Some groups got a jump on the season hosting parties in early December, but opportunities still abound for finishing off the year celebrating the holidays with Atlanta’s myriad multicultural and bi-national organizations.
Last Saturday saw the Barbadians and Chinese host their yearly soirees, preceded the night before by the Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Georgia’s annual La Posada gala. Earlier in the week the Swedes put on their 30th Lucia Gala, honoring a tradition that blends ancient superstitions with Christian symbolism and ends with a procession of light-bearing teens, with only one girl having been deemed worthy to wear a crown of candles and sing a traditional song.
This week in particular is packed with activity, starting the evening of Dec. 9 with the Georgia Council for International Visitors annual meeting and holiday party (for members only; join here). On Dec. 10, the Metro Atlanta Chamber will wrap up the year with its annual look-back luncheon, and later in the evening, the Japan-America Society of Georgia’s Bonenkai gala will share primetime with the Consulate General of Haiti’s staple Colors and Flavors of Haiti event (an invite-only affair).
Not enough lead time to accommodate those? Perhaps you can make it for some Christmas crackers, turkey with trimmings and Christmas pudding at the British American Business Council of Georgia’s (formerly BABG) Christmas luncheon on Friday, Dec. 11, topping the evening off with cocktails with the Belgian American Chamber of Commerce of the South.
Ready to tie off 2015 and look forward to next year? Local organizations have you covered there too. The Economist’s “The World in 2016” breakfast this week at the Four Seasons gave local leaders food for thought about what to expect across the global economy in the coming year. The German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern U.S. is doing the same — just drilling down to Germany and focusing more acutely on investment. The national chamber’s annual business outlook will be presented in New York’s Times Square on Dec. 14.
And if you just need a break from all the holiday hullaballoo, check out Laff Theory: Charles Olayinka has put together a Dec. 11 convention of standup comics and musicians with the goal of helping strengthen family relationships among African diaspora communities through the healing power of humor.
If all that isn’t enough, or if you’re too preoccupied with wrapping and decorating to do anything before Christmas, Fernbank Museum of Natural History is once again hosting its Winter Wonderland exhibition: through Jan. 10 you can see more than 30 trees decorated with lights and cultural objects tied to various countries.
Find more international events all year long at www.globalatlanta.com/events.
Did we miss something? Send notices to events@globalatlanta.com.
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