Thursday, December 25, 2014

Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Let me tell you about some of my unexpected holiday cheer...

What I did expect was that "Candlelight Nights" at the Atlanta History Center would be another pleasant holiday excursion, but "Wow!"...what a fantastic time I had! 

My intention was to pop in to check it out and then head home to do some work around the house and do a little writing. Didn't happen. Instead, I had one of the most delightful holiday experiences I've had in years!

Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center
Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center

I arrived early, in time to check-in at McElreath Hall and then get over to the Swan House for one of the timed "Carolers on the Steps" sessions. They performed in front of the tree in the photo above and they were magnificent. They immediately ignited my Christmas spirit.

I listened for a while, enjoying the other visitors smile and hum along, hold their sweetheart's hand and sip hot chocolate all bundled up in their scarves and festive hats. I wandered down to the front lawn to see just how amazingly the Swan House was lit up. It's incredibly beautiful, up close and from afar. Explore all the vistas...I think you'll enjoy them.

Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center
Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center

The Swan House itself was open and bustling with activity, and activities. And they were allowing (non-flash) photographs that night! Of course, I was super excited about that!

One of the timed activities was a dramatic reading of "The Night Before Christmas", on the stairway in the foyer. That stairwell is a show all on its own, but decorate it for Christmas and recite poetry from it...absolutely delightful!

Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center
Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center

The Swan House was also populated with historic personalities, with whom visitors could chat. Among them were Edward Inman, Lucille Arnold (who was offering visitors sips of delicious hot chocolate!), and Grant Carter, the chauffeur, with whom you could have a photo made in front of the 1929 Hudson Super Six Sedan!

I was impressed to see President & CEO Sheffield Hale onsite. We chatted for a moment and I thanked him for being there. I mention this because I want my readers to know that the Center's executive management cares a great deal about the visitor experience at the Atlanta History Center, and for that I for one am grateful.


Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center
Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center

One of the things I enjoy most about being a tourist is seeing others having such a great time. See the couple at the right sitting near the fountain? What a great memory they're making for themselves. It was a delightful evening on so many levels.

Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center
Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center

Oh, but back inside...while exploring the house, I heard a couple of visitors talking about the basement. I knew that there was something down there—I was thinking it was something to do with the Swan House Capitol Tour—but was I ever wrong! There's an entire museum down there!

Mandarin Shutze: A Chinese Export Life is fantastic! At first I thought it was a gallery, but further inspection revealed room after room, collection after collection. There's so much to share, I'll have to do that in another post, but for now just know that it's there and don't miss it...like I've been doing for months! 

I told you this was a fun night!

Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center
Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center

The evening's programming spanned the entirity of the 33-acre complex. Over in the Wood Family Cabin, past the Swan House, were performances by "Shape Note Singers". I'd never visited the Wood Family Cabin nor heard shape note singing live...yet another fantastic experience.

As I was leaving the Cabin, I saw a couple that looked familiar. I spoke. And sure enough, it was a couple that I'd chatted with for quite a while just the night before at the Atlanta Botanical Garden—I was volunteering and they were there to see "Garden Lights". Of the millions of people in Atlanta, what were the chances that I'd see them two nights in a row?! We exchanged contact information and I hope to have made new friends.

Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center
Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center

Among the ongoing activities of the evening included time with Luceller Smith Collier at the Smith Family Farm. She was making traditional 1860s tree ornaments for visitors. She and her helpers would assist visitors in cutting out their design of choice, and then Luceller would "cook" them in a cast iron skillet—which she told me she prefers because you can "see" how the cooking is going. 

Before cooking, the assistants would carve the kiddies' initials into their ornaments so that when they returned 15 minutes later—cooking and cooling time—they would know which was theirs and they got to take it home. They were reminded, however, that they weren't for eating—they had no sugar—but to enjoy placing the keepsake on their holiday tree.

Also at the Farm was blacksmith Jasper Smith, who was busy forming hanging hooks and answering tons of questions that the kids had. All the "residents" of Smith Family Farm were in 1860s costume and spoke in the dialect of the time.

Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center
Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center

The campus is beautifully decorated...I was quite impressed. I particularly enjoyed the Members' Lounge...cozy, inviting, fun for the kiddos, and an exclusive hour with Santa! 

There was more programming than I got to see during the 3.5 hours I was there. Seriously, I was going to be there maybe 30-40 minutes, but the fun just kept on coming! 

There were bars set up throughout the grounds and there were sweets and of course there had to be food. We knew going in that the food options were limited. That it would be a single food truck set up in McElreath Circle. 

That food truck was "Mac the Cheese"...and it was soooooo good! I love some good Mac & Cheese, but this was ridiculously good! I had the Buffalo Mac & Cheese, and ate every bite of it. Hope to come across them again!

Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center, Octave Atlanta
Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center

I have long enjoyed a cappella singing, and I have a new favorite. Octave Atlanta was performing that night and they are wonderful! They're so wonderful in fact that I attended two of their performances that night and I left having purchased a CD, which I'm anxious to hear all the way through.

They sang their set, took requests and in-person are as charming as beautifully they sing. I do hope to hear "Atlanta's favorite women's a cappella singing group since 1996" again! "Like" them on Facebook to see where they'll be performing!

Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center, Vulcan Salute Santa
Candlelight Nights at the Atlanta History Center

The evening was packed with highlights, one of them being my visit with Santa. This was the most awesome Santa of all. Why, you ask? He gave me exactly what I asked for...a photo with him offering a Vulcan Salute. How awesome is that?! That photo (Thank you, Hillary) is my profile pic on my personal Facebook page for a while, but it's a memory I'll cherish always.

While "Candlelight Nights" at the Atlanta History Center is finished for the year, I do hope you'll make time on your busy holiday calendar for it next year. Personally, I can hardly wait to see what they'll do to make it even more magical!

May I offer a personal "Happy Holidays" to all my friends at the Atlanta History Center—you're totally awesome! And a grateful "Happy Holidays" to my wanderlust ATLANTA friends and fans...thank you for making it such a fun year!

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