It's the Holiday Season and we want to make our homes bright and festive.  Follow these few simple safety tips to be sure that accidents don't ruin the most joyous of occasions.

• Decorate only with lights that have a NOEL or U/L testing agency label. Check wires, plugs and sockets for signs of wear or defects. Remember: If in doubt - throw them out.
• Do not overload outlets and extension cords. Never tie together more than three extension cords.
• Be sure decorative lights used outside are approved for outdoor use.
• When decorating outdoors, be aware of all power lines. Don't work near overhead power lines or anywhere there is a possibility of contacting an overhead power line, either directly or indirectly, with a ladder or other piece of equipment.
• Place Christmas trees away from fireplaces, radiators, television sets, and other sources of heat that may prematurely dry out the tree and make it more susceptible to fire. Make sure the tree has a sufficient amount of water at all times.
• Don't burn wrapping paper or boxes in the fireplace. These types of materials ignite quickly and may burn uncontrollably.

More of us are becoming aware of energy costs.  Holiday lights will add to the bill, but here is a quick way to estimate the impact of seasonal lights.

• Count the bulbs on all of your decorative indoor and outdoor lights.
• Check the wattage per bulb.
• Multiply watts per bulb by number of bulbs. (1 watt per bulb x 1,000 bulbs = 1,000 watts).
• Convert watts to kilowatts - 1,000 watts = 1 kilowatt (kw).
• Estimate the hours per month the lights are on. (5 hours per day x 30 days = 150 hours)
• Multiply the total kilowatts by the total number of hours the lights will be on to get the total kilowatt-hours (kwh). For example, 1 kw x 150 hours = 150 kwh.
• Multiply the total kilowatt-hours by the total cost of electricity per kwh. (150 kwh x $0.14 per kwh = $21) In this example, the cost of holiday lighting would be an additional $21 per month.

The season to be merry is here.  Make itt a safe and energy efficient one!

Exciting changes are in store for Kennesaw, Georgia.  A pedestrian tunnel will help to unite the downtown area and make it easier for visitors to take in all that it has to offer.

Crews have begun construction of the $2.95 million pedestrian railroad underpass in downtown Kennesaw, a project expected to be completed by Jan. 31.

Although it may seem a stretch asking people to walk a bit farther south from where Main Street meets Cherokee to use the underpass, Mayor Mark Mathews said the project is another piece of the downtown revitalization effort.

"The No. 1 concern we hear from people is that we create a downtown where people want to go. A depot park master plan has been designed to include an amphitheater in the depot area. And on Main Street, a parking garage is planned near Watts Drive, which would spill out near the pedestrian underpass," Mathews said. Crews could begin building the garage in 2010, he said.

"We'll redesign the layout of our festivals to make the most of the underpass," Mathews said.

The L-shaped underpass will be 115 feet long and about eight feet high, said city manager Steve Kennedy. It will have sloped ramps - no steps - on each end.

At least 30 trains traverse the city's downtown daily, and city leaders want to incorporate their locomotive history, such as the Civil War-era story of the Great Locomotive Chase, into the underpass with murals.

The idea for the pedestrian tunnel was formulated in 1996, after the Olympics in Atlanta. In 2000, Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-east Cobb) secured $1.5 million in federal earmarks for the project. The city's portion is $290,102, which will come from the court services improvement fund. The rest of the money is coming from the Atlanta Regional Commission.

"With development planned for both sides of the tracks, the pedestrian flow will be more convenient at this location," Kennedy said. "We want our downtown to be a pedestrian-friendly environment, and this will enhance that desire."

On Saturday, December 12th at noon, Santa Claus will visit Kennesaw, Georgia.  Be there to extend a jolly welcome!

Kennesaw's Santa Parade always inspires delight and wonder for the young and young at heart. The Santa Parade will feature festive holiday characters, musical ensembles, designer floats, live reindeer and the jolly old elf himself, Santa Claus. The parade will last approximately one hour. Arrive early for a good viewing location and dress appropriately for the weather.

