holiday kickoff!

Even though they lit the trees and opened the ice rink last week, starting the official city sanctioned Christmas season, I always need a buffer zone between Thanksgiving and Christmas muzak thats longer than one hour. So now that I've had a week to prepare myself, I'm ready to dive in. And this month's First Friday is a really great way for a Knoxvillian to get into the holiday spirit. Here, for your viewing pleasure, are the not to miss things going on this weekend:

CHRISTMAS PARADE!
If you've ever had the desire to see every children's dancing troupe in the metro area this is your golden opportunity. At first it may seem a little cheesy, but standing along Gay Street with thousands of genuinely excited people is enough to melt the most cynical heart. It's long, it's random, but it's awesome. See you there tonight!

LESSONS AND CAROLS!
Getting together to sing all the old carols is something Knoxvillians have been doing almost as long as there's been a Knoxville. But most kids today probably only recognize them as the elevator music they hear in Best Buy while they shop. In the old tradition you can get together with your neighbors and, you know, actually sing about peace on earth together. This concert is particularly Knoxville-ish: described as "earthy and folksy" with "more flannel, less traditional choir and more like a hymn-sing"... and this is your opportunity to sing carols with Matt Morelock on banjo! It all goes down this Sunday at Redeemer Church (17th and Highland in Fort Sanders) at 5 and 7.

MORE MUSIC!
Speaking of Mr. Morelock, he'll be hosting Blind Boy Chocolate and the Milk Sheiks at his shop on Gay Street tonight. If you haven't been there, Morelock Music has become in my mind one of Knoxville's unexpected gems (on the magnitude of Yee Haw or Magpie's) and this may be the best way to see it- with good live music and lots of beer.

HANDMADE HOLIDAY TRUNK SHOW and EMPORIUM HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA!
OK, so I don't like the way we mix consumerism and Christmas, but you have to buy gifts sometime, right? Instead of heading to the mall and giving your money to huge corporations, how about buying some local arts and crafts? You have two opportunities this weekend: the always interesting Handmade Holiday Trunk Show at Abode's former space on Market Square and at the Emporium on the 100 Block of Gay Street. Support local artists and artisans and get gifts that are like no other!

OLD NORTH VICTORIAN HOLIDAY HOME TOUR!
Finally, what's Christmas without decorations? Now you have a chance to walk through one of Knoxville's most beautiful neighborhoods and actually go up and into it's beautiful houses and see them in all their holiday splendor- by candlelight! What is more old skool Christmas than that?

Basically, this is a great city to spend the Christmas season in. Go check some of this stuff out, stay warm, and we hope you have a Merry Christmas!