Full Moon Caroling Hike and Party in Decatur

IN A NUTSHELL:  Calling AOC carolers!  Clear skies, a big full moon and not-so-cold outdoor temperatures (mid- to high-40s) are expected this Monday night.  Please join us for this heartwarming outing in an upscale neighborhood in Decatur!.  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 - there's just a $10 cash fee for all you can eat & drink.
 The big fun event is organized annually by my friends in the "Atlanta Moonlite H4" chapter of the "Hash House Harriers." I've enjoyed being a part of it for the past 9 or 10 years and helping keep our 40 or so carolers more-or-less "on key" with my guitar.  Songbooks are provided for everyone, 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: the "Tacky Lights Caroling Tour".

WHEN and WHERE?  We'll gather at 7:00 PM Monday evening in the free parking lot on the north side of the East Lake MARTA Station. (See more details and Lat/Lon coordinates in "Directions" below.)  While there we'll introduce one another and each of us will be asked to pay the $10 cash food & refreshments fee to the Moonlite H4 "hash cash" volunteer.  Our caroling walking tour will begin from there at about 7:25.  After our festive "after-party" we'll expect to return to that MARTA lot together on foot by about 10:30 PM (or if you prefer you can "split" earlier on your own).

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.

DON'T FORGET TO BRING $10 in CASH for YOUR SHARE of the PIZZA & REFRESHMENTS.  No funds are collected by the AOC for this event, but when we gather at the MARTA station each of us needs to chip in to the Moonlite H4 registration volunteer for our fair share of the bountiful pizza, misc. snacks and refreshments - our reward at the "after-party" for warming the hearts of the families and their kids along this caroling walk.

FOR the OFFICIAL MOONLITE H4 article about the TACKY LIGHTS CAROLING TOUR click on this link: http://moonlite.atlantahash.com/

For links to the many other House House Harrier groups in Georgia go also to:  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 East Lake MARTA Station Parking Lot - about 1 mile west of downtown Decatur.   If you ride MARTA trains to get there this is the 5th station east of the Five Points downtown transfer station, on the East-West line.  We'll gather on the north side of the station just west of the junction of East Lake Drive and W. Howard Avenue.  For a zoomable map or satellite view of that meetup spot click the blue & green rectangular "Location" icon near the top of this article.

LAT/LON COORDINATES of PARKING LOT MEETUP SPOT:  33.76600,-84.31317  These may be useful as your entered destination for GPS or Google Maps in conjunction with the following verbal directions.

DIRECTIONS from “SPAGHETTI JCN” to EAST LAKE MARTA STATION “NORTH” PARKING LOT:  Suggestion: Rezero your odometer at each numbered turn and pay close attention to mileages given and driven.

1.  From the “Spaghetti Jcn” I-285/I-85 Interchange in NE metro Atlanta take I-285eastward & southward (toward Augusta) for about 4.5 miles.
2.  Get off I-285 at Exit #39A to merge onto US-78 W(a.k.a. Scott Blvd) toward Decatur & Atlanta and go 5.0 miles to “E Parkwood Rd” on your left (which is 1 block BEFORE the traffic light at Ponce de Leon Ave).
3. Bear Left onto E Parkwood Rd and take it southward 0.3 mile to the 2nd right (avoiding the 1^st right at Ponce de Leon).
4. Turn Right (at that 2^nd rt) and go just 200 ft to W. Parkwood Rd.
5. Turn Left onto W Parkwood Rd and go 0.3 mile to East Lake Drive.
6. Turn Left onto East Lake Dr and go less than 0.1 mile to Paden Circle.
7. Turn Right onto Paden Circle (before you reach W Howard Ave) and follow the signs into the large free MARTA Parking Lot.  Look for our “Moonlight AH4” caroling hosts wearing brightly colored outfits.

Each participant 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.