HOLIDAYS IN THE SOUTH

Celebrations, Traditions, Events Surrounding Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas & New Year’s

Happy New Year!!!

by Melissa Newton

Thursday January 01, 2009, 12:19 AM

So, it's that time again, New Years Eve. As we all wait for the ball to drop and the clock to strike twelve, let's take a moment to remember all the great thing '08 has bought us and reflect on all the lessons it has taught us.

Continue reading "Happy New Year!!!" »

Mobile's Moon Pie rising

by Dan Murtaugh

Wednesday December 31, 2008, 3:47 PM

Tonight's the night: Big Moon Pie goes up at the stroke of midnight downtown

The Moon Pie has taken over Fred Richardson's life.

His colleagues on the Mobile City Council call him "Moon Pie." People stop him in restaurants to talk about the Moon Pie. After Tuesday's council meeting, he even donned a Moon Pie hat.

One might think that Richardson would be sick of Moon Pies by now, after hearing about them for hours on end since he announced a month ago that he spent $9,000 of taxpayer money to create a 12-foot-tall mechanical Moon Pie for the city's New Year's Eve celebration.

Continue reading "Mobile's Moon Pie rising" »

Ring in the New Year right with a pot of Hoppin' John

by David Holloway -- Press-Register

Wednesday December 31, 2008, 7:50 AM

When exactly does something become a cultural phenomenon?

When does something like my traditional New Year's entree, Hoppin' John, obtain so much gravitas that it transcends description or classification?

I can almost pinpoint when this recipe gathered enough gravity to stand on its on. The first time I penned it the reaction was swift and almost unanimous. You liked it, you really, really liked it.

So every year about this time, I dutifully trot it out, and you make it in great waves.

Continue reading "Ring in the New Year right with a pot of Hoppin' John" »

Make your Moon Pie a culinary masterpiece

by David Holloway -- Press-Register

Wednesday December 31, 2008, 7:45 AM

The love affair that this city enjoys with a certain confection is about to be elevated to new heights tonight.

Literally.

At the stroke of midnight, city fathers plan to hoist a giant 600-pound electric Moon Pie into the city skies somewhere over the Mobile River. It promises to be a truly electric moment that will be transmitted around the world.

Continue reading "Make your Moon Pie a culinary masterpiece" »

Find some comfort in the New Year

by David Holloway -- Press-Register

Wednesday December 31, 2008, 7:39 AM

We here in Lower Alabama are not immune to the current economic malaise that grips the nation.

Hardly.

We share the nation's pain, but we may be a little better prepared to deal with the dire situation than our brethren from elsewhere.

Why? Because we know how to deal with this sort of heartache, and that's by eating well.

Continue reading "Find some comfort in the New Year" »

Hoppin' John risotto is a lucky dish

by Debby Maugans

Wednesday December 31, 2008, 7:10 AM

Some years ago, a former editor of Southern Living was asked a perplexing question by a transplanted Southerner living in France: "What do I substitute for black-eyed peas?"

We were both stumped. Lady peas or field peas were as far as the guessing went, and neither of those is the real thing.

Continue reading "Hoppin' John risotto is a lucky dish" »

Oh, Christmas tree, Obama tree

by Chanda Temple Guster

Friday December 26, 2008, 11:31 AM

Every year, Joe Openshaw fills his home with themed Christmas trees, including a patriotic tree trimmed in silver ornaments; red, white and blue icicles; and soft blue lights.

Continue reading "Oh, Christmas tree, Obama tree" »

Galaxy of Lights extended through January 3rd

by Staff reports

Friday December 26, 2008, 10:10 AM

The Huntsville Botanical Garden announced today that they will extend the Galaxy of Lights through January 3, 2009.

Due to the increased demand, Galaxy will run an additional 3 days - January 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

This holiday light show has been a Tennessee Valley tradition for 13 years and will be the highlight of any family get-together.

Hours and prices will remain the same - 5:30 pm through 9:00 pm nightly.

Prices are $15 per car- up to 10 people; $3 for each additional person for more than 10 in a vehicle.

($1 discount for donated canned food, paper product, pet food, children's book, warm coat, or Toy for Tots).

Dance away the old year: Parties around metro Birmingham welcome 2009

by Alec Harvey -- Birmingham News

Friday December 26, 2008, 7:32 AM

Goodbye, 2008. Hello, 2009.

That's what folks all over Birmingham will be saying on Wednesday at New Year's Eve festivities all over the area.

Our clubs guide lists the many places where you can hear live music on Wednesday night, and most will be celebrating at midnight in some form or fashion. But there are also some bigger shindigs, one-night-only events to herald the new year.

Here's where you can ring in 2009:

NEW YEAR'S EVE AT OLD CAR HEAVEN

Where: First Avenue South under the 35th Street viaduct

When: 8 p.m.

