Southern Holiday Life Magazine

25 {week} Days of Christmas Giveaway

2011-11-21T06:14:00.001-08:00

We have partnered with our advertisers to bring you 25 days of giveaways to countdown until Christmas. To view complete rules please click on the contests tab above!

Here is the list of giveaways:

Southern Union Christmas Show

2011-11-09T20:11:00.000-08:00

By Kelly Caldwell

Southern Union State Community College welcomes in the Christmas Holiday season once again with its annual Southern Union Sound Christmas Show.

“It’s really a special production that so many of the people in the community look forward to each and every year,” Steve Spratlin, Associate Dean of Instructional Programs and Fine Arts Department chair said. “The group does a fantastic job pulling it all together.”

The Southern Union Sound will perform the two hour show nightly beginning November 29 through December 2.

The Southern Union Sound is under the direction of Ann Caldwell who will celebrate her 36th Christmas Show this season.

“The message is always the same, we just try to deliver it in different ways,” Caldwell said. “Our show is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and while there may be secular music in the program, the overall theme is very evident.”

The show is divided into two parts, and features numerous costume changes as well as featuring the Southern Union dancers.

“There is one number where all the Southern Union dancers are featured,” Spratlin said.

Twenty-one dancers will be on stage during Christmas Toys on Parade while Kaely Perry and Alex Chavis will provide the vocals.

This year’s show also pays tribute to the troops.

“Our first half finale is celebrating our soldiers who may not be able to make it home for Christmas,” Caldwell said. “They are the reason we are able to celebrate Christmas and we wanted to say thank you for that.”

After intermission, however, the tone of the show changes and reflects the religious aspects of the holiday.

“The real reason we have Christmas is because of the birth of the Christ child,” Caldwell said. “And, we embrace that in the second part of the show complete with a nativity scene. We approach it a differently each year but the message is really clear. We have costume changes, song changes and different music, but its always about celebrating the birth of Baby Jesus.”

The show will be narrated by Southern Union Show Choir alum and former Miss Alabama Jamie Langley.

“We are so excited to have her return,” Caldwell said. “She has gone on to represent Southern Union so well and its always fun to welcome a former student back home.”

Sonya Fincher McCord is choreographing the show and Shawn Lockwood is the technical director.

“We all work so well together and it wouldn't be the same show without them,” Caldwell said.

“We hope to have a good crowd and have had sell out shows in the past,” Caldwell said. “We have a tremendous amount of talent that will be performing this year and look forward to helping the community embrace the Christmas spirit.”

Tickets for the concert are $5 and must be purchased in advance from the Southern Union Business Office or call Rita Brown. 256.395.2211.

Elf Magic

2011-11-09T19:52:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago Lake Wedowee Life received a surprise. We came into the office and noticed a small velvet bag with a poem. When we opened the bag there was a cute little Elf named Annabelle inside. According to her poem she is a magic elf from the North Pole. She wanted to visit with us for a couple of weeks so that we could let all of our readers know about her and her pals.

Over the past couple of weeks she has gotten into some mischief! Apparently Annabelle and her Elf friends cause quite a ruckus in the households they visit before Christmas.

Over fifty years ago, Elves made their debut in the childhood home of Elf Magic’s Chief Elf Officer (CEO) Piper Worthington. Elves sent by Santa himself magically appeared in her home when she and her sister, Anita, were fast asleep. For weeks, they would find these playful Elves hiding in a different spot each morning when they awoke. As kind as they were adventurous, the Elves began helping the sisters with daily chores and leaving them personalized notes, imparting important lessons about responsibility and selflessness.

Elf Magic’s “Timeless Christmas Tradition” begins with a child writing a letter to Santa Claus requesting an Elf Magic friend to visit through the Christmas season. Before going to bed, the child will place the Elf’s favorite snack of crackers and ice water on the kitchen counter to lure the Elf. Why crackers and ice water, you ask? Because Elves’ favorite snack is a reminder of their snowy home – the ice water is melting North Pole Snowflakes and the crackers sound like crunching snow!

