Monday Night Caroling Hike and optional After-Party!

IN A NUTSHELL:  Calling AOC carolers!  Not-so-cold temperatures in the high 40s are expected this Monday evening.  Celebrate Christmas and the week of the Winter Solstice by joining us for this heartwarming outing in an upscale neighborhood in NE Atlanta!  We'll walk to the front yards of about 15 well-decorated homes, ring the doorbells, and politely sing a wide variety of popular holiday songs based on the kids' and other occupants' requests. (A few examples:  Winter Wonderland, Sleigh Ride, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, White Christmas and Feliz Navidad.)  Afterward we'll enjoy a festive party at the home of one of our carolers, with lots of hot pizza and a nice variety of liquid refreshments and usually a warm backyard bonfire!  If you'd like to stick around for this option there's a $10 cash fee payable to the "Hash Cash" volunteer - otherwise there's no charge for joining us.
 This big fun event is organized annually by my friends in the "Atlanta Moonlite H4" chapter of the "Hash House Harriers." I've enjoyed helping lead this "Tacky Lights Caroling Tour" for the past 10 or 12 years and helping keep our 40 or so carolers more-or-less "on key" with my guitar.  Song booklets are provided for everyone to share, and there's no requirement that you sing well or at all - just that you get into the cheerful spirit of the season!  We each wear whatever we like, but with emphasis on bright "holiday" colors in our garments and "tacky" pin-on lights that blink - hence the event's name.

WHEN and WHERE?  We'll gather at 7:00 PM Monday evening in the free parking lot of Vista Grove Shopping Center, at 240 LaVista Rd, just 1 block east of the traffic light at Oak Grove Rd. (See detailed Directions below and Lat/Lon coordinates to enter if you like as your GPS or Maps.Google.com destination.)  After greeting everyone we'll depart on foot together for an hour or two of caroling followed by the festive optional "after-party."  Feel free to "split" from the caroling or from the party as early as you like, and we can easily direct you back to your car.  I expect to depart from the party by about 10:30 toward Vista Grove and you're welcome to walk with me.

ABOUT the "MOONLITE H4" HASH HOUSE HARRIERS:  No jogging is required on the Monday night of this "Tacky Lights" caroling (only leisurely walking!) but we'll enjoy the harriers' usual festive party afterward with plenty of refreshments - also in this case lots of hot fresh pizza!  On virtually every OTHER Monday evening throughout the year this loosely organized club sponsors a fun jogging event called a "hash," with typically about 25 joggers (a.k.a. "harriers" or "hashers") helping one another follow the trail of a volunteer "hare." The trail is typically "laid" by the hare an hour or two before the event and consists of occasional baking flour splotches along wooded trails, sidewalks, etc.  The reward for the harriers successfully following the hare to the end of the trail is a big stash of refreshments and an after-jog party!  Newcomers, be forewarned!  The Hash House Harriers are not known for their strict adherence to social norms, so be prepared (at our after-party) for some bawdy singing, a few "R-rated" hasher nicknames, and the possibility of being asked to participate in the "ritualistic chugging" of a small cup of cold beer - or soft drink if you prefer!

FOR MORE on the MOONLITE H4 and other GA HASH HOUSE HOUSE HARRIER GROUPS and UPCOMING EVENTS click this link:  http://www.OnIn.com/hhh/#georgia_hashes

For more on the history, culture and worldwide popularity of the sport of "Hashing" go to:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_House_Harriers

THE "START LOCATION" for the Tacky Light Caroling Tour this year will be the FREE parking lot of the small Vista Grove Shopping Center, near "Sprig Restaurant" at 2860 LaVista Rd, Decatur, GA 30033.  For a zoomable map or satellite view of that meetup spot click the blue & green rectangular "Location" icon near the top of this article.

FROM I-85 CLAIRMONT RD EXIT (Exit #91) in NE Atlanta to our 7PM Meetup Spot:

1. From I-85 Exit #91 (GA-23, "Clairmont Rd") take Clairmont Road toward Decatur (south & slightly east) about 1.6 miles to the traffic light at LaVista Road.

2. Turn Left onto LaVista and go eastward 0.9 mile (THROUGH the next traffic light at Oak Grove Rd) to the small Vista Grove shopping center on your Left (at 2868 LaVista Rd).  Look for the green & white striped roofs and park near the Subway and "Sprig" restaurants on the east end of the shopping center.

3. Simply look for other gaudily dressed carolers and please try to be on time, allowing for traffic.

APPROX. LAT/LON COORDINATES of the spot where we'll meet: (You GPS or Google.com/maps users may wish to augment the above verbal directions by entering these map coordinates as your destination.)

  33.82543,-84.28951

Each participant who wishes to stick around for the festive "After Party" simply pays $10 in cash to the "Moonlite AH4" registrar in the meetup parking lot and gives him or her your name.  No advance guarantee of your participation is expected by the Hash House Harriers, but if you find that you can't join us after all please cancel your AOC registration since we may have a wait list.