Merry Christmas!

Announcements, Seasonal

From all of us at Fetch Your News, we wish you a very Merry Christmas! May this holiday season bring you peace and joy to you and your family!

Grinchmas at the Fannin County Public Library

Just For Fun

Join the Fannin County Public Library for Grinchmas, a reading of How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss.

Also enjoy a visit by the Grinch (in person), games, and crafts.

Our Fannin Friends of the Library will provide cookies and drinks for attendees. The event is free and for all ages.

Attendees can dress in Whoville costumes if they wish.

Where:

Fannin County Public Library

When:

December 10 at 11:00 a.m.

Light Up Blue Ridge

Just For Fun

Light Up Blue Ridge is Saturday, November 26, this year. It is always the Saturday after Thanksgiving!

Blue Friday is November 25, 2022

Light Up Blue Ridge and the Annual Blue Ridge Christmas Parade is November 26, 2022

Blue Friday day will include downtown merchants store discounts, Christmas holiday cheer, food vendors and strolling entertainment.

Light Up Blue Ridge day will be full of Christmas cheer, strolling Christmas entertainment, food vendors, and children will be able to visit Santa Clause in the gazebo located in the park.

Gingerbread Village will be open to the public at noon from November 25th to December 11th at the Arts Center.

The Christmas Parade is on Saturday the day of Light Up Blue Ridge, it starts at 5:30 p.m. and runs down E. Main from Church Street to Mountain, down Mountain and back up W. Main to Depot.

Pictures with Santa will take place in the gazebo from noon to 4:30 pm.

Mountain Country Christmas

Just For Fun

Mountain Country Christmas is a holiday treat for the entire family at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee, GA along the shores of beautiful Lake Chatuge in the Northeast Georgia mountains.

The Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds will transform into a spectacular, magical holiday light show immersed in Christmas music, arts and crafts, food, fun, entertainment, photo opportunities, and a visit with Santa Claus!

Event runs Thursday, Friday, & Saturday from November 24-December 17th.

Come early on Saturdays for the Craft Show and stay for the lights 4pm-9pm!

Open EVERY night from December 18th-23rd! (closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day)

Admission: $6.00

(Children under 12 Free)

Pets Are Not Allowed

Visit with Santa

Community

We have the inside scoop on Santa’s whereabouts in the upcoming weeks!

Saturday, December 18th

12:00 p.m. to  2:00 p.m. – The Copper Express Tent – 100 Ocoee Street

2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Ride with Santa on The Copper Express – 100 Ocoee Street (please contact them directly for reservations)

12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. – 3 Blind Fleas

Sunday, December 19th 

12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. – 3 Blind Fleas

Thursday, December 23rd

12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. – 3 Blind Fleas

Check back often for updates as to Santa’s whereabouts! 

The Story Train ~ The Copper Express

Seasonal
Take a Ride on The Copper Express’ Story Train!

This ride will last 15-20 minutes – includes hot cocoa, a bag of reindeer or snowman poop. Make a bag of Magic Reindeer Food and (using your own camera) take your picture with the Grinch – who, by the way, will be your driver for the Story Train!

Rides with Santa will be available on Saturday, December 18th – between 2:00 – 5:00

Be sure to call ahead (423) 241-9801 for reservations and/or hours of operation.

$13.00 – child

 $18.00 – adult

Come aboard The Copper Express mini train and cruise the state lines of downtown Copperhill, TN and McCaysville, GA.

Homemade Gingerbread Cookies

Tastebuds

 

Ingredients

  • 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 3/4 c. packed brown sugar
  • 2/3 c. molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2″ piece fresh ginger, grated (optional)
  • Zest of 1 orange (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp. finely ground black pepper (optional)
  • Sugar Cookie Icing, for decorating/Sprinkles, for decorating

 

 

Directions

 

Step 1

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and molasses until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

 

Step 2

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, spices, baking soda, and salt until combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, as well as fresh ginger, orange zest, and black pepper (if using), until dough just comes together. (Do not overmix!)