Magically, an individually named, 10-inch plush Elf appears at the child’s home between Thanksgiving and the days leading up to Christmas … once the Elf has finished all of his or her work at the North Pole.

Each Elf Magic Elf comes with a poem and tips that explain the tradition, along with magical North Pole Snowflakes, which the child sprinkles on the Elf each night to bring him or her to life. While the family is asleep, the Elf is wide awake and ready to play! This is the time when the Elf goes on all types of adventurous Elfcapades from cookie baking, gift wrapping and hiding in freezers (because the Elves love the frosty temperature!).

After a night of embarking on playful adventures, the Elf hides for the child to find the next morning – maybe under a pile of unrolled toilet paper or even on the blade of a ceiling fan! If the fan is on high, the Elf might just “fly” through the air.

Elves are very creative and love to have fun! During the day, they can tag along on all the child's daily adventures from gazing at Christmas lights, visiting the child's school, going shopping or even organizing a sleepover "Elf parties!” Some Elves even pick a weekly Bible verse the family can discuss and memorize. There is no limit to the joy Elf Magic can bring!

The Elves can be a spirited group. While some of the Elves have mischievous streaks from time to time, Santa knows which Elf will be the best fit for each family. So whether a family wants excitement or simply companionship from their Elf, Santa will make sure the right Elf arrives at that home.

Elves return to the North Pole with Santa on Christmas Eve to help deliver toys around the world; but don’t fret, as the Elves will return again next Christmas to create more fun-filled memories. Elf Magic Elves are so endearing, they become the child’s best friend! Because of this, Elves have been known to show up for brief visits throughout the year as a surprise for special events, like birthdays, the first day of school or even on family vacations!

For more information on the Elf Magic tradition, visit Santa's Favorite Website: www.Elf-Magic.com.

Holiday Photography Tips

2011-11-09T19:23:00.001-08:00

by Amanda Causey

The problem with most photos taken during the holidays or other special celebrations is that they don’t capture the special feeling of the season or event. Here is a photo checklist, along with five tips to help you photograph your holiday season.

Don't be afraid to get up close. Almost every digital camera has a Magnify or Macro button that lets you get close and create a much more interesting photo.

There's nothing wrong with pictures that are posed, but you can create variety by taking candid shots of family and at social gatherings. Capture people while they’re engaged in conversation or as they’re opening a gift. Keep your camera batteries charged up and your camera nearby so you can catch spontaneous moments.

Try to tell a story. Don’t just photograph the opening of the gifts. Photograph the process of selecting the gifts, wrapping them, and the mess that is left over after they are opened. This process is called photojournalism and has been growing in popularity in photography over the years.

If you are shooting indoors during the day, make your portraits with your subjects standing near a window or door instead of relying on the flash. The flash can cause red eye and give your subject a harsh appearance.

Looking at rows of people staring at the camera and smiling at you head-on can be a bit boring. If you want to take a photo of your family or friends, simply changing the angle and looking at a familiar scene from a new perspective can give it a brand new look.

To download and print a copy of this checklist please click here.

Local Christmas Parades & Events

2011-11-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

Local Christmas Parades

Dec 1st

Ashland @ 6:00 pm

Carrollton @ 5:30 pm

Dec 3rd

Wedowee TBD

Dec 6th

Lineville @ 6:00 pm

Dec 8th

Bowdon @ 4:30 pm

Dec 12th

Roanoke TBD

Woodland @ 2:00 pm

Upcoming Local Events

November 3rd-5th

Parker House Antiques Open House

Wedowee

November 11th-13th

H & M Drugs Christmas Open House

Wedowee

November 12th

Ashland Pharmacy Open House

Ashland

November 12th

Midway Treasure’s Open House

Ashland

November 18th

Carrollton Open House on the Square

Carrollton

November 19th

Pilot Club Christmas For Kids Bike Ride

Lakeside Marina-Wedowee

November 29th - December 2

SUSCC Christmas Show

Wadley Tickets on Sale Now

Southern Holiday Life 2010

2010-12-01T20:04:00.000-08:00

Read Our 2010 Southern Holiday Life Issue Here