Thousands of Kennesaw-area residents turn out every year for the parade, which starts near the intersection of Park Drive and Main Street, and proceeds down Main Street toward Sardis Street. Almost 60 units are expected to participate.

Bring your camera and take holiday pictures with Santa after the parade. Festivities will continue near the Depot, 2828 Cherokee Street, until 4 p.m., with caroling Dickens characters, stage entertainment, inflatables, craft and food vendors.

Emmy nominated puppeteer Lee Bryan, known as "That Puppet Guy," will perform six FREE shows of The North Pole Fa-La-La-La Follies near the Depot every half-hour, beginning at 1 p.m. The zany and colorful cast of characters includes a wisecracking fruitcake, a musical goose, tumbling teddy bears, a duo of dancing deer, and the "not-so-abominable" snowman.

Be sure to stop by the Kennesaw WiFi tent and register to compete in the Guitar Hero® and Wii Sports Bowling contests for a chance to win great prizes! Also, dog owners can dress up their pets for Kennesaw WiFi's "Howliday Dog Costume Contest", beginning at 2:30 p.m. (registration opens at 1:30 p.m.). Judging categories include: Dog/Owner Look-a-Like, King & Queen of the Holiday, Most Unusual, Judges Choice, Ugliest Costume and Best Costume. The entry fee is $5 per pet. Contest details will be available online at www.kennesawwifi.net.

In case your calendar isn't quite full for the Holiday Season, here are some great events worth attending in Marietta, Mableton and Kennesaw, Georgia.

Dinner with Santa

A fun evening for the children that includes a visit and picture with Santa, arts and crafts, a kid-friendly dinner, and many more fun activities! Don't miss this great community tradition for the holidays! This event will be held at the  Ward Recreation Center on Thursday, December 3rd from 5:30pm-8:00pm. There is a $7 per person fee with children under 2 years free of charge. Register online with bar code #26908. For questions, call (770) 528-8885 or email Wendy Collins at Wendy.Collins@cobbcounty.org.

Candy Cane Hunt

Come and join the Cobb County Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department as we celebrate our Annual Candy Cane Hunt at the Mable House Art Center on Saturday, December 5th from 10:00am-12:00 noon. The event allows boys and girls 12 and under an opportunity to participate in many holiday activities such as cookie decorating, marshmallow roasting, and arts and crafts.  There wlll also be live entertainment for the entire family. Santa is scheduled to arrive and will be available for pictures with the children. For more information, please call (770) 528-8454. Admission and parking are free.

Holiday Lights at East Cobb Park

Join us on Saturday December 5th at 5:00 pm for an annual holiday tradition: an evening at the park featuring a children's choir, brass quartet, special guest appearances by Santa and Rudolph, award-winning bell ringers and the lighting of our live 40 foot tall East Cobb Park tree. Come join us and share in the holiday spirit by giving back to our community. The proceeds from this event will go towards refurbishing and enhancing the park, as well as offering you and your neighbors a classic holiday celebration.  For more information, see http://www.eastcobbpark.org.

St. Nick's Cafe

'Frosty the Snowman', presented by the Mountain View Arts Alliance, will be performed December 5th at The Art Place.  Show times include breakfast shows at 8:30am and 10:30am and a lunch show at 12:30pm. Visit www.theartplace.us for more information and to purchase tickets or call (770) 509-2700.

Lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah

This special event will be held at East Cobb Park on Sunday December 13th at 7:00 pm. It is free and open to the public. Refreshments and fun! Sponsored by Shalom Cobb and Friends for the East Cobb Park.

Artist's Attic

Now through December 18th, The Art Place's gallery featuring Artist's Attic. Purchase affordable handmade holiday gifts created by The Art Place instructors and students.

 Holly Jolly Art House

The Art Station - Big Shanty's annual Holly Jolly Art House is on December 19th from 11:00am-2:00pm for children ages 4 - 12. Activities include make-n-take art projects, entertainment and a visit from Santa around noon. This is a free activity and registration is not required. Call (770) 514-5930 for more information. Ho-Ho-Hope to see you there!

