Hello Holiday Season

Holiday season in the Golden Isles is upon us and it’s a busy time of year. In this special Holiday Happenings section, we’re highlighting some of the events that will be taking place. We’re letting you know about these now because many fall on weekends early in December and we want you to be able to plan accordingly so you don’t miss out on your favorite Christmas events. Just call us Santa’s helpers!

A Merry Good Time

Shake it up for the Teen Center! Every year at Halyards and Tramici Neighborhood Italian restaurants, friends of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeast Georgia and community supporters get together at A Merry Mixer to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season, watch the finest in SEC football, and raise money to benefit the Elizabeth F. Correll Teen Center. This year’s event will take place Saturday, December 2, from 6:00-11:00 p.m. SEC Championship football will be playing on the TVs for the avid fans, and, outside, the Sensational Sounds of Motown will be playing the tunes that will get your feet moving down to the dance floor. In addition to the fabulous food and entertainment, there will be a live auction featuring packages like trips to Napa Valley and Tuscany. The Elizabeth Correll Teen Center is in its 9th year of operations and offers a wide array of programs for area teens, including college prep, one-on-one tutoring, career guidance, and recreational activities. The Center is a safe place just for teens that gives them the opportunity to grow and thrive, and teaches them the value of being productive citizens in the community. Through generous donations and support from the community by attendance at events like A Merry Mixer, the Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Georgia can continue to provide these much-needed services. Last year’s event raised $70,000 and the goal is to increase it this year. Tickets are $100 until November 1, and then the price increases to $125, so get yours today at apositiveplace.net. (continues)

Remembering with Bright Lights

The wooded grounds of the Brunswick campus of Hospice of the Golden

Isles becomes a magical wonderland during the Christmas season with the glow of thousands of holiday lights that shine in honor and memory of those who have touched our lives. A Lights of Love program with music follows a 5:00 p.m. Service of Remembrance at the 1692 Glynco Parkway facility on

Thursday, December 7. The event is sponsored in part by the Southeast Georgia Health System and Infinity, Inc. and is free and open to the public. If you’d like to honor your loved one by purchasing a memorial/honorary dove ornament, please call 912.265.4735 or visit Hospice.me.

A Market Fair & Gifts of Hope

Lord of Life Lutheran Church, at 2801 Frederica Road on St. Simons Island, will be hosting more than 30 vendors who sell quality handmade wares and one-ofa-kind gift items at their 9th annual Holiday Market Craft Fair on Saturday, December 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Some highlights include children’s book author Nancy Day who will be present signing her books, “Flavor of Georgia” winner Rockingham Pecans offering their fried pecans and candies, and The Blueberry Barn from Alma will be returning for a fourth year with a variety of blueberry products. The church will also host a bake sale, a used book sale, and will sell raffle tickets for prizes that include restaurant gift cards, specialty gift baskets, and a handcrafted woodwork piece donated by Paul Speich of Golden Isles Woodworkers. In addition, they will serve coffee, breakfast snacks, and lunch, and door prizes donated by vendors will be awarded each hour. Committee chairperson, Renée Evenson Balka says: “We are excited and proud that our fair has become well known in our community and that our neighbors throughout the Golden Isles look forward to it. We are also proud that every year we have returning vendors along with new ones to showcase their handcrafted and specialty items. We always provide shoppers with a wide variety of gift ideas for the holidays. Santa Claus spends the day, so this is a great photo op for families. We are thankful for our many volunteers who work hard to make this an enjoyable day for everyone and we look forward to welcoming our visitors.” Pastor Bonnie Lanyi adds: “Funds are raised to help send our young people to camp and to care for people in our community who find themselves in dire need. This is one way we are able to reach out and serve those in need, and impact the community in positive ways.”

Lord of Life Lutheran Church is also serving as a Central Drop-off for Operation Christmas Child again this year. This Samaritan’s Pursesupported holiday program that spreads the Gospel with shoebox gifts as an expression of God’s love to bring joy to children in need has distributed more than 146 million shoebox gifts to children in more than 160 countries since its inception in 1993. This year, they are hoping to collect enough to reach another 12 million children. National Collection Week is November 12-20 and Lord of Life is asking people to drop off shoeboxes filled with small gift appropriate items and be designated for a girl or boy, ages 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Examples of things to include are books, stuffed animals, markers, crayons, drawing paper, puzzles, pajamas, hats, socks, toothbrushes (NO toothpaste, please), hairbrushes, soap and washcloth, shoes or flip-flops. The church has shoeboxes available or you can use your own. Drop-off times are Monday-Friday (11/13-17) 9:30-11:30 a.m. and 5:00-7:00 p.m., Saturday (11/18) 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 2:00-4:00 p.m., Sunday (11/19) noon to 2:00 p.m. and 4:00-7:00 p.m., and Monday (11/20) 9:30-11:30 am. If you would like to volunteer to count shoeboxes and pack cartons, please call 912.638.4673 because many hands make light work. (continues)