What to expect: Hundreds of vintage autos on display, plus champagne, hors d'oeuvres and music (Carlos Pino and friends and Oteil Burbridge of Allman Brothers fame)

Tickets: $25; www.oldcarheaven.com

Continue reading "Dance away the old year: Parties around metro Birmingham welcome 2009" »

Volunteers feed homeless a Christmas feast

by Victoria Cumbow

Thursday December 25, 2008, 5:56 PM

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- While some of you reading this post spent your Christmas morning opening your new computer or iPhone, about 130 volunteers decided to help make the holidays a little easier for the homeless.

The Downtown Rescue Mission fed about 400 people a Christmas feast during lunchtime Thursday. Sue Usrey, from Lawrenceburg, Tenn., came to the mission this morning at the insistence of her father.

"My dad took all the grandkids' Christmas money and donated it to the mission, and then told everyone we were going to volunteer," she said.

This is the first year for the Usrey family to volunteer on Christmas, but she said it wouldn't be the last.

"It breaks my heart to see so many little ones out there," she said.

Read more about the volunteers who donated their time to the mission in tomorrow's Huntsville Times.

Chip in for some good causes

by Staff Report

Thursday December 25, 2008, 9:24 AM

Merry Christmas!

Hopefully, you've either had a great day opening presents under the tree or will do that pretty soon. What then - to do with the tree, that is. Continue reading "Chip in for some good causes" »

Taming Christmas Chaos

by Kathy Seale

Thursday December 25, 2008, 7:44 AM

Santa's elves are headed your way, and they're going to organize and store your holiday decor, and more!

But just in case they don't show up, we asked professional organizers for tips to avoid post-holiday storage woes. Continue reading "Taming Christmas Chaos" »

Marshall Space Flight Center saves Claus family

by Staff reports

Thursday December 25, 2008, 7:00 AM

Marshall Space Flight Center helped save Capt. Terry Claus - no relation to the jolly North Pole variant - and his family from a heavy lightning storm while he was on a swordfish run off the Miami coast last year.

Claus saw a SPoRT -short for Short-term Prediction Research and Transition - on his Global Position System navigation screen last year while piloting his 53-foot charter boat The Qualifier helping him avoid a cascade of night lightning strikes, Claus told NASA's Science@NASA recently.

The Marshall-managed SPoRT team provides a small company called WorldWinds, Inc. in Slidell, La. with high resolution satellite data on ocean and atmospheric conditions. WorldWinds repackages the information for mariners along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. About ten thousand of them subscribe to the data service via XM satellite radio, according to NASA.

"One night, my wife, children, and I were fishing for swordfish 25 miles off the Miami coast," says Claus. "We saw black clouds to the west. That's not unusual where we live. Florida storms sometimes build over land and then dissipate. But that night, when I checked the radar on my GPS, I saw an incredible line of severe thunderstorms moving towards us - and fast."

"I checked the lightning strike screen, and it looked like a chained link fence of continuous lightning," he continues. "I shouted, 'Reel in the lines! We have to get out of here fast!' I could see on the screen where the cloud mass was weakest, so I followed that route. A 747 jet flew overhead and seemed to be following the same route we were following. We must have been looking at the same data. We made it to port safely."

The Marshall-managed SPoRT team provides a small company called WorldWinds, Inc. in Slidell, La. with high resolution satellite data on ocean and atmospheric conditions. WorldWinds repackages the information for mariners along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. About ten thousand of them subscribe to the data service via XM satellite radio, according to NASA.

Continue reading "Marshall Space Flight Center saves Claus family" »

Government offices closed, businesses open

by Staff reports

Thursday December 25, 2008, 5:30 AM

Federal, county and municipal offices here will be closed today, but business will continue as usual for state offices.

Most retail stores, banks and attractions reopen today, but some local attractions -- namely Alabama Constitution Village and the Huntsville Depot -- will be closed. Mail service and trash pickup resume today. Thursday trash pickup in Huntsville will be today.

The following is a complete list of closings and openings:

Open

• ABC Stores


• Banks


• BFI Recycling


• Burritt on the Mountain


• Convention and Visitors Center


• EarlyWorks Museum


• Huntsville Botanical Garden (Galaxy of Lights opens at 5:30 p.m.)


• Huntsville Museum of Art


• Huntsville Times


• Huntsville Utilities


• Libraries


• Sci-Quest


• Space & Rocket Center


• State offices


• Stock markets


• U.S. mail


• Veterans Memorial Museum


• Garbage pickup in Huntsville, Madison and Madison County

Closed

• Alabama Constitution Village


• County offices


• Federal offices


• Huntsville City offices


• Huntsville Depot


• Madison City Offices


• Public transit


• Redstone Arsenal


• Schools

Don't forget to recycle your Christmas tree

by Staff reports

Wednesday December 24, 2008, 8:18 PM

Enjoy it for a while longer, but when you're ready to get rid of it, the Huntsville Botanical Garden will recycle your Christmas tree into mulch now until Jan. 15.

Drop off your tree at the designated area at the Leaf Mulch pile on the east side of the Garden. Remove ornaments and the stand.

Trees will be chipped and the mulch will be stockpiled for people to use in their gardens. Info: 830-4447.