 

Step 3

Divide dough in half and create two discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 2 to 3 hours. (Alternatively, divide dough in half and roll each piece of dough between two pieces of parchment to 1/4″ thick. Chill until firm.)

 

Step 4

Preheat oven to 350° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place one disc of dough on a lightly floured surface and roll until 1/4″ thick. (Alternatively, peel off both sheets of parchment from dough, then replace one sheet of parchment back underneath dough.) Cut out gingerbread men with a 3″ wide cutter and transfer to baking sheets.

 

Step 5

Bake until slightly puffed and set, 9 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your cookie cutters. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

 

Step 6

Repeat with remaining disc of dough. Decorate with icing and sprinkles as desired.

 

 

Recipe and photo sourced from: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a50468/gingerbread-cookies-recipe/

Light Up Blue Ridge & Christmas Parade

Community

Light Up Blue Ridge is always the

Saturday after Thanksgiving!

Blue Friday is November 26, 2021

Light Up Blue Ridge and the Annual Blue Ridge Christmas Parade is November 27, 2021

Blue Friday day will include downtown merchants store discounts, Christmas holiday cheer, food vendors and strolling entertainment.

Light Up Blue Ridge day will be full of Christmas cheer, strolling Christmas entertainment, food vendors, and children will be able to visit Santa Clause in the gazebo located in the park.

Gingerbread Village will be open to the public at noon from November 26th to December 12th at the Arts Center.

The Christmas Parade is on Saturday the day of Light Up Blue Ridge, it starts at 5:30 p.m. and runs down E. Main from Church Street to Mountain, down Mountain and back up W. Main to Depot.

Pictures with Santa will take place in the gazebo from noon to either 5 pm or dusk, which ever happens first.

Countdown to Christmas Lights

Seasonal

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – Dahlonega has become a well-known tourist attraction for their display of “Dahlonega’s Old Fashion Christmas”.

In fact, this year the town has been named in a list as one of the top 15 best Christmas towns in America.

Every year, the square is lit up with festive Christmas lights, carolers sing, and carriage rides are given throughout the historic square.

This year, the festivities are set to begin Friday, Nov. 26, the day after Thanksgiving. The lights will be turned on at approximately 3:30 p.m. and will be on display every evening until Jan. 9.

Local shops also often participate in the holiday fun, including the historic Holly Theater, which will be showing performing Irving Berlin’s “Holiday Inn” throughout the holiday season this year.

Music will also be playing throughout the square during the day and live music will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the evenings.

A line-up of Christmas attractions include a live nativity, carriage rides, and even visits from Santa Clause himself!

For a full list of activities, please go to https://dahlonegachristmas.com/calendar-of-events/ to schedule some holiday cheer!

Good Year For Fannin County Toys For Tots!

Community

FANNIN COUNTY, GA- The Fannin County Toys For Tots had another Successful Year this past Christmas! The Fannin County Toys For Tots Coordinator Cheryl Jordan Had this brief statement

about this years campaign, “Toys for Tots had another successful campaign, this past Christmas season. I want to personally thank you all for your contributions to our campaign, throughout this past year. I look forward to serving as coordinator, 2021. Happy New Year!”

In Total, Fannin County Toys For Tots received and distributed 5,101 toys and supported 1,086 Children! Way to go Fannin County!

Recycle Your Christmas Tree For Free Mulch!

Community

CATOOSA COUNTY, GA- Don’t forget to recycle your natural Christmas trees (decorations removed) after the holiday at Jack Mattox Park or across from Boynton Elementary School. Those who recycle their trees can come back after January 11 to get free mulch for your springtime gardening projects!

What Holiday is Today?

Community, Featured Stories, Just For Fun

Today is make a cutout snowflake day! Grab Some paper and some scissors and make some cut out snowflakes! Snowflakes have always been associated with the holiday season, and this craft is an easy way to have a white Christmas wherever you are! This modern tradition is based on the old art of Origami!

Not only is it National make a cutout snowflake day, but it’s National Fruit Cake Day! The Earliest found recipe for this dessert dates back to 500BC, so whip out the ingredients and make yourself a Fruit Cake!

