State Parks Offer Thanksgiving Feasts

List: Christmas Parades in East Tennessee

East Tennessee towns are decking the streets for Christmas with dozens of parades scheduled throughout December.

Knoxville’s WIVK Parade kicks off Dec. 5 at 7 p.m., while cities like Clinton, Oak Ridge, and Maryville will host theirs on Dec. 6 and Dec. 13.

From Powell to Sevierville, each parade boasts a unique theme—many with free entry and contests for best floats or classic cars.

Whether it’s Rocky Top’s Sounds of the Season or Blount County’s Country Christmas, locals can expect lights, bands, and Santa sightings across the region.

Thanksgiving Memories With PaPa

We close our Top Stories section with a Thanksgiving memory from one of our readers.

Thanksgiving 2019 is the one that will be with me as long as I live. It was the last Thanksgiving my husband would have on this earth.

We went to Denver to celebrate the holiday with our granddaughter and her future husband. It was cold, and there was snow on the ground. Jessica and Todd prepared a beautiful feast of unusual dishes from the pages of Bon Appétit. A grandson, also from Denver, was present, along with a friend of theirs.

We had no thought that it would be their last time with PaPa. The wonderful pictures from our time there bring back tearful but happy memories. I thank God for that very special occasion.

—Cecile Skaggs, Memphis, Tennessee

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Tennesseans can bring holiday joy to rural Appalachian families by donating toys, clothes, food, and other items at Mission of Hope’s Blue Barrels or online through Dec. 9. (See Details)

➤ Nashville and Memphis ranked No. 9 and No. 10 nationally for the worst holiday traffic in a study evaluating congestion hours, miles traveled, and fatal crashes in clear and bad weather. (More)

➤ Bissinger’s, one of the world’s oldest chocolate companies dating from 1668, opened its first Tennessee location at a Nashville mall. (More)

➤ The Salvation Army’s 2025 Angel Tree program is underway, giving Tennesseans a chance to fulfill holiday wish lists for more than 4,000 local children. (See Details)

➤ Dollar General, a Tennessee-based company, is helping families save this season by offering affordable holiday meal bundles available through Christmas Eve. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

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Flying together with our sponsor

Are you taking advantage of your Amazon Prime perks this holiday season?

Whether you’re already a Prime member or considering signing up, here are nine Prime member benefits you should be using as you do your holiday shopping! 

Does your family watch football on Thanksgiving?

1. Yes, always
2. Sometimes
3. No, never

Previous Results:

Do you participate in Black Friday shopping?

1. Never: 39%
2. Of course: 27%
3. Sometimes: 34%

Which Christian music icon was the original singer of Tennessee Christmas (1983)?

Show me the answer