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

Cassina Garden Club never disappoints with the delicious goodies they offer at “The Best Bake Sale in the Southeast!” Whether you want delectable treats to eat right away or you’re looking for something to save and share at hol-

iday gatherings, you’ll find a wide variety of scrumptious selections at the Annual Christmas Bake Sale at the Tabby Cabins at Gascoigne Bluff on St. Simons Island. People come from far and wide to snap up their favorite baked goods, fudge, candy, and more, so you might want to get there early! The Bake Sale will be held on Saturday, December 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and all proceeds benefit the Cassina Garden Club. Formed in 1928, Cassina is the oldest garden club in Glynn County. The club founders’ objective was to “promote the love of gardening among amateurs, to protect native shrubs, trees, flowers and birds, and to encourage beauty.” These remain the club’s guiding principles to this day.

Tour the Town

The Magnolia Garden Club hosts its Annual Christmas Tour of Homes on Saturday, December 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This year, the bake sale and market, which run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., will be held at historic Old City Hall of Brunswick, 1229 Newcastle Street. This is also where the tour begins and tickets can be purchased. The building is handicap accessible and there is an elevator around the side of the building and restrooms inside. All baked goods have been lovingly made by the “Merry” Members of Magnolia Garden Club. You will find a variety of delicious cakes, cookies, breads candies and pies beautifully packaged for your family holiday celebrations. Additional stops on the tour include The “Livery” at 1212 Newcastle Street, The Morgan House at 1027 Union Street, The Courvoisier House at 1119 Egmont Street, The House of A. del Sola Mendes, 428 Union Street, The Downing House (Brunswick Manor) at 825 Egmont Street, and The Atkinson House at 802 London Street. Tour attendees are also invited to stop in the Marshes of Glynn Libraries at 208 Gloucester Street to see a special Dollhouses and Miniatures exhibit as part of the Tour. Magnolia Garden Club was admitted to the Garden Club of Georgia in 1957 and has continued to grow through the years, they use money raised from the tours to support the community. Advance tickets are $25 and can be ordered by calling 912.996.0663, email to mgctohinfo@gmail.com, or purchase at the following locations: Color Me Happy and Merle Norman Cosmetics & Day Spa in Brunswick, GJ Ford Bookshop and Carlyle Wellness Chiropractic on St. Simons Island. On tour day, tickets are $30. Discounted tickets are available for groups of 10 or more. (continues)

Holly Jolly Jekyll

The holidays on Jekyll Island are filled with cheer and Yuletide festivities. There are cottage tours, oceanfront “ice skating,” a contemporary Christmas classic movie, the annual tree lighting ceremony, fireworks, and even snow!

In the wake of the cancellation of this year’s Shrimp and Grits Festival, Jekyll Island has created “Merry Shrimpmas” a Mash-Up Event that merges favorite elements of that event with the annual tree-lighting celebration. “We were all heartbroken,” said Meggan Hood, senior marketing director of the Jekyll Island Authority. “The Shrimp & Grits Festival is the island’s biggest event and it takes more than a year to plan, so simply moving it to another date was not an option. But no one felt that should keep this community down. That’s when we came up with the idea of a special, one-time-only festival that infuses some of the most-beloved elements from Shrimp & Grits into an expanded, two-day, holiday-themed event that includes our popular tree-lighting activities. This will be a unique experience the public won’t want to miss.” Admission to the festival is free, but costs will vary for individual attractions, food and refreshments throughout the event. The Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival will return to the third weekend of September in 2018, Hood said.