Christmas House Arts and Crafts Show

There's something for everyone!  Handmade items by 63 artists.  The Christmas House Arts and Crafts Show will be held at the Mable House Arts Center December 4th-13th.  Hours are 10:00am-6:00pm, Monday-Friday and 10:00am-8:00pm, Saturday and Sunday.

Christmas Shoppe

The North Cobb Art League's Christmas Shoppe is back again this year at the Art Station - Big Shanty! The Christmas Shoppe offers a variety of arts and crafts for that perfect one-of-a-kind gift or decoration for your home. Open from 10am - 5pm on December 3rd, 4th, 7th-11th, and 14th-16th. On Saturdays, December 5th and 12th, the Christmas Shoppe is open from 10:00am-2:00pm. Call (770) 514-5930 for more information.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Held at The Art Place  December 11th-13th and 17th-19th, Centerstage North presents 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever'. Visit www.centerstagenorth.org for tickets and more information or call (770) 516-3330.

Santa's Art Studio

Students will create seasonal artwork, being exposed to different teachers, ideas, processes and media. Your child's experience will be complete with festive entertainment. Held December 12th at The Art Place. For children ages 4-10 years and the fee is $30.  Classes held from 9:30am-1:00pm and 1:30pm-5:00pm. Register online at prca.cobbcountyga.gov.

Home for the Holidays

A fun, fast-paced show, a package deal complete with beautiful costumes, creative choreography and outstanding music! Performing at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre December 18th-19th at 8:00pm and December 20th at 3:00pm.

Don't miss out on the festivities!  Attending even one of these events will make your holiday even more cheerful!

Thanksgiving is over and it is time to gear up for a festive holiday season.  Visit Marietta Square for a variety of entertainment for the whole family.

The Atlanta Lyric Theatre presents Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, starring Jeff McKerley as the Herald, Ingrid Cole as the Wicked Stepmother, Tameka Scotton as the Fairy Godmother, Bradley Bergeron as the Prince, and Anna Kimmell as Cinderella at The Earl Smith Strand Theatre for a three weekend engagement December 4 - 20, 2009. Tickets are available at www.atlantalyrictheatre.com, by calling 404-377-9948, or by visiting The Strand Theater Box Office at 117 N. Park Square on the historic Marietta Square.  Several generations have fallen under the spell of Rodgers & Hammerstein's enchanting musical Cinderella, first shown on CBS Television in 1957 starring Julie Andrews, re-made with Lesley Ann Warren in 1965, and most recently with Brandy, Whitney Houston and Paolo Montalban in 1997. Now this small-screen classic comes to life in a spectacular new adaptation by Tom Briggs, with musical arrangements and supervision by Andrew Lippa.  Filled with timeless characters, irresistible romance and the unforgettable songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein, Cinderella is brought to life with the kind of dazzling stagecraft that will leave audiences happily ever after!  Seating for the Christmas Tea is immediately following The Lyric's performance of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella on Sunday December 6, 13, and 20 and Saturday December 19 at 4:30 PM with a tea setting of holiday treats and a visit with Santa Claus and Cinderella, including a special present for each child to create cherished holiday memories.  Tickets are available by calling 404-377-9948.

The holiday season brings music to the forefront with Christmas hymns, holiday carolers and music of the season.  To begin the advent season a special free concert will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 1 at First Presbyterian Church, Marietta. "An Evening of Quiet Carols," featuring traditional and contemporary music will prepare listener's hearts for the Christmas season.  Songs at the concert include many of those featured on "Quiet Carols," a Christmas CD created and performed by Marietta artists. Kelly Venezia and Cheryl Vanture sing vocals on recording with Jim Coots, on piano. The CD contains both familiar carols, like Silent Night, as well as less familiar carols, All Is Well and Breath of Heaven. Of course you cannot have a "Quiet" CD without Away in A Manger, with the highlight being the guitar accompaniment by Les Saunders, Jr.  For more information and to preview a couple songs from the CD, go to www.quietcarols.blogspot.com. These are great for Christmas gifts. To order your CD's, go to quietcarols@yahoo.com.

