PARIS!

FOR THE HOLIDAYS 2020

On The Cover: Sydney Blackburn and her twins sisters, Molly and MaKray, pose for their Christmas portrait. They are the daughters of Adam and Nicole Blackburn. Nicole is a delivery room nurse at HCMC. Amy Bourne is the photographer.

DOWNLOAD

GET COPY

Smantha and girls decked out in Christmas PJs

Editor’s Notes

A Full Heart

I always look forward to the holidays, but never have I been this excited! Just the thought of browsing in downtown’s festive shops makes me DOWNRIGHT GIDDY! Donating and packing needed items and toys for missions with Operation Christmas Shoe Box? YOU BET! Putting together our PARIS! Magazine entry at the Festival of Trees? OVER THE MOON!

There is so much to experience during this season that it makes my heart full, and that’s the way I feel about this holiday issue, too.

Chamber Director Travis McLeese has written a piece highlighting the season’s must-see events. From open houses and Santa to fire bowls, food trucks, a skating rink and more, the ambiance is pure Hallmark™.

From there we head out to Whitlock for a Ruchie Christmas in Back in the Day, while Around Our Town visits with Willie Greer and his grandson for some Birds Creek Baptist history. History lovers will also enjoy Reminiscence, which recounts the night Pearl Routon was honored on “This is Your Life” television show.

A Couple of Travelers takes us to Clarksville for a lighted stroll by the Cumberland River. But you don’t have to drive that far for fabulous lighting, just check out our retro recommendation in The Man Who Loves Christmas.

The holidays are a time for reflecting, and All I Want for Christmas makes us aware of how much our Christmas lists have changed over the years. A Covid Christmas Carol spins the tale of this unfathomable year, while Pastor in Pajamas and our Spotlight on the Hutsons drives home how technology has kept us connected.

In the Garden reminds us to have a grateful heart, and the story of The Three Trees brings a message of hope.
Don’t forget to check Paris Cuisine for holiday recipes; we’ll see you around the dining room table.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

In This Issue

Read online or get your copy.

BACK IN THE DAY: Ruchie Bath

By Bill Neese

A bath is not usually an exciting event, but it can be. My grandmother, Ruth, known by the grandkids as Ruchie, lived with my grandfather, Papa, in an old farmhouse. The house had been cobbled together of out at least two other buildings and the layout was, therefore, a bit unusual. Read More >>

REMINISCENCE: Pearl Routon "This is Your Life"

By Shannon McFarlin

Who can forget that sweet smile? That familiar smile was evident on Pearl Routon’s face through the entire “This Is Your Life” program that aired December 19, 1956.
Read More >>

AROUND OUR TOWN: BICENTENNIAL - Birds Creek Baptist Church Celebrates Special Anniversary

By Shannon McFarlin

Willie Greer can remember vividly how he was saved. A member of the Birds Creek Baptist Church in Whitlock for 84 years, he was 14-years old when he was saved during a week-long revival at the church.
Read More >>

A COUPLE OF TRAVELERS: DE-LIGHT-FUL EVENING On The Cumberland

By John Nichols and Susan Jones

The Two Travelers are convinced that no other town celebrates Christmas like Paris, Tennessee, however there are a few that give it such a good go that Santa leaves extra goodies in their stockings. One city that ties an extra-festive bow on the holiday season is nearby Clarksville, Tennessee.
Read More >>

FEATURE: All I Want for Christmas

By Barry Hart

In 1944, a New York public school teacher, Don Gardner, penned a Christmas tune for his second-grade class, “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth.” Read More >>

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

By Travis McLeese

As I write this in early October, the yards in my neighborhood are glistening with a silvery white sheen. But if ol’ Jack Frost thinks he’s ahead of the game, he should check out the Downtown Paris Association’s Christmas Committee. Read More >>

OUR NEIGHBORS: Tha Man Who Loves Christmas

By Karen Geary

Driving down Lone Oak Road, across the street from Rhea Elementary School, the area is much like any other neighborhood – until Christmas!
Read More >>

FEATURE: Covid Christmas Carol

’Twas the night before Christmas, and I was fully awake,
No toys under the tree; no cookies were baked.
The packages coming by mail were terribly late,
And Amazon things, back ordered to April 8th.
Read More >>

FACES & PLACES

People and events about town. Read More >>

FEATURE: Pastor in Pajamas and Bedtime Stories

By Karen Geary

What do you do when you’re a minister and your church has been basically shutdown due to a pandemic? What do you do when you are a Sunday school teacher with no students to teach? For Reverend Joy Weathersbee and retired school-teacher Cindy Lowe, you improvise!
Read More >>

SPOTLIGHT: Lights, Camera, FOOD!

By Karen Geary

Skirt Steak Tacos with Roasted Salsa Verde. Shrimp and Grits. Adobo Chicken Nachos. Grilled Turkey. Homemade Pizza. Are you hungry yet? Good! Because Sam and Hannah Hutson of Cottage Grove are ready to teach you how to prepare these dishes via their YouTube Channel for Grange Food Co.
Read More >>

PARIS CUISINE: Holiday Meals with Ease

This is my favorite time of year. It’s my favorite for many reasons. I love the spirit of the approaching holidays, cool weather, family get-togethers and perhaps most of all I enjoy the food. This year may be a little different with fewer gatherings, but we can still enjoy all the fixings!
Read More >>

IN THE GARDEN: The Thankful Gardener

By John Watkins

Well, if it weren’t for my calendar on the wall, I would hardly believe that the holiday season is upon us already. I had to double check to make sure there wasn’t a misprint because it seems like we went straight from March to November with no summer months. What a year! Read More >>

FEATURE: The Story of Three Trees

By Barry Hart

What can I say? The year 2020 has been hard for a lot of folks. We have witnessed things that we once thought were not possible in America.
Read More >>