 

Some honorable mentions for the week include:

Monday: National Call A Friend day and Chocolate Candy Day

Wednesday: National Bacon Day

Thursday: National Champagne Day and New Year’s Eve!

Mistletoe

Just For Fun

Around this time of year mistletoe is sometimes a popular decoration in people’s homes. You’ll see it hanging above doorways for use by romantically inclined couples. Nowadays you can buy plastic mistletoe at stores to put up in your house. Let’s talk about the effect that mistletoe can have on trees in the nature.

The origins of hanging mistletoe come from Norse mythology and Celtic Druids.

You can find mistletoe outside on trees year round as it is an evergreen plant. Usually in December it will become more noticeable because trees are bare after dropping their leaves. If you see a green bundle of leaves in the branches of tree around this time of year, chances are that it’s mistletoe. In the plant world mistletoe is considered a parasitic plant. Mistletoe will send its root, called the haustorium, into the bark of a host tree. The mistletoe will take nutrients and water from the host tree.

Mistletoe is usually found in the southern United States, because it is susceptible to freezing temperatures, ranging from Virginia over to Texas and down to Florida. It can infect more than 105 different species of trees. Some trees often infected by mistletoe are maples, buckeyes, birch, hickory, oaks, and a whole bunch more.

Mistletoe can be shaded out by surrounding branches. Therefore, fast growing trees that can cover mistletoe from above will have success in preventing infection. 

Mistletoe creates a large draw for water and nutrients on the tree. Mistletoe will pull these things to itself away from the roots of the tree. This process can lead to a lot of stress on the tree, especially in a drought. Mistletoe tissue will have 1.6 times more nitrogen, 2.3 times more potassium, and 2.5 times more phosphorus than the host tree tissue. During times of drought mistletoe water and nutrient uptake from the tree will increase while the rest of the tree is in decline. Research has shown that moderately infected trees can have a 66% mortality rate after a severe drought period. Mistletoe is able to pull water from the tree more effectively than the tree can pull the water up.

Mistletoe infections can be very common. Trees that are taller than surrounding trees and trees that are not densely packed in with other trees are most likely to be infected. Infections will be begin at the top of the tree and move downward and inward over time. Advanced symptoms on the tree of infection can be branch die-back, reduced tree growth, increased stress, and in massive infestations, tree death.

Early intervention is critical when dealing with mistletoe infection. If you simply remove the mistletoe shoot it will mostly likely grow back, so repeated removal would be necessary. Pruning tree branches that are infected is an effective method of removing mistletoe. Remove the branch at least 14 inches below the point of infection. Ethephon is as chemical application that is a plant growth regulator that can be used to control mistletoe. Whenever you apply any chemical, read the label before application. 

Control of mistletoe on old and socially significant trees can be important. Having a mistletoe infection does not necessarily mean that death is imminent for a tree, but mistletoe can have a drastic impact on the tree’s ability to thrive. If you have any questions about mistletoe contact your local Extension Office or email me at [email protected].

Christmas Celebration Returns To North Georgia Wildlife Park

Community

Christmas begins early at the North Georgia Wildlife Park! You are invited to visit the Live Nativity at the Park on Friday and Saturday, November 27 and 28, 5:00pm-7:00pm. There will also be a short Nativity Play put on by the “zoo kids” (children of employees) 5:30pm-6:30pm each night. The park will be serving hot chocolate and marshmallows, as well. As a way to say thanks and give back to the community, the Christmas Celebration and Live Nativity are free!

But there’s more! Attend the Live Nativity, then stay for the “Starry Night Tour”, only on Saturday, November 28 at 6:00pm. Bring your flashlight and join animal educators as they lead you on a walk through the zoo under the stars! Discover some amazing nocturnal animals, such as owls and fennec foxes. Then it’s “All Aboard” for a starlight hayride, where guests will see zebras, camels, emus, llamas and more!

The Starry Night Tour costs $59.99/person. Children under two years old are free, and children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a paying adult. At least 10 people reserved in advance are required to run this tour, otherwise it may be cancelled. Visit  https://www.northgeorgiazoo.com/holiday-celebration–starry-night-tours.html today to make your reservations!

Katelyn M Dunlap

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