I believe that Thanksgiving gets the shaft in terms of holiday celebrations. My sister’s house is lit up like a runway before Halloween. I rebel against Christmas music played in Pottery Barn in October, and I refuse to try on that Christmas taffeta party dress at Ann Taylor before Thanksgiving (even though they do have my size, and it is gorgeous)…nope, not gonna do it. I want to celebrate Halloween with all the candy and costumes and Thanksgiving with family and friends. However, I have to share a must-do Christmas holiday event now, because it sells out every year before December.

The Three Rivers Rambler becomes the “Christmas Express” where children of all ages experience the magic of a holiday train ride through Knoxville. During this 90-minute, 11-mile train ride, passengers are served Christmas cookies and refreshments while a local celebrity reads a holiday story. Santa and his elves board the train at the halfway point to talk to the children and give each one a special gift. Visit their website for more information and to book your reservation online. My husband and I have taken our four-year-old daughter for the past three years, so it has become a holiday tradition for our family, and I hope it will become one of yours as well. Now start working on those pilgrim hats.

Knoxville Tennessee is a town that punches above its weight. Don’t believe us? With a population of only 170,000 it’s the smallest city to ever host a World’s Fair–putting it in the ranks of Paris, London, New York and Chicago. It’s home to the Tennessee Valley Authority, one of the largest government projects in the world, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory which was instrumental in producing the first atomic bomb. And its impact doesn’t end with cheap electricity, atomic weapons and international events. Where would popular culture be without Quentin Tarantino, Johnny Knoxville, Kenny Chesney and Mountain Dew? Read the rest »