Shopping small in Chattanooga | Chattanooga is made up of so many wonderful small businesses, here are a few our readers love in honor of Small Business Saturday.
10 places to Christmas tree shop | Get ready to spruce up your space by buying + cutting a live Christmas tree from these spots around the Scenic City.
Creekside Holiday Market | Saturday, Nov. 30- Sunday, Dec. 1 | Times vary | Creekside Flower Farm, Chickamauga, GA | Free+ | Select a Fraser fir or a hand-crafted wreath while enjoying the warmth of fire pits, s’mores + hot chocolate.
Small Business Saturday | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | The Book & Cover | Free+ | Support local while enjoying storytime, crafts, an audiobook walk with adoptable pups, and caroling.
Sunday, Dec. 1
Christmas Parade | 2-4 p.m. | City of Soddy-Daisy, Soddy-Daisy | Free+ | Join the annual tradition featuring a parade with floats, marching bands, dancers, and an appearance by Santa.
Christmas in Collegedale | 3-7 p.m. | The Commons of Collegedale, Collegedale | Free+ | Come out for food trucks, live performances, appearances by Santa, Mrs. Claus + the Chattanooga Elf, and the city’s tree lighting.
Monday, Dec. 2
A Very Merry Monday Nite Big Band | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Barking Legs Theater | $17 | All ages are welcome to enjoy a merry evening of jazz music.
Friday, Dec. 6
Mistletoe Market | Friday, Dec. 6-Saturday, Dec. 7 | Times vary | 520 W. Waugh St., Dalton, GA | Free+ | Support local artists while finding unique gifts for everyone on your list.
There will be at least 23 women serving in the Tennessee Legislature — up by three people compared to 2024. They will be part of the 2,450 women in state legislatures nationwide (or ~33%), setting a new record. (AP News)
Arts
A banana duct-taped to a wall sold for $6.2 million this month. We’re not art critics, but we’re pretty sure you don’t need to pay that much to see good art around Chattanooga. (Smithsonian Magazine)
Seasonal
It would cost you nearly $50,000 to buy all the gifts from the “12 Days of Christmas” — up 3.6% from last year. Or you could just peruse our gift guide. Sorry, no partridges in pear trees here. (Tegna)
Cause
Have you been eyeing our guide to 50+ volunteer opportunities in Chattanooga? You’re not alone. According to a new study by AmeriCorps, formal volunteering and informal helping (think: helping your neighbor rake the leaves) are on the rise again after dipping in 2021 due to COVID-19.
City Guide
City Guide
What we’re sipping on
When one coffee just isn’t going to cut it, head to Niedlov’s. | Photo by NOOGAtoday
Drinking coffee is an everyday love of ours, which got us thinking: Which local coffee shops best represent each day of the week?
Monday | Niedlov’s Café & Bakery
It’s important to set your week up for success, which is why Niedlov’s is our Monday coffee shop go-to. The breakfast pastry + coffee fix is the perfect way to set a solid foundation for yourself. Let’s be honest, Mondays are a multiple cups of coffee kind of day for most of us, which is why the free in-house refills of drip coffee are a lifesaver.
Tuesday | Be Caffeinated
Be Caffeinated has several locations throughout the Chattanooga area with drive-thrus, which makes it a convenient + quick way to get your cup of joe. Tuesdays can be hectic — meetings are piling up and you can’t be late, which is why Be Caffeinated helps us get through the day with ease without sacrificing our need for caffeine.
Yourfavorite thing on Oprah’s Favorite Things list for 2024. We’re seeing goodies like fluffy mittens and paint-by-numbers portraits. Psst — Oprah’s also picked finds from small businesses, like a hot chocolate collection made by Asheville, NC’s French Broad Chocolate.
Can you believe it’s almost December? This month flew by, but I’m excited about all the fun things December has in store — especially my favorite day of the year, MAINx24. Get ready for the full scoop on that in an upcoming newsletter.
