Manners matter. No where else in the world will you find this to be more true than in the south. Manners, etiquette, deportment, couth, it's known by many names, and if you want be a southern belle or gentleman, you best start learning the finer details.
Most etiquette books will teach you how to set a table or the proper way to engrave a wedding invitation, but what many lack is the "southern way" of doing things. For example, just recently I've had several friends and business acquaintances announce their impending nuptials. When a southern couple becomes engaged you can bet your last dollar, the bride-to-be chased her man until he caught her. But to "congratulate" her on the engagement, as if she had "won" her man is improper, if not insulting and rude. Never congratulate the bride-to-be.
We are to assume the gentleman chased her, caught her, and persuaded her to become his bride. He is to be congratulated for winning the heart of his lovely bride-to-be. And his family may be congratulated, as well.
"Best Wishes" is the proper response to the bride-to-be and to her family upon learning of the engagement.
Many folks remain true to the "Best Wishes" response for the bride even after the wedding ceremony. Where others will contend that the rule changes, and it is proper to congratulate the wedded couple. The logic behind the change is there is no longer the implication of the bride "catching" the groom as there is with the announced engagement.
Using "Congratulations" when "Best Wishes" is appropriate is not a terrible faux pas. But it is a subtle distinction that will not go unnoticed by the true southerners within earshot.
Yesterday afternoon I had the priviledge to volunteer for the Maury County Sheriff's Citizen's Academy "Shop with a Cop" event. Fundraisers throughout the year fund this special program that allows teachers at Maury County schools to select one child who will shop for Christmas presents with their school's residing deputy.
Friday, December 16, was the last half-day of school for Maury County before Christmas break. The officers, the kids and their teachers were treated to a movie at Shadybrook 12, The Muppets, and all the popcorn and soft drinks they wanted. Then came the trip to Wal-mart. Each child was allotted $150 for their shopping spree.
And then the merry party migrated to Riverside Elementary for a pizza party with Santa, and had their packages wrapped for Christmas morning.
I was paired with a young man named Jameson who was a delight. Taylor, the head cheerleader at Spring Hill High School, Melena Keeling and I pushed a buggy among a sea of elementary-aged youngsters, hyped on sugary soft drinks and Christmas anticipation, working with Jameson to select not only Christmas presents for himself, but items for his brother, sister, mother, and cousins.
The event was well-planned, -funded, and -organized. Still with hundreds of people descending on Wal-mart with a mission, it was hard to get around to everyone to wish them a Merry Christmas. I did see in the group Sheriff Enoch George, Chief Deputy Nathan Johns, and Deputy Mike Barnes. Of the volunteers, I recognized Eric and Lisa Previti.
What amazes me every year is that these children come with the attitude of buying for other people when they could spend the entire allotment on themselves. I don't know why I'm amazed. Deep in my soul I know that our Heavenly Father gave his son so we may have hope. Jesus Christ gave his life so that we may have Life. What else can we do at Christmastime but give?
Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's event. A special Thank you to the deputies and employees of the Maury County Sheriff's office, a special Thank you to Wal-mart and their very patient sales associates who were very helpful and efficient, and a special Thank you to the Sheriff's Citizen Academy alumni and volunteers.
Tonight we celebrated the annual Christmas Parade in Columbia. I was filled with child-like enthusiasm because this year was the first time I've ever been asked to be a judge of a parade. Thank you Kristi Martin for the opportunity! And thank you Kathie Fuston for judging, too. What a blast!!
The evening started with a reception at First Farmers and Merchants Bank downtown on Garden Street. Harvey Church offered to have the event at the bank, but since foul weather required the parade to be postponed from the 5th to the 12th, Harvey had a meeting and missed his own party.
I did get to see Mayor Dean Dickey again, and to meet Randy "Rooster" Stanfill who played Santa.
Sidebar: I learned that if you bring your Christmas packages to First Farmers, they will wrap them for you for a donation to the American Cancer Society. Everybody wins!
The judges left with Kristi around 6pm to go to the parade lineup to start the judging. Even with specific guidelines to follow, it was still a very, very hard decision naming a winner in each catagory. The quality of entries surpassed my expectation. They were all wonderful!
Nearing the end of the line-up, Kathie spotted SnowBird in a sporty, little convertible. Although we were running a few minutes late, Kristi indulged us and we jumped out of her car to snap a few photos of our arctic friend. And what a chick magnet! Who knew so many women have a crush on "the Bird?
We were escorted up the parade route to our judges stand in front of the Visitors Center. There Ty Cobb and Dan Jaynes, along with cameraman Ross Jaynes, filmed the parade and will be airing it on CPWS Channel 13 Wedneday, Friday, and Saturday evenings this week at 7pm, and next week Monday, Tuesday, Wedneday, Friday, and Saturday at 7pm.
