TopIn This Holiday Issue
(Click on title to go directly to story)
After you awaken from your tryptophan nap tomorrow, click on Bill Lea's deer image to browse through our 2016 holiday catalog. Your purchase of these ranger-approved items not only brings the beauty of the Smokies to your home, but you'll also be supporting important park projects.

ChristmasChristmas events planned in TN, NC
Christmas tree Valerie Polk
Photo by Valerie Polk
Visitors to the Smokies have two opportunities to make old-fashioned Christmas memories this December during these special events... 

Festival of Christmas Past will be held Saturday, Dec. 12, at Sugarlands Visitor Center, just inside the Gatlinburg, TN, entrance to the park. Celebrate Christmas in the mountains with old-time music, harp singing, storytelling and reminiscing, craft demonstrations such as weaving, spinning, quilting, basket making, historic toys and games, and children's activities.

A Holiday Homecoming is set for Saturday, Dec. 19, at Oconaluftee Visitor Center, just inside the Cherokee, NC, entrance to the park. Visitors will enjoy an old-fashioned Christmas celebration in the Smokies with traditional music and more.


GSMNP invites visitors to join them for ranger-led hikes across the park on Black Friday, Nov. 27. Hikes will be offered in the Cataloochee, Elkmont, and Cades Cove areas of the park providing an outstanding opportunity for people of all ages to #OptOutside and enjoy the park.
 
Rangers, park volunteers, and Friends of the Smokies staff will help visitors discover special cultural and natural resources along the hikes. Visitors may also choose to hike on their own and can come to any of the park's visitor centers throughout the Thanksgiving holiday weekend to receive information about hiking options including several short nature trails that are perfect for children.

Before or after your hike, GSMA is proud to offer park visitors a shopping experience like none other. Taking home ranger-approved gift options from the Smokies allows you to feel good about shopping on Black Friday - which for some has become a taboo - because all purchases at GSMA visitor center stores support the important work being done here in the park.


Dome 
Closing event set at Clingmans Dome
SPECIAL EVENT - A four-day open house, complete with sweet treats and warm beverages, will mark the final weekend of the 2015 season. Visitors to the highest visitor center in the Smokies Nov. 27-30 will receive special offers on all Clingmans Dome merchandise, including 15% off all Dome products, with sales supporting this national park. Of course, Old Man Winter has been known to interfere with our plans in the past, so look for updated event information on our Facebook page.


Sample the savings....
- Dome Map T-shirt, was $19.99,
EVENT PRICE $16.99
- Dome Baseball Cap, was $15.99,
EVENT PRICE $13.59
- "Island in the Sky" DVD/Blu-Ray, was $13.95, NOW $11.86
The fine print: Discounts are offered in store only; additional membership discounts will not apply


Clingmans Dome Road closes for the season December 1. Other winter road information for the Smokies could be found HERE.

Quiz
Test your knowledge of country stores

Country stores were a gathering place not only to purchase needed items, but to catch up on community news. 

The first person to answer correctly all of the following questions about country stores in the Smokies will win your very own feast fixings: Our new Country Stores of the Smokies book, a 2-pound bag of corn meal, and a jar of Strawberry Preserves.  Good luck!


Visitation
October's visitation was second highest
The parking lot at Newfound Gap in Great Smoky Mountains National Park - like most areas of the park - was full of both visitors and vehicles during October. - Photo by Gary Wilson

Great Smoky Mountains National Park welcomed 1,370,640 visitors in October 2015, exceeding 2014's mark of 1,303,640.  This year's visitation makes 2015 the second highest October visitation in the park's history.  Only October 1987 saw more visitors.


MysterySmoky Mountain Mystery:
Why did some mountain children have to wait
an extra 11 days for Christmas morning to arrive?
During the early to mid-19th century, in some remote areas of the Great Smoky Mountains and elsewhere in rural America, Christmas might be celebrated in January, not December. Stranger still, one of the old Christmas traditions was to stay up until midnight on Christmas Eve (January 5) and go into the barn to witness the farm animals praying.

That's right, according to lore, on midnight of Christmas Eve all of the animals would begin bellowing and baaing and whinnying and crying out in their animal voices in a cacophony of barnyard prayer. Some believe this tradition relates back to Jesus being born in a manger where farm animals were present.
 
The reason that Christmas was observed in January is related to...

shoppingShop the Smokies
All purchases support this national park
Just in time for the holidays! Exclusively from the Smokies, each of these holiday gift boxes includes a delightful children's story accompanied by the book's main character. "Stranger in the Woods" comes with this helpful snowman; "First Snow in the Woods" features the spotted Tiny Star; and "Venture to the Smokies" is made complete with Venture Bear. Each of these touching stories will leap off the pages for your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews when they hold these soft characters as you read to them.
 


