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The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland Tennessee (TN) and Bradley County Tennessee (Tn).
Of Bradley County Tn.
DECEMBER 2006
The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland and Bradley County Tn.
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The People News
Special Report
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HOME
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BACK ISSUE ARCHIVE
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EDITORIALS
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LETTERS
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CONTACT US
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by Alexandra Edwards
There is nothing quite like being home for Christmas, especially here in beautiful Cleveland, Tennessee. The folk here believe in a good old fashioned traditional Christmas, so much so, that many start preparing for it as early as October and as Thanksgiving came a little earlier this year, by the time this paper goes to print the Christmas season will be in full swing.
Being a strong Christian community, Christmas in Bradley County is not considered a mere holiday but a month long celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Local churches will hold special nativity services, carols will be sung in the streets and homes will be decorated inside and out with lights, ribbons, candles and all kinds of Christmas ornaments. Shoppers wearing colorful Christmas sweaters and accessories will fill the shops as they hunt for the perfect gift for all on their list.
The huge old evergreen beside the court house annex often unnoticed throughout the year, is suddenly transformed into a very important part of the community. Decorated with bright shining lights it officially becomes the community Christmas Tree.. and then the festivities
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begin.
The lighting of the Christmas tree will take place on Friday, December 1st at 6 p.m. and will be followed by 'Carols in the City', choir performances given on the steps of the historic downtown churches. Special guests, Santa and Mrs.Claus will be greeting people at the court house bandstand, welcoming visitors of all ages. Free horse drawn carriage rides around the downtown area will also be available.
Clevelanders just love their annual downtown Christmas Parade, which this year will take
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place on Saturday, December 2nd at 6 p.m. The colorful creative floats are said to get better each year. Starting at Bradley Central High School the parade will take its traditional route down South Lee Highway to Ocoee Street, Inman, left on Keith, returning to the school.
On Sunday, December 3rd, Red Clay Historic Park, famous for being the last eastern council grounds for the Cherokee Nation will be hosting a "19th Century Cherokee
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Christmas." Visitors to the event will be able to look into the lives of the Cherokee Indians with live history presentations, including pioneer Christmas cooking, Cherokee art and craft demonstrations, storytelling and Christmas carols. For more information and directions to the park call (423) 479-0339.
Along with Christmas comes the feeling of goodwill and when it comes to giving and sharing, the folk of Cleveland usually rally together in a variety of ways, making sure that children and seniors who may be a little less fortunate, do not go without at this special time of year.
Each year for the past eleven years, the Tennessee Valley Community Church along with the Boys and Girls Club host their annual "Cleveland Community Christmas Dinner" for the under privileged families of the community. This year's dinner will be held on December 9th at 11a.m. For more information call: Ashley 472 -5284
Area seniors are invited to the annual "Senior Christmas Dinner" organized by Bradley Cleveland Community
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Services, which will be held at Bradley Central High School cafeteria on December 15th at 5:00 p.m. As well as good food there will be door prizes supplied by local businesses. For more information call 479-4111.
For the kids, especially those that have been very good throughout the year, Santa Claus will be sitting in his big green chair at Bradley Square Mall waiting to hear what is on their Christmas list. Babies to tots, kids to teens, even grown-ups that are still a kid at heart, can sit on Santa's lap and have their photo taken. Santa will be at the Mall right up to Christmas Eve, from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm Monday through Friday and 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays. Also, for those family pets that don't like to be left out when it comes to seeing Santa, Pet Photo evenings will be December 4 and 11 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Just a final thought; My personal opinion is that this may be the "real" Santa. For several years his photo has appeared in the local media including The People News and he always looks exactly the same! Never older and always smiling, just as he has been seen by children throughout the centuries.
Merry Christmas and a happy 2007.
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