FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 23, 2002, 8:30 p.m.

We Put the 'Ho' in Holiday

BARNES PLACE (ATLANTA, GEORGIA) - "We put the 'Ho' in 'Holiday,'" said Director of Ambiance and Entertainment Timothy State, who announced this week the 10th Annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony and Canned Food Drive at Barnes Place. The Ceremony, themed "Holiday of Ho's" will take place on Saturday, December 7, 2002. Cocktails and hors devours will begin at 7:05 p.m. with the actual lighting ceremony beginning at 8:05 p.m.

It's been 10 years since Liz Mobarak, 1988 Dixon Petunia Festival Queen, plugged two extension cords together illuminating one strand of chasing lights, lighting the Holy Cow, and officially proclaiming the holidays begun. A crowd of 30, gathered around the video fireplace, witnessed the event in a dorm room at Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois. Through the years, the Ceremony has transformed and grown. Today, more than 5,000 lights are illuminated, using the same low-budget technology and the same holiday soundtrack as was used in Blackstone Hall a decade ago.

"I think the Ceremony has survived through the years," said State, "because the Ceremony is based on strong values. We've been able to create a space. A time. An essence, where people come together. And in that moment, they share something wonderful. Something spectacular. Can you feel the love?"

Back in '92, State and his roommate Jeff Johnson recognized that college students often fail to celebrate the holiday season with each other. "At that time, our focus was on finals, and then twenty minutes after our last exam, we were headed to the airport," said State. So the two decided to host a Christmas Open House in their dorm room-to kick off the holiday season.

"It was the height of political correctness. Everything had hyphens. You couldn't be who you were at the risk of offending another. You couldn't call anything by what it really was, so we stripped the Christmas out of the event. With Jesus and his friends out of the way, we were able to focus on what was really important-the very core of the holiday season: taking time to give, to say, 'thank you,' to say, 'I love you,'" recalled State.

And so, for one night, for a few hours, everyone State and Johnson knew stopped by Room 211 to share a space, a time, an essence void of holiday symbolism. The guests sat, gazing into the video fireplace, sipping Mom State's Homemade Hot Chocolate, nibbling on a tray of cookies slipped through the window of the cafeteria, and thought about what was important: you don't need trees to celebrate Christmas. Or candles to celebrate Chanukah. Or even those crazy robe things for Kwanzaa. And you don't need-well, maybe you do need a spell for Winter Solstice, we're not sure. But at the very basic level, what you do need is each other. And not just that day, but every day.
"The Ceremony has become a moment to think about this one thought," said State, "and value it and celebrate it. We hope our guests take that seriously."

"And that's what it really was about," said State. "That's what it's still about. And in the process, we're gonna have a Ho' lot of fun."

For more information or to RSVP, please direct your web browser to http://www.barnesplace.com/events/hlc2002/. Guests are encouraged to bring canned goods for the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

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