Tanglewood Festival of Lights Gift Village Resembles Craft Show!

Festival of Lights Gift Shop © Katrena

The Festival of Lights, a huge holiday light show in Tanglewood Park in North Carolina's Forsyth County, offers four miles of lights that will dazzle the kids and put a smile on the faces of adults as they enjoy the motley array of winter scenes.

Craft Show in Tanglewood Festival of Lights © Katrena

Nestled amidst the largest light show in the Southeast is a gift shop village that is definitely worth the stop for my family. The shop has something for just about everyone! We visited the Festival of Lights drive-through holiday light show and Gift Village in November 2012 and certainly were not disappointed!

Homemade Fudge & Homemade Bread at Festival of Lights Christmas Light Show © Katrena

Those who cook might check out the nice variety of aprons. Folks who enjoy grilling and trying new sauces may be drawn to some homemade barbecue sauce and marinade. The homemade fudge and breads smelled delightful!

Cider and Grape Juice in Tanglewood © Katrena

Folks could also choose from a wide variety of ciders, juices, and other drinks. Tins of Moravian cookies are available as well. Tanglewood is not far from another popular holiday destination: Old Salem, which offers a nice variety of holiday activities for the family as well.

Gifts for People Who Love Sports at Tanglewood © Katrena

We visited during one of the Throwback nights before Thanksgiving. The theme for the evening was to wear clothes in support of one's favorite sports team, but anyone visiting on those nights would receive the nice discount. Several vendors offered a variety of sports-related crafts. My five-year-old particularly liked the colorful letters in the woodworking section. Cool candles also caught our eyes.

Puppets That Dance at Festival of Lights © Katrena

Everyone seemed to be drawn to the dancing puppets! A baby was mesmerized by the display that seemed to dance on stage when we visited. The colorful puppets were set up on a stage and performed almost like the marionette scene in the Sound of Music.

Painted Winter Scenes and More Near Winston-Salem © Katrena

My oldest is taking art classes in middle school, and she especially liked the painted pictures. The artists incorporated a nice variety of bright colors in winter scenes on wood, metal, and objects. Many of these would work particularly well in homes with Southern charm.

Hand Crafted & Unique Jewelry © Katrena

You can also find lots of interesting jewelry pieces here. My second oldest is particularly drawn to "bling" and the sparkling colors and interesting textures of the jewelry drew her like a magnet. You can find quite a few different styles and sizes of jewelry.

Gift Ideas for Everyone in the Family © Katrena

Many crocheted and knitted items are available, from warm scarves to detailed trivets. My youngest was enthralled by the cute little baby dolls nestled in crocheted beds. Quite a few stuffed animals rested on shelves with eager eyes as well.

Christmas Ornaments With Southern Charm © Katrena

Those who plan to put up a Christmas tree won't be disappointed with the nice selection of ornaments. We found ornaments that were shiny, sparkly, tiny, and large. Some were rather whimsical while others offered a hint of nostalgia with Southern charm.

Unusual Christmas Gift Ideas © Katrena

Some items at the shop were rather unusual, such as the demitasse cups and saucers made into night lights. My kids and I pondered for a while trying to decide how the artist made those. Those brought back memories of the times when my mom would set up tea parties with real china!

Fun & Whimsical Christmas Gifts © Katrena

Novelty items abound in the gift shop as well, with everything from large snowmen that can be seen across the room to tiny ones made to hold small pieces of candy. Penguins seemed to want to play while reindeer were ready to fly!

Roasting Marshmallows Over an Open Fire at Tanglewood Light Show © Katrena

Those who wish to brave the weather can find a large fire for roasting marshmallows. Santa is available for pictures in a large tent as well.

Fun Christmas Gifts for Everyone © Katrena

Readers may also wish to read Tanglewood Festival of Lights Christmas Show in NC to find pictures of many of the lights and tips for saving money. See the Tanglewood Park official web site for driving directions, prices, and more.

Gift Village in Tanglewood Festival of Lights © Katrena

Patriots Flag Concourse and Memorial in Salisbury City Park NC

Patriots Flag Concourse and Memorial in Salisbury

If asked what one remembers about City Park near Rowan Regional Medical Center, many would mention the lake or perhaps the many geese and ducks who make the park their home. Perhaps they might mention the popular playground loaded with a climbing wall, monkey bars, a slide, and swings. Some may think of the tennis courts or hiking trails with picnic tables along the paths. A few of us who have been around for a few years might even remember the small train that used to run through the woods.

Rowan County Veterans Memorial

As my family walked around the park in search of a hidden little play area near the intersection of North Jackson and West Miller Streets in the summer of 2012, we made a new discovery: the Patriots Flag Concourse and Memorial. This one is easy to miss – one could easily visit the park and never see this tribute. I felt compelled to return to the spot on November 11.

Veteran Memorial at City Lake Park in Salisbury NC

Reid Leonard of the Rotary Club of Salisbury, NC began with a dream, and with the help of many from the community, a fitting tribute to veterans past, present, and future became reality. The memorial heralds six flags that fly high above the concourse. The base of each flag pays tribute to to those who have served. The American flag stands tallest and is flanked by flags of the armed services including:

• Army
• Navy
• Air Force
• Marine Corps
• Coast Guard
• Merchant Marines

Veterans Memorial Near Rowan Regional Medical Center

Plaques are located throughout the flag concourse with many patriotic quotes. The words of the Pledge of Allegiance can be found here. It does include "under God." Another plaque that caught my eye were words from the Declaration of Independence that begins "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, ...." Another quote is from the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States. These are words that many have sought and fought to protect and uphold...words worth remembering. Words our children may never learn unless we step out and teach them.

Tribute to Military Branches

A sidewalk creates a circular path that leads to two large brick sculptures created by Sue Landerman of Portsmouth, Virginia. Each sculpture depicts three scenes representing each of the six branches of military service. You will find the flag raising at Iwo Jima and Old Ironsides here. You will see bombs being dropped. If you look closely, you will see small details etched within the larger pictures. Each scene is accompanied by a brief description.

Depiction of Flag Raising at Iwo Jima

You will also see many names of people who helped to make the memorial happen. Many are veterans. Others are family members of veterans or those who have been deeply touched by the sacrifices of the many men and women who have served the nation with honor. Veterans are often quick to mention that family members have a tough job holding down the home front when duty calls. They also are witness to the lives that are forever changed by military service as many veterans find that a piece of themselves remains forever on the battlefield.

As you walk around the circular sidewalk, you will find a large gazebo. When we visited on November 11, beautiful roses beckoned. The area is peaceful, serene, a nice place for quiet contemplation. A place where the kids can learn about sacrifice and some of our nation's history. A place to give thanks for blessings that most of us take for granted.

Veterans Tribute by Rotary Club

This memorial is a fitting tribute that shows great respect for those who have served, are now serving, and those who will serve in the future. The kids may love the lake, the geese, and perhaps even a picnic lunch, but you can make the outing much more significant via a walking history lesson by visiting the Patriots Flag Concourse and Memorial. Many thanks to those who made this memorial possible!

Many people faithfully serve veterans through simple, tangible, and meaningful ways, such as the Rowan County Military Guard. Readers may also wish to read Kids Can Learn a Lot About Life From Veterans and Katrena's American Flag Scavenger Hunt. Find more articles at the Travel NC With Kids site map.