The bells were ringing from the bell tower keeping with this year's theme "Silver Bells in the City." I loved that several of the floats made a play on words and incorporated "Southern Silver Belles."
Entries were judged on creativity, design, audio, lighting, and adherence to the theme "Silver Bells in the City."
Congratuations to all our winners!
In the motorcycle catagory, the award goes to the Gold Wing Road Riders Association.
In the school catagory, the award goes to Central High School Student Council
I'd personally like to give an honorable mention to King's Daughters School. It was very difficult to name a winner in so many catagories.
In the Youth Sports division, the award goes to Cal Ripkin Baseball League.
St. Luke's United Methodist Church won in the church division. Cub Scout Pack 105 won for the cub scouts, and Troop 1448 won for the Girl Scouts.
The Columbia Fire Department with the Boys and Girls Club won in the Community/Civic catagory. The restored 1974 VW Beetle with teardrop retro trailer won in the Auto catagory.
The stiffest competition of the evening came from the commercial catagory. It had more entries than the others and they were all fabulous. With much debate and several references to the judging guidelines, a winner was finally selected. This year's winner in the commercial catagory is Discovery Gymnastics.
The final catagory for judging was the Dance School competition which was judged during the parade. Again, the competition was tight, but we could only select one winner. This year's award for the dance competition goes to Columbia Dance Academy.
And what parade would be complete without our local celebrities and beauty queens?
I especially loved the band, the marines, and the canine participants...
Thank you to Kristi Martin and the Main Street Association for this special event!!!
As photos are popping up on Facebook, I'd like to add a few more highlights and memorable moments from the parade. Thank you to Kathie Fuston, Eric Previti and Tammy Hatcher for the use of your photographs.
I remember the first Dickens of a Christmas 26 years ago in Franklin, Tennessee. It was the first time I'd ever tasted roasted chestnuts. Vendors offered other tasty treats like sugar plums and figgy pudding.
Make your plans now to visit Franklin this weekend and travel back in time about 150 years to a Main Street from the time of Charles Dickens. The tradition continues December 10-11, 2011, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Dickens of a Christmas is a free street festival hosted by the Heritage Foundation, is open to the public, and is expected to attract more than 50,000 visitors over the weekend.
Other Activities include:
Horse-drawn carriage rides around the Public Square for $2 per person.
A holiday bazaar arts & crafts area encircles Franklin’s charming Public Square.
Dancers and street musicians on Main Street throughout the event. Violinists, hand bell choirs, harpists, carolers and even a water harmonica player all add to the entertaining street scene.
Costumed characters from Dickens’ stories interacting with visitors on the street. Scrooge bellows his “Bah! Humbug” while the Cratchit Family parades the streets with Tiny Tim. Ghosts of Christmas Past and Future make regular appearances. Urchins under the direction of the nefarious Fagin from Dicken’s Oliver pester English Bobbies (who are actually Franklin Police Officers on duty in costume). Father and Mother Christmas delight children.
Victorian treats abound, from authentic fish ‘n’ chips to turkey legs, roasted nuts, kettle corn, roasted corn, roasted pork, sausages and sugar plums.
Everyone is invited to join the Town Sing starting at the Public Square at the town Christmas tree at 4:30 p.m. p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, with candles ($1 donation requested) and song sheets.
Thank you to the Heritage Foundation for the use of your beautiful photos of last year's event.
It's been 72 years since Taps was played through Maury County and the courthouse bell tolled in mourning over the death of Captain Merritt Booker Tomlinson, the last surviving Confederate soldier in Maury County.
Since that day in 1939, many residents of Maury and surrounding counties honor and respect this area's heritage through various ways, including Confederate battle re-enactments, the 1861 Girls School, and various Confederate Balls throughout the year.
If you would like to make your plans to join us next year, the Confederate Christmas Ball is generally held the first Saturday evening of December, and tickets can be purchased at the door of the Memorial Building located on West 7th Street in downtown Columbia. Dance practice is held on Sunday afternoons for a couple of weeks in November. Historical reproduction gowns and military ensembles may be rented from Tammy Hatcher, or several seamstresses and tailors in town will make a unique garment just for you.
To view some of the antebellem homes of Maury County, click here.
** A special Thank You goes out to Eric and Lisa Previti allowing me to share your beautiful photos. **
God has lovingly and generously showered his sweet blessings all around middle Tennessee. I enjoy so much selecting one each day to share with you in these pictures, recipes, inspirations and sometimes, completely random thoughts. Thank you for the visit. Come on back again real soon!
"To see the miraculous within the ordinary is the mark of highest wisdom." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him." ~Abraham Lincoln