The “Merry Shrimpmas” fun will begin in the Jekyll Island National Historic Landmark District on Friday, November 24 from 2:008:00 p.m. and continue Saturday, November 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Local restaurant vendors will be selling their shrimp & grits creations (with sample night on Friday night) and other offerings will be available from regional food trucks. The curated Artist Market will be set up on Pier Road and there will be live music on the Main Stage. Keep the youngest visitors entertained in the Kids Zone with bounce houses and other fun activities, mail letters to the North Pole for Santa, or join the big guy himself for Santa Storytime at the Skeet House. (There will be no individual Santa visits this year.) On Friday night, stay for a special holiday edition of Movies on the Green at The Village Green at Beach Village. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets to watch the shenanigans of Buddy and his friends in Elf oceanside under the stars. Movie begins at 7:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Saturday night, the lighting of the Jekyll Island Christmas tree will take place on the Main lawn, complete with snow and a fireworks finale, as is tradition. Parking for the weekend event will be at Great Dunes Golf and Great Dunes Beach with buses shuttling regularly to the Historic District.

“This is a huge opportunity to show how much these local businesses, from the restaurants, hotels and shops to the local artists and entertainers, mean to our community, at a time when we’ll all be getting into the holiday spirit,” Hood said. “And, after all we’ve been through, who wouldn’t like to begin the holidays with some delicious shrimp and grits and a grand tree lighting?” Everyone is encouraged to come out both Friday and Saturday, because there are so many activities for the whole family to enjoy. The tree lighting and fireworks are a beloved holiday tradition for many Golden Isles residents.

The Jekyll Island Skating Village will be open for both days of the festival. The oceanfront “ice” skating arena is back (and bigger!) for the 2017-18 season. It will open on November 17 and run through January 7, 2018, closing on Thanksgiving and Christmas Days. Located on Beachview Drive, just south of the Holiday Inn Resort, Skating Village offers 30-minute sessions with skate rental included (continues)

for only $5 per person. You can also enjoy concessions and that beautiful panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean. As a special treat, Santa will make visits to Skating Village on Saturday, December 2 and Saturday, December 9 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. Come out and skate with that jolly old soul!

Another way to enjoy the season is with one of the Historic District Tours. “Holidays in History” tours will be held at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. daily November 25-December 31 (excluding Christmas Eve & Christmas Day). Venture inside the cottages of Jekyll Island’s National Historic Landmark District and learn their history as you see them decorated for the holidays in all their seasonal splendor. Tour prices are $16 for adults, $7 for children 7-17, and children 6 & under are admitted free of charge. Additionally, “Christmas Twilight Tours” will be held at 4:00 p.m. on December 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30. These special evening excursions highlight heart-warming holiday tales and the lights & decorations of the season on Jekyll Island. This Christmas celebration concludes with light refreshments and sunset views from one of our historic district cottages. Twilight tour prices are $20 for adults, $10 for children 7-15, and children 6 & under are admitted free of charge. For reservations, call 912.635.4036.

And no holiday season would be complete without a parade! The Holly Jolly Jekyll Parade will take place on Saturday, December 16 between 5:30-7:00 p.m. Golf carts will be decorated in their Christmas best and jingle all the way from Great Dunes Park to Beach Village. Participation is free, with all participating golf carts and Red Bugs registering at 4:30 p.m. in the Great Dunes Park parking lot. All entries must have lights to participate. The procession will depart at 5:30 p.m., travel along the oceanfront bike path, and conclude on the Village Green in Beach Village. Island guests and residents are encouraged to meet the parade in Beach Village to view the participants, enjoy live music, and do some Christmas shopping with the retailers in Beach Village. Santa’s elves are hard at work on this year’s prizes for the best-decorated golf carts, so deck your carts with boughs of holly, and give Santa’s sleigh a run for the money!

For more information about any of these seasonal events, visit jekyllisland.com. Make a point to visit Holly Jolly Jekyll over the holidays – it really is the most wonderful time of the year! (continues)

Jingle All the Way

On Saturday, December 9, those jingle-bells will be ringing again as festive runners make their way around the Jekyll Island for the CASA Jingle All the Way 5K and Fun Run. And, this year, there just might be a reindeer leading the way! (There will be a reindeer in attendance, we’re just not sure how fast he can run…or whether he flies!) Now that CASA has expanded their services to include Camden, they’re thrilled to share that Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be coming from Camden – a quick hop by sleigh – to visit and pose for photos with children of all ages. The 5K (which is chipped and timed) will begin at 9:00 a.m. and the 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk will start at 10:00 a.m. Awards will be presented at 10:30 a.m. to the team with the most members, most holiday spirit (team and individual), overall male and female finishers, overall masters male and female finishers, and the top three male and female finishers in each age group for the 5K. In addition, there is a $1,000 cash award to the school PTA with the most entrants pre-registered for either race. All proceeds from the race benefit the programs of CASA Glynn and their services provided in Camden as well. Come out with the whole family and get your jingle on! For more information and to register, visit casaglynn.org/jingle-race or call the CASA office at 912.264.4448. (continues)

