Dual holiday Wednesday
Dec. 25 — With roots in 19th Century Germany, but popularized by “The O.C.,” today is Chrismukkah, where the first night of Hanukkah falls on the same day as Christmas. It’s the first time this has happened since 2005. However you’re celebrating today, we wish you season’s greetings.
⛅ Partly cloudy and 56° today.
? There are two NFL games on Netflix today: The Chiefs travel to face the Steelers at 1 p.m. and the Texans host the Ravens at 4 p.m.
? ABC has a slate of five NBA games starting at noon with San Antonio vs. New York.
? Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Tucker holiday lights
• Sammie on Christmas movies
• Hanukkah Hippity-Hop
• Nine Atlanta restaurants to try
Happy Holidays,
The Rough Draft team
? Giving Kitchen has helped over 26,000 food service workers in crisis and awarded over $14 million in financial assistance since 2013. As the year ends, demand is unprecedented. Your year-end donation can make a significant impact. Please support us today! SPONSOR MESSAGE
1. Tucker family’s holiday light display brings joy, fulfills wishes
? Victor and Theodora Economy have a light show every holiday season at their home at 1833 Smokerise Summit, which could be the greatest understatement in the history of understatements.
Hundreds of installations on their corner lot include every imaginable form – elves, snowmen, nativity scenes, gingerbread people, Disney characters, sleighs, and even a light-up shark – from late November to Dec. 29 starting at 5:15 p.m. and going until 11 p.m.
But there is also a method to the Economy’s madness. Each year, the family raises money to fulfill a Make-A-Wish request for a deserving child. They have gathered anywhere from $12,000 to $13,000 annually for the past few years, and their goal for 2024 is $15,000, which is about the price tag needed to fulfill the wish.
Discover the gift of creativity and connection!
SPONSORED BY THE HIGH MUSEUM OF ART
? Looking for the perfect holiday gift? The High offers programs and classes designed specifically for older adults. Whether you’re a retiree, an empty nester, or simply curious about the arts, you’ll find something inspiring to explore.
- Take an art class and learn a new skill.
- Join engaging conversations and make new friends.
- Dip your toe into the museum on Access for All Free Days.
? Treat yourself — or someone special — to the best gift this holiday season: a chance to spark creativity, connect with others, and dive into the arts.
2. Sammie’s favorite under-sung Christmas movies
This story is from Scene, our Friday newsletter focused on news, reviews, interviews, and podcasts from the movie world. You can subscribe here.
? We all love “It’s a Wonderful Life.” We all love “Love Actually.” But what about the lesser-known films, or the movies that you don’t really think of as Christmas fare? It’s time those got a little love too. Heading into the holiday, here are some of Sammie Purcell’s favorite under-sung Christmas classics:
? “Remember the Night” (dir. Mitchell Leisen): Picture this – an assistant district attorney agrees to take a shoplifter home to her family so she doesn’t have to spend Christmas in jail. It sounds funny, and it is, but “Remember the Night” (pictured above) is also an incredibly moving portrait of a woman experiencing real love for the first time. Barbara Stanwyck is sensational.
? “While You Were Sleeping” (dir. Jon Turteltaub): It took me a while to get into “While You Were Sleeping,” mostly because it’s true what they say – the logline is ridiculous. But boiling the film down to the story of a woman who pretends to be the fiancé of a man in a coma robs the film of its heart, I think. It’s such a poignant portrait of loneliness during the holidays, something I know we’ve all felt.
? “Tokyo Godfathers” (dir. Satoshi Kon): Satoshi Kon only made four features before his tragic death at the age of 46 in 2010. “Tokyo Godfathers” tells the tale of three homeless people – a transgender woman, a teen runaway, and an alcoholic – who find an abandoned newborn on Christmas Eve. It’s a story about connection and found family. It might be a little dark, a little twisted, but it’s also probably as sentimental as the director ever truly got.
?️ Read more by subscribing to Scene here.
3. ‘Hanukkah Hippity-Hop’ urges kids to explore Jewish roots
? Barbara Kimmel has done it all — corporate executive, world traveler, avid volunteer, wife, and mother — and landed on a new career as a children’s book author.
Her first book, “Hanukkah Hippity-Hop,” is interactive, rhyming fun that encourages children to explore their Jewish roots through movement.
➳ Read more about the book and Kimmel’s journey here.
4. Nine Atlanta restaurants to try from ‘The Regulars’ series
?️ In January, Rough Draft debuted a new dining series called “The Regulars” to explore what it means to be a frequent restaurant patron.
Throughout 2024, we introduced you to everyday Atlantans and local characters who have found a sense of belonging and community at restaurants and bars around town.
We’ve rounded up the restaurants recommended by Atlanta regulars featured in the 2024 series, along with their favorite dishes and drinks.
➳ Read the full feature here.
? With a 39% increase in Ask For Help requests in 2024, Giving Kitchen needs your support now more than ever. Your year-end donation will prevent homelessness and hunger for food service workers in crisis. Make a difference today! SPONSOR MESSAGE
? Today’s newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.
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