Looking for a unique Smoky Mountain gift box for the grownups, too? 
- We've got you covered - possibly covered from head to toe in whole wheat flour if you're not careful. (LOL) This high-quality, heavy-duty gift box is packed full of our very best food items: stone-ground wheat flour, blackberry and strawberry preserves, apple butter, sorghum molasses, and more; as well as these outstanding books: "Mountain Makin's" cookbook, "Gristmills of the Smokies" and "Log Cabins of the Smokies." All purchases benefit Great Smoky Mountains National Park.



One for you, three to share. Fill each to the brim with your favorite holiday beverage!
One of our most popular items in years, these pottery mugs are made in the USA and will remind you of your trip to the Smokies with every sip. This mug comes in four colors with four different logo options: historic cabin, tulip poplar tree, black bear, and all three. Collect all four!


Turkey
You're not the only one
who's hungry this Thanksgiving
Are there more turkeys in the mountains this year? Click above to find out.
Are there more turkeys in the mountains this year? Click on the image above to find out.

Birds of the Smokies calls them "uncommon" permanent residents. So why are we seeing more turkeys than usual in and around the national park? Turns out, there's a reason so many of these large birds are feeding on the road shoulders this time of year. Click on the image to learn more. - Special thanks to videographer Gary Wilson for his work gathering this footage and to volunteer Craig Robinson for his lending us his voice to the project

Our 2016 members-only ornament is truly something to behold. Die-cut from a beautiful piece of silver metal, this members-only, exclusive "Get Rooted in the Smokies" Christmas ornament features tiny green bear paw leaves on a luxurious white trunk.  A green satin ribbon serves to affix your ornament to your tree this holiday season. It's all kept safe from season to season in a felt-lined solid green gift box.

Members: Remember to sign into your account before you add this and other items to your shopping cart to be sure you receive your discount. In addition to finding it in all visitor center locations, the 2015 GRITS ornament can be ordered from the 'Member Items' section of our online store.

bear snow brian shults
Photo by Brian Shults
The Gift of Membership

Dear Members: Don't keep GSMA all to yourself this holiday season. Share the warm, fuzzy feeling membership gives you with your friends and family. Membership in Great Smoky Mountains Association includes a generous lists of benefits, including a yearly subscription to our award-winner Smokies Life Magazine and discounts of all our ranger-approved Smoky Mountain merchandise. Better still, it requires no shopping or wrapping, and it comes with the knowledge that you're helping others discover the wonders of this national park. Get started HERE

Marti in the cane
HikeHike to
Finley Cane

By Marti Smith
GSMA's Membership Associate & Smoky Mountain 900 Miler

This is one of my favorite and most memorable hikes. I like to do this one in the autumn, after most of the leaves have fallen, so that I can ramble through the woods and enjoy the topography of the land in the mountains.

The Finley Cane Trail starts out on the left of Laurel Creek Road, 5.5 miles from the Townsend "Y" at the Finley Cane/Lead Cove trailheads. It parallels the road for a short distance, then...


StaffStaff Spotlight: Judy Collins
Judy cuddles a baby beaver during a recent Wildflower Pilgrimage.

This month our Staff Spotlight shines on Judy Collins, marketing and membership associate for Great Smoky Mountains Association.
 
Q: Where do you hale from, Judy?
A: I am proud to say I'm a very "improper" Bostonian, only because I moved away and haven't been back since 1971. I think I need to make a trip. I was born in Boston and baptized in the Old North Church (yes, the one where the lantern was hung for Paul Revere). I grew up in Milford, MA, about 32 miles southwest of Boston. I also lived in Florida for 20 years and in Texas four years prior to moving to the Smokies in 1990.
 
Q: How long have you worked for Great Smoky Mountains Association?
A: I will have worked for GSMA for 21 years this coming spring... probably the best decision I ever made and certainly my longest tenure anywhere.
 

BusinessBusiness of the Month
Mast General Store
Various Locations in TN & NC
A family of Mast Stores can be found along Main Streets in several communities in the Appalachian Mountains, including downtown Knoxville, TN, Greenville, SC, Asheville, Waynesville, Hendersonville, Boone, and Valle Crucis, NC. You'll still find most everything you'll need from traditional clothing and home d�cor to comfortable footwear and gear for the trail and even a little something to satisfy your sweet tooth from barrels brimming with 500+ kinds of candy. 
GSMA Members receive 15% off one regular-priced item (some exclusions may apply)


NEW Business Members
Foxfire Mountain
GSMA Members receive a 20% discount

Hikey Mikey
GSMA Members receive a 10% discount on all merchandise
                                                         

The Smokies are just a click away...

Got questions? We have answers.

Oops! In our last issue, we incorrectly identified our NC store manager's husband as "Ron." Amanda's significant other is actual "Rob." Sorry for the error.