The holiday spirit

Leigh Massey, 404.814.4033

LMassey@AtlantaHistoryCenter.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW FAMILY PROGRAM EXPLORES “THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT”
-- Families Travel Back in Time on December 15 and December 20, 2011-
ATLANTA, GA - In 1843, Charles Dickens made the world believe in ghosts at Christmas time. On Thursday, December 15 and Tuesday, December 20, 2011 from 5:30 – 9:00 pm, the Atlanta History Center invites guests to get into “The Holiday Spirit” and join them for a new family program that transports guests back in time, Dickens’ style.

Each program evening offers lantern-led historic house experiences as well as ongoing holiday activities including live musical performances, storytelling, Smith Family Farm demonstrations and hands-on activities, candlelit trails, and kid-friendly crafts.

The lantern-led historic house experience is the main event of this holiday program. Guests are greeted by a friendly holiday spirit from Christmas present who introduces them to Ghosts from Christmas Past at Smith Family Farm and Swan House. Through this immersive, guided experience, visitors explore the changing meaning of the holiday season and discover how Atlanta residents celebrated holidays during the 1860s and 1930s. Learn how some of the traditions we still hold dear today were established and leave with a reminder of the true meaning of the holiday spirit and how the bonds of family and community can provide the strength to survive changing times.

At Smith Family Farm, guests encounter living history characters who share stories of what life was like for family members and enslaved people on Smith Family Farm during the holidays of 1861. Discover holiday traditions that set the stage for modern traditions, understand what Christmas was like on the homefront during the first year of the Civil War, learn how family and communities were redefined during this time, and explore foodways and cooking traditions of the holiday season.

At Swan House, guests encounter living history characters who share stories of what life was like for family members and household servants in 1930 at Swan House. Learn what was happening during this pivotal time as Atlanta was changing during the Great Depression and hear how Atlanta residents celebrated the season in 1930 while assisting those who were less fortunate, giving a reminder of the true meaning of the holiday spirit.

Guests are encouraged to schedule their historic house experience when first checking into admissions. These bookings will be taken at admissions on evening of programs only; tours run approximately every 10 minutes and last approximately 50 minutes.

Before or after a guided experience, guests may take part in ongoing holiday activities, enjoy a visit to any one of the Atlanta History Center's exhibitions, shop for unique holiday gifts at the museum shop, or even purchase delicious meal items from Flying Biscuit Café, Candler Park & Midtown.

"The Holiday Spirit" is free for members and included with general admission for nonmembers. City Pass accepted. Purchase tickets online and save at www.AtlantaHistoryCenter.com/spirit.

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Family Holiday Program at Atlanta History Center 2 of 2
Below are highlighted "The Holiday Spirit" activities. View a complete schedule of each evening's activities and plan your family's fun at www.AtlantaHistoryCenter.com/spirit.

Lantern-led historic house experiences:

A 50-minute experience, tours leave every 10 minutes beginning at 5:45 pm and the last tour starts at 8:05 pm. Tour bookings are taken at admissions on evenings of program only.

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  Flying Biscuit Café, Candler Park & Midtown – Delicious food available for purchase in the Grand Overlook Ballroom
  
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  Self-guided tours of the Atlanta History Center's award-winning exhibitions
  
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  History comes to life – Meet characters from the past in the History Center's Turning Point and Metropolitan Frontiers exhibitions
  
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  Storyteller Shannon McNeal - Shannon McNeal spins her family Christmas tales. 
  
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  Vintage Vocals – December 15, 2011, enjoy a musical holiday show made up of traditional and big band Christmas tunes
  
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  Atlanta Radio Theater Company – December 20, 2011, gather your family around the radio, as families used to do during this magical time of year. The performances will paint a vivid portrait of the season as seen through Southern eyes and bring back precious memories of Christmas and our city’s past.
  
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  Buckhead Girls Choir – Musical performances
  
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  Complimentary Holiday Treats from Whole Foods
  
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  Arts and Crafts – ongoing
  

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  Open-Hearth Cooking Demonstration
  
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  Candle-Dipping Demonstration
  
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  Blacksmithing Demonstration
  
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  History comes to life – Meet Civil War re-enactors
  

Thursday, December 15 from 5:30 - 8:30 pm – Before or after getting into The Holiday Spirit, Atlanta History Center members can stop by our special members-only Holiday Lounge in McElreath Hall where parents and grandparents enjoy a cocktail while children decorate cookies, create ornaments, and enjoy crafts.

Founded in 1926, the Atlanta History Center is an all-inclusive, thirty-three acre destination featuring the Atlanta History Museum, one of the Southeast’s largest history museums; two historic houses, the 1928 Swan House and 1860 Tullie Smith Farm; the Centennial Olympic Games Museum; six Historic Gardens, the Kenan Research Center; the Grand Overlook event space; Chick-Fil-A at the Coca-Cola Café, and a museum shop.