City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style; in the air there’s a feeling of Christmas. Tree lightings, a Christmas parade, holiday caroling, visits with Old St. Nick and the first annual Christkindlmarket. Horse-drawn carriages, white lights, imported and local food specialties and lots of holiday shopping. Christmas in the Alpine village of Helen is a bit of Old World wonder and lots of new-fashioned merrymaking in the North Georgia Mountains . On Fri., Nov. 28, Helen gets in the weihnachtliche stimmung of the season with the Annual Lighting of the Village. Come to Alpine Helen this holiday season and experience a Bavarian-spiced Christmas in a German-themed village and surrounding White County . Visit www.helenga.org for all the details. 

Put some twinkle in your step.

The holidays come to Helen at 2 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 28, with the Annual Lighting of the Village at 6 p.m. The next weekend, on Sat., Dec. 6, the annual Christmas Parade marches through the main street of Helen, and Christkindlmarket (Christmas Market) opens for its first annual appearance. This new, free event in Helen features the German tradition of combining food, music and entertainment with markets of imported and local Christmas specialties in a holiday atmosphere. The Greater Helen Area Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring this market on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 6 and 7 and Dec. 13 and 14. Kris Kringle, a.k.a., Santa Claus, will be in the Market Platz Band Shell for all children to give him their list during market weekends, Sat., 12- 4 p.m. and Sun., 12- 4 p.m.

Also at the Market Platz Band Shell on Sat., Dec. 6, 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., is the Weaver Believer Survival Revival Band, a family with eight children, all singing tight harmonies and playing a variety of instruments—guitars, banjoes, electric bass, mandolin and fiddle—and on Sat., Dec. 13, 5-8 p.m., local country/rock musical group, the Laura Simon Band, performs.

Oh Tannebaum
Of all the trees most lovely, the more than 50 trees in the Festival of Trees are some of the loveliest. The event unfolds at Unicoi State Park, with stands of trees and beautiful wreaths uniquely decorated by businesses in White County . Held from Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 27 through Dec. 13, this free event (parking $3) is sponsored by the Helen White County CVB, the White County Chamber of Commerce and Unicoi State Park . Individuals may bid on one of these beautifully trimmed trees or wreaths throughout the event; winning bidders may pick up their tree at 2 p.m. on Dec. 13. 800-573-9659

‘Tis the season to be jolly
On Dec. 6, Deck the Halls at Unicoi State Park Lodge. From 3 to 6 p.m., visitors are invited to join a free celebration (parking $3) that includes making holiday crafts, going on hayrides (weather permitting) and visiting with Santa and Mrs. Claus. That evening, there will be a special meal in the park's restaurant and live music in the beautifully decorated lodge. 800-573-9659

Other holiday happenings in and around Helen:
∙Appalachian Christmas at BabyLand General Hospital : 9-5 p.m., Nov. 22. Come to Cleveland , Ga. , to visit the famous Cabbage Patch Kids, visit with Santa and share some holiday fun. This free event includes face painting, arts and crafts, costumed characters, prizes, DJ and music, snow flurries and the lighting of a 65-foot tree. Enter a special holiday drawing for a hand-stitched Cabbage Patch Kid. 706-865-2171

∙Holiday Tour of Homes, sponsored by the White County Board of Realtors, takes place from 10 to 4 p.m. on Sat., Dec. 6. Take a self-guided tour through some of the county’s most unique homes, each architecturally, historically or uniquely decorated. Tickets are $10 in advance from the White County Chamber, 122 N. Main Street , and $12 the day of the event, available from the homes on the tour. 800-392-8279, 706-865-5356, www.whitecountychamber.org.

∙9th Annual Christmas in the Mountains in downtown Cleveland and the 9th Annual Lighted Christmas Parade begins at 7 p.m. on Dec. 6. On Dec. 6 and 7, the Sautee Stars perform at the Sautee Nacoochee Community Association Center and Santa puts in an appearance at the Bandshell in downtown Helen, 1-3 p.m.

∙Community Chorale Concert, Dec. 12-14, presented by the Sautee Nacoochee Community Association. 706-878-3300

∙4th Annual Father Christmas at Nacoochee Village , 1-6 p.m., on Dec. 13. Make your list, check it twice and head to the village shops.

Helen has something for everyone and for everyone on your shopping list. Enjoy cuisine a la Bavaria at Hofer’s Bakery and the Hofbrau House, charming accommodations at hilltop inns and main street bed and breakfasts, attractions of every description, from ice cream parlor and glass blowing shop to locally made arts and crafts to a gourd art studio—and enough holiday entertainment, events and shopping in an uber festive atmosphere plus new Christkindlmarket—to thrill the child in everyone. Visit www.helenga.org to make your holiday plans now.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Located on the Chattahoochee River in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this Northeast Georgia village has a rich history linked to the Cherokee Indians and Indian burial mounds as well as early settlers who arrived to mine for gold and cut virgin timber for a thriving lumber industry in the early 1900s. Helen is a re-creation of an alpine village complete with cobblestone alleys and old-world towers, with shopping, camping, rustic and luxury mountain cabins, restaurants, bed and breakfast inns, mountains, theater, recreation, romantic getaways, beautiful scenery, family activities, waterfalls, museums, history, art, fishing, tubing, golf, and more. See www.helenga.org for booking houses, cabins and B&Bs in the mountains as well as downtown hotels and for more information.