Angelic Voices

The Golden Isles Messiah Chorus has been thrilling packed-house audiences with their holiday performance of Handel’s “Messiah, Part I” for more than three decades and 2017 will be no different, although there have been some changes. The fabulously talented Laurie Frank will take up the mantle of director for this year’s concert at Wesley United Methodist Church, Frederica on St. Simons Island. In addition, there will be one performance only on Saturday afternoon, December 2 at 3:00 p.m. The Christmas portion of Handel’s beloved oratorio includes choir, organ, soloists, and orchestra. Members of approximately 35 area churches make up the 90+ member community choir, featured soloists will include Rhonda Hambright, and Chris Roper. The concert is free and open to the public, but seating is limited, so you’ll want to make sure to get there early so you don’t miss THE magical musical event of the holiday season.

The Village Kicks off the Holiday

Glynn Visual Arts will be hosting its 7th annual Mistletoe Market Holiday Festival at Postell Park in the Village on St. Simons Island on Saturday and Sunday, December 2 and 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. This fine art and gift market has become a mainstay of the Golden Isles’ holiday festivities. “This year, we expect over 60 accomplished artists and artisans offering a wide variety of high quality artwork including two-dimensional art, pottery, jewelry, sculpture, photography, woodworking, baskets, fabric and mixed media.” said festival director Barb Scragg. “This show is a unique combination of fine art, wonderful gifts, good food, entertainment and family fun in a festive island holiday atmosphere. It is the perfect opportunity for residents and visitors alike to find that one-of-a-kind purchase or gift for the holiday season. As an added bonus, when you buy something handmade, purchased directly from the artist, you are supporting small business and our local community.” Scragg continued. There will be a Kid’s Creation Station to entertain the smallest artists with free holiday themed craft activities during the festival as well as live music from local

musicians. And when they say it’s fun for the whole family, that includes your canine companions! Bring your dog dressed in his or her holiday best to take part in the Holiday Hound Hike Pooch Parade on Saturday morning. It’s only $10 to participate. The line-up will begin at 10:30 a.m. with the parade following at 11:00 a.m. sharp – you won’t want to miss seeing these cuties in their Christmas attire! (Sometimes potbellied pigs dress up too!) For the third year, local knitters will be turning Postell Park into its own work of art through yarn bombing! Throughout the year, they have been working away and will reveal their beautiful work at the opening of the festival. The colorful decorations will remain in the park for the month of December. For more information, visit glynnvisualarts.org.

In what has become a holiday tradition, Sea Island is again opening its restaurants and spa to the community during the fourth annual “December Dining & Spa.” From December 1 - 21, everyone is invited to make reservations at six different restaurants at Sea Island, ranging from the River Bar and Tavola – the newly expanded Italian restaurant at The Cloister – to the Oak Room and Colt & Alison at The Lodge, or Southern Tide at the Beach Club. Diners may choose two or three courses for lunch or dinner. The Georgian Room (which is always open to the public) and Colt & Alison serve dinner only. Reservations are required for lunch or dinner and may be made by calling 855.249.9801. While restaurant patrons are on the property, they are invited to enjoy the extensive holiday décor, including the always amazing gingerbread house creations. This year’s delectable display will celebrate Sea Island’s upcoming 90th anniversary in 2018. Cortney Harris, Sea Island’s Executive Pastry Chef says, “This year’s gingerbread house display will feature gingerbread renditions of the original Cloister and Beach Club hotels, as well as some of the original cottages from down Sea Island Drive. It will be finished, in the Solarium of The Cloister, by December 1. People who are coming to dine at The Cloister are welcome to view the display.” Restaurant patrons are also encouraged to shop in the various shops at The Cloister, The Lodge, and The Spa. In December, Sea Island’s ultimate haven of relaxation and rejuvenation will also be offering a variety of special spa packages and pricing. Spoil yourself! (continues)

