Holiday Magic in Our Own Back Yard

A lot of travel goes on during the holiday season, and we LOVE to travel. However, some of our favorite Christmas festivities occur in our own city, Atlanta. Sometimes it is hard to be at home and dedicate time to enjoy local festivities with so much life going on, but these activities deserve an equal opportunity to those we travel out of town to see.

This season, we attended four local events in our city that were magical. I am sure that there are many local events in your town that are fantastic as well. We have provided the information for each of the events below as well as their contact information if you and your family are interested!

Elf Two Ways

Jackson and Lucy both LOVE the movie Elf. I mean, last year, those two won Christmas trivia against a crowded room full of people because they knew all the details of the Elf movie. So, when I found out that the Fox Theatre’s Mighty Mo and More movie this year was Elf, I knew we had to be right on top of getting those tickets at the beginning of November.

As a family, we look forward to Mighty Mo and More at the Fox, not only because it is a blast, but also because of what it supports. The movie and Christmas caroling are completely free, and the Fox, in partnership with Georgia Natural Gas, supports and raises awareness for Three-Oh-WE-Go.

Three-Oh-We-Go is a rescue mission for the homeless on the streets of Atlanta when the temperature falls below 30 degrees. The volunteers go out to provide the homeless with blankets, socks, hand/feet warmers, and any other items that will protect them from severe outside elements. Each year, they collect socks at the Fox to aid in the safety of the homeless on those frigid Atlanta nights.

Around the same time that the Mighty Mo tickets became available, Jackson began talking about Elf, the Broadway Musical. I know the Fox schedule pretty well, and Elf was not slated to grace the doors of the Fox this year. With the season in full hectic mode by December, we began looking at alternatives to traveling to a city where the Broadway musical was playing.

After an internet search, it did not take long to find Elf the Musical playing at a local theater in the Atlanta suburbs. We purchased tickets at a great price for the City Springs Performing Arts Center in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Before attending the play, we really had no expectations. However, when we arrived, we realized that this was going to be far more of an evening than we expected.

The performing arts center had state-of-the-art parking, and the complex was brand new and sparkling. The production of ELF was absolutely fabulous. We are so used to trotting down to the Fox when we want to go see a play or musical that it had never really occurred to me to go out and seek entertainment at local hometown theaters.

Sean, Jackson, Lucy, and I had an amazing time watching the performance, and we will be seeking out other local theaters in the near future. It was so interesting watching both the Elf the movie and Elf the Musical. The movie is an absolute classic, and the musical gave us a totally different perspective on the production. Elf two ways had us all feeling sparklejollytwinklejingley!

A Stone Mountain Christmas

During the holidays each year, we visit Stone Mountain Park. Our family loves to take in shows such as Christmas in the City, The Littlest Christmas Tree, A Christmas Carol, and many others. Sean and Jackson enjoy Snow Mountain, while Lucy and I play at Fort Snow while we wait on them.

My very favorite part of a Stone Mountain Christmas is the train ride with caroling at night. The train runs around the mountain while the passengers sing carols. About halfway around the mountain, the train stops, and an old-fashioned storytelling of the nativity takes place. The train then continues back around the mountain, finishing up with more carols.

There is also a parade in the evening, and a 4-D Christmas film. A version of It’s a Wonderful Life plays on the Stone Mountain Christmas tree. You can challenge your family to a holiday game of putt-putt or visit the top of the mountain for the best views of Atlanta. The lights are magical at the park. We thoroughly enjoy visiting each year and if you travel near Atlanta during the holidays, this is a definite must-see.

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Six Flags Holiday in the Park

I must admit, I am a Christmas light connoisseur. Some of the best lights in Georgia are right down the road at Six Flags Over Georgia. Even if Six Flags was a few hours away, it would definitely be worth the drive. When I was little, my dad’s holiday party with his work was at Six Flags. Holiday in the Park only lasted for one year, but I still have vivid memories of that evening.

I was so excited when Six Flags announced a few years ago that they would be reviving Holiday in the Park so that I could share those same memories with my own children. When you enter the park, the town is lit up in red and green. The lighting of the Christmas tree occurs every evening at 6:00 p.m. and the festivities pick up from there.

Roast s’mores with the family at one of the many fire pits located throughout the park. Stroll through the peach section of the park and catch a show at the Crystal Pistol. Visit the carousel lit up with Christmas wonder or feel the snowfall and visit Santa near the train station.

My personal favorite during the holidays is the retro-Christmas located in the USA section of the park. It makes me want to find the old, large Christmas lights and wrap my house in them. And you can’t forget the Christmas light tunnel and the Peppermint Lane area.

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I would say that we are very fortunate to have so many holiday festivities in our city, but I know that there are so many throughout towns both big and small in our great country. I hope you take some time this holiday season to enjoy the beauty and festivity in your own backyard! Also, just because an official holiday such as Christmas day has passed doesn’t mean that you can’t go and enjoy. Stone Mountain and Six Flags are both alive and festive during the week between Christmas and New Year’s!

What is your favorite Christmas festivity in your town? We would love to hear from you so that everyone can gain ideas for next year! Please drop us a line in the comment section below.

Links to our favorite Atlanta attractions this holiday season:

Fox Theatre – City Springs Performing Arts Center – Stone Mountain Park – Six Flags Over Georgia

Are you searching for that perfect holiday present? Check out our guide on buying the perfect gift! Also, read about alternatives to traditional gift-giving with Christmas, the Great Gift Card Swap?