Signal Mountain has a host of holiday traditions, beginning with Sunday on Signal and shopping galore. Soon after, the Christmas Train appears at the top of the mountain, signaling the start of a month of holiday hoopla.
The annual community Christmas tree lighting at the MACC, which features crafts, performances and visits with Santa, always draws a crowd-attendance grew to 700 this year, up from about 500 in 2012.
The Signal Santas gather annually to raise money for Signal Mountain Social Services, and volunteers pack boxes for the needy at Nolan Elementary as well as at Lone Oak Volunteer Fire Department.
We asked our readers on Facebook to share some of their favorite Christmas traditions that help make their holidays merry and bright.
“We have a tree up all year round,” wrote Carol Culpepper Seal, adding that her family changes the tree’s décor with each new season and holiday. “[It] is a way to make merry all year round and keep the screened porch festive. Course my backyard neighbors may think I am nutty. Oh well!”
“We host a gingerbread house decorating party for our daughters and their friends!” wrote Susan Schlaeger Holt.
Michelle Poe said her family tries to get together the night before Christmas to spend time with each other, “maybe share a few drinks with a few laughs, bake cookies to leave out for Santa along with carrots for his hungry reindeer.
Maybe play some games.” They also like to sit by the fire and reminisce on the past year, thinking about how grateful they are for everything they have, she shared.
“Our ancestors immigrated from Slovakia and the Czech Republic in the early 1900’s,” wrote Susan Vareb Vargo. “I grew up having a traditional Slovak Christmas Eve dinner of Oplatky (Christmas wafers dipped in honey), mushroom soup, Bobalky (dough balls sautéed in butter, onions, spices, and sauerkraut), Perogies (pasta filled cheese and potato sautéed in onions and butter), fresh fruits, cheeses, nuts, and wine. My daughters always give me grief over how the house smells of sauerkraut…lol…but they love their Perogies!”
“We get together with our neighbors and sing xmas songs,” Michelle Lynn Michaud shared.