Due to popular demand "Spirits & Spirits Ghost Tours" will be offered December 2nd, 9th and 16th. Call Marietta Ghost Tours to make your reservations at 678-290-9193 or visit www.ghostsofmarietta.com for more information.

"A Tuna Christmas" Is running now through January 3rd an the Alley Stage Theatre in the Square.  Christmas is coming to Tuna, the third-smallest town in Texas. You'll meet more than 20 different colorful characters of all ages and genders getting ready for the holiday activities at a whirlwind Texas pace.  Be sure to reserve your seats early for this popular holiday comedy. For ages 16 years and up. www.theatreinthesquare.com Box office: (770) 422-8369.

Visit the Main Stage Theatre in the Square through January 3rd to enjoy a performance of "Sanders Family Christmas,"  a lively event that has become a family destination in the holiday season. The beloved Sanders Family (of Smoke On The Mountain and Mount Pleasant Homecoming) are dealing with the beginning of WW II and its effects on the gospel singing clan. A fun show for the whole family! www.theatreinthesquare.

Be sure to take advantage of these terrific holiday events.  Enjoy some delicious food and drink at the restaurants on the Square - and don't forget to choose those special holiday gifts at the many charming shops , too!

The Marietta City Council has approved pedicabs, or three-wheeled passenger bikes, that will allow visitors to see Marietta's beautiful neighborhoods and check out the city's businesses, museums and restaurants.

A type of bicycle, pedicabs have three wheels, a seat in the front for the driver and a passenger seat located behind the driver usually located along the longest axle. Pedicabs are often used on a for-hire basis.  In other countries, the driver sits behind or next to the passengers. The driver can pedal the pedicab just like a tricycle or bicycle.

Business owner Cassandra Buckalew, who owns the Historic Marietta Trolley Company, approached City Council with an idea for pedicabs and plans to begin offering the service next spring.  "Beginning in April 2010, pedicabs will travel on several streets in Marietta including Waverly Way, Church Street and Cherokee Street," Buckalew said. "They will also travel Fairground Street, Allgood Road, streets near, but not including, Whitlock Avenue and Marietta Parkway to the south," she said. "Pedicabs will provide more in-depth tours around the Square, which will allow visitors to focus more on the buildings, than they'd be able to on the Trolley or driving in their car."

The pedicabs will serve as a tourism, transportation and dispatch tool, Buckalew said.  "If you don't want to drive or can't drive, you can call the Trolley Company and we'll come pick you up at your house and take you to the Square," she said. "When you're done, you can call us and we'll take you back home."  If you're on one side of the Square, you can also "flag down" a pedicab to take you to the other side of the Square, Buckalew said. "The pedicabs will provide a great alternative to driving, and you won't have to worry about trying to find a place to park on the Square."  Pedicabs will be available for rent and the cost is expected to be from $2-$7, depending on the destination, Buckalew said.

Promoting Marietta as a tourist destination for thousands of people every year is a goal City Council established as part of the city's vision statement. For more information, call 770-794-7217.

What a fun way to enjoy the historic sights of Marietta.  Pedicabs are one more example of Marietta's unique charming character!

What 60,000 already know was announced on the "Today Show" last month. The "Today Show" in New York October 6 called Marietta one of the top 4 places in America for house hunting to get the most bang for your buck. They also mentioned the city's Gone With the Wind Museum and called it the pride of the community.  A real estate expert and Al Roker listed the top 10 places in the country with the biggest real estate price declines and ranked Marietta behind Sarasota, Fla., San Francisco and Lansing, Mich., as a best market for house hunting that buyers should consider now.  They said Marietta is an area for families and showed the city's museum dedicated to the epic movie Gone With the Wind. Roker jokingly made a reference to the movie's famous line about "not giving a damn" as they talked about how the museum is a joy for the community. For more information, visit MoveToMarietta.com.