Christmas Traditions

The Ritz Radio Theatre holiday productions always shine just as brightly as the star on the top of the tree. Featuring a talented cast of local actors, the shows are performed just as they would have been in the 1940s, as a radio drama in front of a live audience, with sound effects and period costumes. On December 8-10, they will be presenting A Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens’ immortal tale of mean old miser Scrooge and his magical night discovering the true meaning of Christmas is a perennial audience favorite. The following weekend, December 15-17, Ritz Radio Theatre will bring to life the beloved story of Clarence the angel’s visit with George Bailey, a down-on-hisluck businessman who gets the unique chance to see what life would have been like if he hadn’t existed in It’s a Wonderful Life. All shows take place at The Historic Ritz Theatre in downtown Brunswick at 8:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and 3:00 p.m. on Sundays. Advance tickets are $15 for members/$20 for non-members, $10 for senior (65+) members/$15 for senior non-members and day of show tickets are $5 more each ticket. Tickets for students with an ID are always just $5. Treat yourself to one, or both, of these heartwarming holiday performances. (continues)

An Antebellum Christmas

Celebrate at Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation on Friday, December 1, or Saturday, December 2, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. This magical experience at this state historic site will demonstrate how Christmas was celebrated on a South Georgia rice plantation during the 1850s. Take a candlelit stroll down the old carriage road and enjoy candlelit tours of the majestic old plantation house.

There will be hot wassail and cookies and

Christmas caroling. Civil War reenactors will discuss the times and conduct cannon and rifle demonstrations at intervals throughout the night. Santa will also make a special appearance and will take requests from children of all ages. Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation is located at 5556 US Highway 17 N in Brunswick.

Admission is $5-10. For more information, call 912.264.7333.

A Colonial Holiday

At Fort King Georgia Historic Site in Darien, you can learn how the holiday season at the fort differed from today’s holidays. Join a site interpreter on First Saturday on December 2 from 10:00 am to 3:00 p.m. for the Colonial Holiday Seasons program, which is free with purchase of regular site admission. If you’re feeling a need for more immersion, join the Friends of Fort King George for A Colonial Christmas at Fort King George on Saturday, December 9. A traditional dinner in the soldiers’ barracks and an evening of Colonialstyle Yuletide jollification will take place from 7:00-8:30 p.m. and concludes with a cannon firing. Reservations are required for the dinner program. Cost is $40. Call 912.437.4770 to reserve your seat.

Open House at the Fort

Fort Frederica will hold a Holiday Open House and celebrate the birthday of General James Oglethorpe on December 12, from 2:00-4:45 p.m. The public is invited to come join in the living history volunteer program to discuss the life and influence of General Oglethorpe and colonial fort life. Costumed volunteers will draw visitors into the life and significance of the fort and town site. Program is free with regular fort admission. For more information, call 912.638.3639.

Simply Spectacular

Decorating Reynolds Mansion and celebrating the holidays in this special place is something the Friends of Sapelo look forward to all year long. Friends love to bring their family visiting for the holidays over to Sapelo to show off the island and the work they have done throughout the year. During the month of December, the public is invited to Sapelo Island for a day at Reynolds Mansion. The mansion is decorated for the holidays and Friends of Sapelo docents lead tours through the house sharing the history and the stories of what life was like under each of the mansion’s owners. Visitors are treated to a meal in the grand dining room. Watch the event calendar at sapelonerr.org for this year’s tour dates. You’ll want to sign up early because space is limited to 36 visitors per day. (continues)

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Seasonal Shopping and More

Grab your holiday shopping list and head to the Village! The Museum Store at the St. Simons Lighthouse and A.W. Jones Heritage Center will be holding its annual Holiday Open House from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 18. Home accents and holiday décor will be available for purchases, as well as books, jewelry, apparel, and accessories. For more information, call the Museum Store at 912.634.7099. During the holiday season, some of the island trolleys offer Christmas Light Tours. Pick up is in the Village and the tours take you through island neighborhoods with impressive holiday light displays – most notably in Sea Palms! Some of these seasonal rides also include a little caroling, a stop for a visit with Santa and some hot cocoa. Check the individual trolley websites and Facebook pages for more information, times, and pricing. Of course, it’s only November and this might feel too early to start decking the halls and putting out stockings, but these Christmas events come fast and furious starting Thanksgiving weekend and we’d hate for you to miss out on anything! You’ll find these events and more listed on the EIL website calendar and we’ll be posting additional holiday happenings like Christmas sales, open houses, and Santa sightings on social media with EIL Elf reminders, so watch our FB, Twitter, and Instagram pages.

And not to put the cart before the horse, we here at EIL also want to take a moment now to wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving! First, turkey, family, and football, THEN mistletoe and Merry Christmas!

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