MY DARLING ATLANTA

by Lana Peters

Hello! It’s Christmas, Atlanta!

Look around the city of Atlanta and chances are you can’t even tell that Christmas is next week. I love living here, but the lack of holiday decorations over the past few years had been a real downer. I think it’s also a missed opportunity.

Families like to drive around and look at holiday lights. Visitors might feel a bit more at home if we had Peachtree Street decorated. Okay, that’s a bit of a stretch, but holiday decorations would make the city of Atlanta look and feel so much more festive than it has.

I moved into the city limits of Atlanta a few years ago and LOVE it. It’s just a short 15-minute commute to work. Walking to a local stores or eateries is the best. But living in the city is like living with Scrooge. Where are the Christmas lights? Where’s the cheesy tinsel? Why are there no wreaths with red ribbons or white frosted leaves anywhere but at City Hall?

How in the world can we ever be a world-class city when we don’t even do the little things like decorate Peachtree Street for Christmas? I see this as big deal, but I guess Mayor Reed and the Atlanta City Council don’t.

I also see it as a missed opportunity to bring families in to see the city decorated in holiday lights. That is one of my most cherished memories. Going downtown to see the Christmas decorations was always a big treat in my family.

Local businesses can also benefit from residents and visitors who come downtown to see holiday lights. When a city invests in holiday decorations, it sets a festive mood that people want to come out and be a part of.

We could make downtown a destination for a festive holiday walk or bike ride down Peachtree Street. I would love that. Wouldn’t you?

If Mayor Reed can’t spend the cash to decorate the city, he can certainly get Coca Cola, Home Depot, UPS or some other corporation to pick up the tab and get us in a holiday mood.

I hope that Mayor Reed and City Council members wake up soon and see this missed opportunity to say Happy Holidays in places other than City Hall.  I hope the holiday tree and wreaths at City Hall aren’t the best we can do. And what about the rest of the city?

Where’s your holiday spirit, Mayor Reed and Council President Mitchell?  Bah humbug to you too.

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