Kick off the holidays with Franklin Living

From now until Dec. 25, there are two types of people: those who decorated their houses for Christmas the same day they threw out the Jack-o-lantern and those who are staunchly committed to waiting until after Thanksgiving.

Actually, few things in life can be categorized into strict dichotomy, and there are also those who will decorate sometime between now and Thanksgiving and those who won’t decorate at all. By and large though, it’s safe to say most people are divided into those first two camps.

I’m in the latter.

The holidays are my favorite time of year, hands down, but they don’t start Nov. 1. Thanksgiving deserves its due before the halls are decked with boughs of holly and so on.

There is one aspect of the holidays, however, for which I make an exception: our November/December edition of Franklin Living, which is out now.

We are so proud of our holiday edition this year. It is chock-full of holiday cheer to hopefully bring a smile to your face and a little more warmth to your heart.

Whether you’re looking for a good cause to support, a holiday market to start your Christmas shopping or a little local entertainment, Franklin County’s got it. I loved learning more about Bank Independent’s Toy Share drive and Red Bay FUMC’s Holiday Bazaar, both longstanding traditions for our communities. And when it comes to tradition, of course, it’s exciting to see a reborn tradition continue with “The Roxy’s Legend of Toyland.”

As the most wonderful time of the year creeps closer, you can keep this magazine handy to inspire the holiday spirit in your heart. Tis the season to be jolly! This a time when we all make an extra effort to be kind to one another and nurture joy. It’s a time that seems filled to the brim with magic and excitement and wonder. Although that holiday happiness can sometimes be obscured by frenzied shopping, frantic cooking, endless gifts to wrap and just-one-more to do, if we slow down for a moment, we can find space to breathe in the joy of the season.

We hope this magazine can be a small part of your holiday festivities.