stall de-livery of your items and have them returned to you.

Research shipping cut-off dates.

Shipping carriers of-ten list the “last days to ship” for their services so that packages will ar-rive by the date you need them. This way you can plan around the cutoffs.

Sign up for membership programs.

Online retailers, such as Amazon, offer expe-dited shipping on many products as part of their membership programs. For example, Amazon Prime-eligible prod-ucts will generally ar-rive within two business days as part of your an-nual membership fee. The added cost may be well worth the peace of mind fast shipping pro-vides.

An increase in online shopping as well as fam-ilies living further apart has led to a high volume of gifts being shipped around the holidays. Plan accordingly so that gifts will arrive on time.

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Make Sure Gifts Arrive on Time




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Holiday gift guideHoliday gift guideThe Benefits to Buying Local this Holiday Season

Shoppers now have a bevy of options at their dis-posal as they embark on holiday shopping season. Traditional in-store retailers are still around, and online shopping continues to grow in popularity with each holi-day season. But many holi-day shoppers are looking to buy local this holiday sea-son, and such a decision can pay a host of dividends for both shoppers and the com-munities they call home.

Buying local benefits your local economy.

Studies from Civic Eco-nomics, an economics and strategics planning firm, found that independent, lo-cally-owned retailers return a far greater percentage of their revenue into their lo-cal economies than nation-al chain stores. One such study examined the dispari-ty between revenue recircu-lation among independent, locally-owned businesses in Raleigh, North Carolina, versus four major national chains in the city. The for-

mer recirculated 51.1 per-cent of revenue into the local economy, while the latter recirculated less than 14 percent. Similar results were discovered in many cities, indicating that buy-ing local not only benefits local business owners, but also the communities those owners and their customers call home.

Buying local creates jobs in your community.

One of the biggest ways local business owners in Raleigh recirculated their revenue in the local econo-my was job creation. While national chains also create jobs, such jobs only ben-efit your community if the chains are located within your community. If your local mall is a considerable drive away, chances are the chains within that mall are not employing many of your fellow community members. Local business-es in your community are more likely to employ resi-dents of your town.

Shopping local may provide access to more unique gifts.

In addition to the eco-nomic benefits of buying local, shoppers may find merchandise made by local craftsmen is more unique than mass-produced items found on the shelves of na-tional retailers. Recipients may cherish more unique items that they cannot find on their own, and that ap-preciation may even spur them to visit more local retailers after the holiday season has come and gone, benefiting their own com-munities in so doing.

Local business may provide a more personal touch.

Buying from national chains has its advantages, but customer service is not always one of them. Should your loved ones encounter problems with their gift that requires assistance, they might be forced to wait on the phone for ex-tended periods of time as they and thousands of others wait for customer service representatives to answer their calls. Lo-cal businesses do not deal with nearly the volume of customers as national retailers and, therefore, are capable of address-ing concerns more quickly and personally than large chains.

Buying local not only benefits small business owners, but it also pays dividends for their cus-tomers and the communi-ties they call home.


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Tips for an economical, safe holiday seasonThe holidays are an occasion for family, friends and joy. Unfortunately, those celebrations and decorations can have unpleasant results – high electric bills, shocks and fires. With a little thought and planning, you can celebrate, save money and stay safe at the same time.

Go LED – Traditional mini lights use 36 watts of power compared to only 5 watts for a string of LED lights, and many are brighter than traditional mini lights. In addition to saving energy, LED lights are generally made of plastic and will not break, and will last up to ten times longer.

Timing is everything – All holiday lights, LED or incandescent, should be placed on a timer. Simple timers cost less than $20 and can be set to turn on at sunset and off after a set number of hours. A good rule of thumb is to have lights on from sunset until bedtime.

Avoid holiday vampires – Many holiday gifts can become energy vampires that use electricity 24 hours a day, even when they are supposedly turned off, and can account for 5-10 percent of your yearly electric bill. Unplug electric devices and chargers when they are not being used or plug them into a smart power strip.

Entertain for efficiency – Before your guests arrive, turn down the thermostat. It may be cold outside, but once your home begins to fill with people the temperature will begin to rise, and cooking will only add to your home’s warmth.

Skip the preheat -- Most recipes begin with the words “preheat the oven to…” Large pieces of meat such as ham, turkey or a roast do not require a preheated oven. Preheating simply wastes energy. The exceptions to this rule are baked goods.

Make the holidays safe – Too many holidays are marred by electrical shocks and house fires. Take just a few safety precautions to ensure your holidays are worry-free:

• Make sure holiday lights are certified by an independent testing lab such as UL (Underwriters Laboratories) or ETL (Electrical Testing Laboratories).

• Turn off all lights before leaving home or going to bed.• If you’re using an extension cord, be sure not to overload it. Don’t use more than three

sets of lights per cord. Do not run cords under rugs or near appliances where they can overheat and cause a fire. If you have a live tree, keep extension cords away from where you water it.

• Do not overload electrical outlets.• Make sure all outdoor lighting is plugged into Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)

receptacles.• Be sure candles are out before going to bed or leaving the house.• Examine lights each year, discarding any that have frayed cords or broken light sockets.

“When in doubt, throw them out.”• Before replacing a bulb, unplug the string of lights and make sure to use a replacement

bulb of the same voltage and wattage as the original.• Never use electric lights on metallic trees.• Use only outdoor lights that are marked for outdoor use. Make sure the power is off when

stringing outdoor lights, and attach them to the house with insulated hangers - not metal staples, nails, or tacks. Be sure to keep the light plugs above ground and out of water.

• Examine trees you intend to string lights on and make sure no limbs have grown into or near power lines. This can lead to electrical shock.

• Make sure ladders are safe and secure before climbing on them.


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2015 Holiday Gift Guide

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