michaelman2
Well-known member
I have to share a sweet experience that I had this past weekend. I run a Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Authority for a muicipality just south of Atlanta, (yes, Gone with the Wind country). I plan and coordinate the cities events and about three years ago I went to the Mayor and Council wanting to have a Christmas event.
They were nervous at first and wanted me to do a "holiday" event. The county in which we reside recently had to change its Christmas parade to a Holiday parade. At the meeting they all had to laugh when I (as a Jewish man) was wanting a Christmas event....a Christmas event was planned and we had about 5000 show up for the first Christmas in the Park 3 years ago.
Since then we have had to move the event to accomodate the now 7000+ that attend. One of the attractions that we have is a custom, trackless train that we named; Morrow's Lil" General.
Each year we create stickers that read; " I rode Morrow's Lil' General" with some primary graphics as well.
This year I was approached by a small child and his mother. He had a piece of construction paper with all of the previous years Lil' General stickers adhered to it. His mother said that he had been waiting for weeks to show me his collection and was so excited to get his 2009 sticker. I have to say that I was so touched by this child, he had truly found his love for tradition. I think this is rare nowadays, God knows my two teenagers could not care less.
Many years ago we had a department store that had fantastic Christmas traditions. The store is long gone but I modeled the event after what they used to do.
We actually import 29,000 lbs of ice and shave it into snow...the kids go crazy. 60+ vignettes/booths from churches, orginizations and businesses each providing a craft or ornament for the children to create. Choirs from all over come and they sing in a "Singing Christmas Tree" that is a structure that looks like a 25' Christmas Tree with a light show. The event concludes on the last note by a soloist singing O'Holy Night and a 60' tree is lit. 45,000 lights. We switched out to LED this year from C-9s and what used to take (2) 220 boxes now takes less than one 220. P.S. The event is at no charge to the guests Okay I'm done....
They were nervous at first and wanted me to do a "holiday" event. The county in which we reside recently had to change its Christmas parade to a Holiday parade. At the meeting they all had to laugh when I (as a Jewish man) was wanting a Christmas event....a Christmas event was planned and we had about 5000 show up for the first Christmas in the Park 3 years ago.
Since then we have had to move the event to accomodate the now 7000+ that attend. One of the attractions that we have is a custom, trackless train that we named; Morrow's Lil" General.
Each year we create stickers that read; " I rode Morrow's Lil' General" with some primary graphics as well.
This year I was approached by a small child and his mother. He had a piece of construction paper with all of the previous years Lil' General stickers adhered to it. His mother said that he had been waiting for weeks to show me his collection and was so excited to get his 2009 sticker. I have to say that I was so touched by this child, he had truly found his love for tradition. I think this is rare nowadays, God knows my two teenagers could not care less.
Many years ago we had a department store that had fantastic Christmas traditions. The store is long gone but I modeled the event after what they used to do.
We actually import 29,000 lbs of ice and shave it into snow...the kids go crazy. 60+ vignettes/booths from churches, orginizations and businesses each providing a craft or ornament for the children to create. Choirs from all over come and they sing in a "Singing Christmas Tree" that is a structure that looks like a 25' Christmas Tree with a light show. The event concludes on the last note by a soloist singing O'Holy Night and a 60' tree is lit. 45,000 lights. We switched out to LED this year from C-9s and what used to take (2) 220 boxes now takes less than one 220. P.S. The event is at no charge to the guests Okay I'm done....