Add to that, the Georgia Department of Education named Marietta City schools (MCS) a Title I Distinguished District - Medium District category. The award given to four school systems in four different size categories -- Large District, Medium District, Small District and Very Small District, recognizes school districts that have closed the achievement gap the most between economically disadvantaged students and students who are not economically disadvantaged in each category.

The results of the reading, English language arts and mathematics portions of the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) and the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) are used to determine achievement for the Title I Distinguished District award.  Each of the four winning districts also receives $50,000 from federal funds. 

Seven Marietta City schools were also named Georgia Department of Education 2009 Title I Distinguished Schools. The seven are among the total 896 Georgia Title I Distinguished Schools. Title I Distinguished Schools have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) at least three years in a row. Title I Distinguished Schools that have made AYP for three consecutive years receive a certificate, while those that have made AYP four or more years receive a monetary award, paid from federal funds.  The seven Marietta City schools recognized as Title I Distinguished Schools are:

Burruss Elementary School

Dunleith Elementary Schoo;

Hickory Hills Elementary School

Lockheed Elementary School

Park Street Elementary School

Sawyer Road Elementary

 West Side Elementary School

Just to add icing to the cake, Marietta Sixth Grade Academy (MSGA) has been selected the 2009 Outstanding Partners in Education program recipient for the Marietta City School (MCS) district by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. Chamber representatives will recognize MSGA at the Oct. 20, 2009, meeting of the Board of Education of the City of Marietta. MSGA will receive the Cobb Chamber award at the Nov. 2, 2009, Cobb Chamber First Monday Breakfast at the Northwest Marriott Atlanta.

"The Cobb Chamber of Commerce presents MSGA with the Partners in Education program award for their innovative techniques of recruiting and building relationships within the business community, as well as executing ways to give back to their Partners in Education," said Katie Henderson, Education Manager at the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. "Schools chosen for this award are the strongest example of what we look for in a school's Partners in Education program."  "We are incredibly humbled by this recognition. Thank you to the Cobb Chamber for their continuous support," stated Dayton Hibbs, principal of Marietta Sixth Grade Academy. "Our partners play a significant role in the success of our school, and we are very fortunate to have an outstanding PTSA partner in education liaison (Allison McMahon). She really helps us sustain the connection between our partner organizations.

Marietta is a wonderful community with so much to offer for all ages.  If you are searching for a new place to live, check us out!

The green movement has made us conscious of the enormous amount of waste that individuals produce.  As the holiday season approaches, we must be aware of the additional waste that our traditions generate. 

An estimated 2.6 billion holiday cards are sold each year in the United States , enough to fill a football field 10 stories high. It is estimated that between Thanksgiving and the New Year an extra million tons of waste are generated nationwide each week. In fact, 38,000 miles of ribbon alone is thrown out each year--enough to tie a bow around the Earth!

There was a time when the three most feared words for holiday shoppers were the warning "Batteries Not Included." Today, many battery-powered devices will come with a set of batteries provided by the product manufacturer. But are those batteries the right ones to use? An easy solution is to purchase longer-life single-use batteries or rechargeable batteries. The rechargeable batteries being sold today are much better than earlier versions. The higher capacity batteries sold today have nearly three times the capacity of what was readily available a few years ago. Their capacity equals or exceeds ordinary single-use alkaline batteries. With proper care, today's rechargeable batteries should last for between 500 and 1,000 charge/discharge cycles.

Here are a few ideas and suggestions on how to have a wonderful, gift-giving holiday season and still be earth friendly.

 Not sure what to get someone? How about a gift certificate? That way, you know the gift will be kept.

Make gifts. Everyone appreciates a home-cooked meal or baked goodies.

Consider nonmaterial gifts. Tickets to a sporting event, movie, play, or concert are a real treat! Or make a charitable donation in someone's name.

When you go shopping, bring your own reusable bags.

Think durable! Consider how long an item will last before you make a purchase. Often, a cheaper item will wear out long before its more durable equivalent.

And, always remember to look for items made with recycled content.

 Wrap the gift in a drawstring bag and use an inexpensive luggage tag for the gift tag.

Decorate oversized gifts with just a bow that can be used again.

Put toy animals in a cowboy hat and wrap a cowboy scarf around it.

Use a jewelry box for some flea market 'jewels.'

Use a knit hat to wrap a small gift. Close the hat with a barrette or a decorative hat pin.

Games or toys for a child can go in a new backpack designed pillow case.

For a person who is handy, wrap a gift in a tool box.

Put blouses and other gifts in decorative hat boxes and tie with a hair ribbon.

For the sewing enthusiast, wrap a gift in a fabric remnant and tie it with a piece of lace or ribbon.

Any kitchen gift can be wrapped in a colorful dish towel. Kitchen utensils can pop out of an oven mitt.

Place home-baked cookies in a reusable tin box, a kitchen container, or a decorated oatmeal box.

Use a colorful tablecloth to wrap dishes or dining room gifts.

For a reader, wrap a book in a reusable canvas shopping sack.

Wrap tools for a gardener in the pocket of an apron, planter, or bucket.

Hang earrings, bracelets, or necklaces right on the Christmas tree, or put them inside or around an open ornament.

Search the flea market, garage sales, and thrift stores for interesting old boxes that can be used as decorative packages.

Hunt the attic for old family photos and mementos and give them to your favorite relative wrapped in grandma's old hat and a lace curtain.

Salvation Army and Goodwill thrift shops often have good prices on leftover holiday wrapping paper.

Purchase gift bags from your local dollar stores and reuse them each year.

Used, but attractive, gift baskets are often offered at local thrift shops.

Christmas-theme fabric, with Velcro strips attached, can become reusable holiday wrap.

Creative wrapping paper substitutes include used blueprint paper, the Sunday comics, or even the sports section for a sports enthusiast. Design your own wrapping paper using paper shopping bags: decorate them with paints, crayons, or markers.

Replace tissue paper with old lace or strips of paper shopping bags or used gift wrap.

If you use traditional gift wrapping, always buy recycled-content wrapping paper. If your store doesn't sell recycled-content wrapping paper, ask the manager to order it in the future.

If you send holiday cards, buy recycled-content cards and envelopes. Or make your own cards out of last year's cards and the wrapping paper you saved.

Make gift tags from last year's holiday cards.

Shipping a gift? Reuse the foam peanuts from another package, or use unbuttered popcorn for packing.

Create a child's play kit from whatnots found around the house.

Glue used comic book pictures, or playing cards from an incomplete deck to an old box.

Fill the box with basic creative equipment: scissors, glue, tape, crayons, and colorful paper scraps.

Search the house for unmatched treasures: bent cookie cutters, old game tokens, fabric scraps, ribbon, yarn, and so on.

Use leftover dry-cleaner cardboard to cut out the various parts of a house, (walls, roof, chimney, etc.). The child can assemble the house and decorate it with the materials in the box.

And don't forget to look for toys, books, and other products made from recycled materials!

If you have Internet access, consider sending electronic holiday cards this year.

Try following some of these easy suggestions to give the Earth a gift this holiday season.  Be lean and green!

Once again Marietta, Georgia will honor its history and provide a weekend of entertainment around the historic Marietta Square.

Frankly my dear, the re-premiere of "Gone With the Wind" this weekend at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre will be the talk of Marietta, and possibly the nation.

Warner Home Video and Turner Classic Movies selected Marietta for the exclusive 70th anniversary re-premiere of the movie, which will be released in coming weeks in high definition on Blu-Ray.

"There hasn't been an anniversary celebrated in a big way since the 50th in 1989. This re-premiere is significant for Marietta because it's garnering national attention," said Connie Sutherland, director of the Gone with the Wind museum. "Most of us weren't around in 1939 or able to go to the movie's premiere. This is a special time for fans to come out, dress up and take part in something that is special to them."

Beginning Friday, several events will be conduct in the city - all leading up to the re-premiere Saturday night. At least 50 couples have signed up to dance the Virginia Reel at Glover Park at noon Friday. The couples will be dressed in period costume and attempting to set a world record for the largest such dance. Representatives from Guinness will document the effort.

Also on Friday, the Strand is hosting a question/answer session with original cast members and authors who have written about "Gone With the Wind." The Marietta Hilton Conference Center is celebrating the re-premiere by hosting a "Belles and Beaus" Costume Ball on Friday night.

Saturday's events include a formal introduction of the movie's surviving cast members, a salute to Turner Classic Movies and Warner Brothers, and a car parade to the Strand. "Gone With the Wind" will be screened at the Strand at 7:45 p.m. Tickets for the full weekend package are $325 per person, though other ticket options are available. Tickets to the pre-show program and movie screening only are $35. Sutherland said they have sold at least 265 full-package tickets.

"'Gone With the Wind' was a movie way before its time," said Earl Reece, executive director of the Strand Theatre. "If it came out now, it would still have the same impact."

The movie "Gone With the Wind" premiered in Atlanta in 1939. The leading roles of Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler were played by actors Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable. The movie follows the life of Scarlett O'Hara, the daughter of an Irish immigrant plantation owner, during the Civil War and Reconstruction.

"Gone With the Wind" won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actress, in 1939. The movie was adapted from the 1936 Margaret Mitchell novel, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1937.

Sutherland said the movie's theme of survival is universal, and especially resonates today.

"Margaret Mitchell said she wrote about people with gumption who were able to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and keep going in the face of adversity. I think the underlying message is strength and being able to make it through hard times," she said. "People see that, and it gives them hope. It makes them feel as if they, too, can keep going no matter what."

Head to the Square this weekend and help to celebrate a great classic, as well as the history of the South.  The weather will be perfect and it will be great fun!

For more information and tickets, call the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum at (770) 794-5145 or email csutherland@mariettaga.gov.

Don't let last minute holiday shopping stress you out this year.  Spend a relaxing evening on Marietta Square this Friday, November 13th.  Get into the spirit by enjoying a sneak preview of holiday merchandise from local shopkeepers.

Christmas is seven weeks away, but it's never too early to get into the yuletide spirit, say Marietta Square merchants.

Most of the merchants on the Square will have a Christmas Open House beginning Friday, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Businesses will open their doors for customers to get a glimpse of merchandise. An assortment of door prizes, refreshments and entertainment will be provided as well.

Even if you don't make it this Friday, shops will remain open every Friday until at least 8 p.m. through Dec. 25.

 "The holiday open house really is the kick-off of the holiday season up here on the Square," said Karen Heard, owner of Marietta Wine Market at 18 Powder Spring St., near Marietta Pizza.

 "We're all working to get up our Christmas decorations. On Friday, a lot of the shop owners will put refreshments out. A lot of times they'll do special sales and things for holiday gift items. A lot of the shops will have entertainment."

 Laura Rossiter owns Alchemy jewelry boutique at 77 Church St. and is head of the Marietta Square merchants association. She said the basic idea behind the season-long event is to get people to see what's in the shops they may pass by daily without ever visiting.

 "This is not your average mall," said Theresa Jenkins, executive director of the Marietta Welcome Center & Visitors Bureau. She said the shops and galleries on the Square offer something unique for shoppers.

 "This is where you can find that one-of-a-kind treasure, that unique thing for Christmas. And besides, it's a lot more fun to shop on the Square than it is at the mall."

Stacey Smith owns not one, but two stores on the Square - Doodlebugz gift boutique and Lizards & Lollipopz toy store, which opened on Oct. 1. She'll be participating in the Christmas Open House and said Doodlebugz, located at the corner of West Park Square and Roswell Street, will feature Kennesaw artist Laura Kirkland who'll be signing her Christmas ornaments.

 "I'm very excited about Christmas," Smith said. "I love the holidays.

The weather will be beautiful, so treat yourself to a fun evening on Marietta Square.  Don't forget to enjoy a leisurely dinner at one of the Square's several high quality restaurants, too.  With the busy holiday season just a few weeks away, you deserve it!