'Mommy Market' Set for Downtown Hiram Today

Shoppers can support local and "mommy-owned" businesses in Hiram this afternoon.

Dallas Walmart Hosting Toy, Coat Drive Today

The store is holding the drive to benefit The Salvation Army of Metro Atlanta.

The Salvation Army of Metro Atlanta is partnering with Walmart stores across the metro Atlanta area, including the one in Dallas, to host a “Fill the Truck” toy drive that will help provide new toys and coats to local children in need this Christmas. The event, which runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., is open to the general public who would like to donate new toys and coats to children who take part in The Salvation Army programs year-round. As they enter the store, Walmart shoppers will receive a list of suggested gifts to help fill The Salvation Army’s collection bins. Once the bins are full, The Salvation Army will distribute the gifts to local children in need. The collection is expected to provide gifts to many children this Christmas season…

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Community Spotlight: Santa to Arrive in Military Vehicle [VIDEO]

Head to the North Cobb area Friday, Dec. 7, for Santa's Arrival, and get an opportunity to write letters to service members overseas.

This week's Cobb, Douglas and Paulding Weekend & Community Spotlight features Santa's Arrival in Acworth. The streets of Historic Downtown Acworth are expected to be filled with thousands of people Friday night for Santa's Arrival, a tradition in the community for more than 10 years. Santa will arrive in a military vehicle this year, giving the children an opportunity to write letters to soldiers serving our country overseas. Bring the whole family to kick off the holiday season, and enjoy an evening of music and entertainment with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Have a great event coming up in your community? Upload it onto your Patch, then email Editor Jon Gargis at jon.gargis@patch.com, and your event could be featured in the next Weekend Spotlight…

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For Real Estate, It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

The holiday season is ringing in a renewed real estate market, says C. Mark Willix in his latest offering.

Yes friends, the holiday season is in full swing. There are presents to be wrapped, baking to be done, holiday parties filled with revelry and the joy of the season filling each heart. And even with all of the hustle of post-Black Friday events the real estate market is usually expected to be slow this time of year. While we do generally see a bit of a drop in sales, this is definitely not a slow market. 2012 has been a banner year for the market recovery. Inventory levels started off strong and then began to drop at the end of the first quarter. As I've been telling you for most of the last six months, the inventory levels are spurring rising prices. While conditions still favor buyers, sellers are seeing a strong market as well. It is my…

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Christmas Marches into Paulding [VIDEO]

We’ve found several videos shot during Hiram’s Tree Lighting event Friday and the Invitational Christmas Parade in Dallas on Saturday. We’ll be featuring the videos we found—and the photos and videos you upload—throughout the week.

The Christmas season got into full swing in Paulding over the weekend with the occurrence of two of the county’s premiere holiday events—the city of Hiram’s seventh-annual Christmas Tree Lighting event on Friday and the 20th-annual Invitational Christmas Parade in downtown Dallas on Saturday. There was plenty to see at these two events, and we’re guessing that many of you saw some of them through the viewfinder of your cameras and/or smartphones. We’d love to see the moments you captured, either in photo or video form. We’ve already found a few local videos on YouTube, and we’re starting our gallery with those. We’ll be on the lookout for your additions, and if you’re lucky, your photo or video could show up on the front page of Dallas-…

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Get Holiday Decorating Ideas in Home Tour Today

The Homes for the Holidays Tour in Cobb County begins at noon, with proceeds going toward The Foundation of Emory-Adventist Hospital at Smyrna to raise funds for new patient beds.

Christmas Parade To Coast Through Dallas Today

Paulding residents and visitors can enjoy this afternoon's Invitational Christmas Parade, but should plan to arrive early in order to secure good seating along the parade route.

Weekend Spotlight: Holiday Homes Tour [VIDEO]

Get ideas on holiday decorating by heading over to Cobb County for this weekend's Holiday Homes Tour.

This week's Cobb, Douglas and Paulding Weekend & Community Spotlight features the Homes for the Holidays Tour presented by The Foundation of Emory-Adventist Hospital at Smyrna. The event will be held from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 2. Tickets are $20 and all proceeds will benefit The Foundation of Emory-Adventist Hospital at Smyrna to raise funds for new patient beds.  Purchase tickets at www.SmyrnaCares.org or by calling 770-438-5233. Visit Patch's Event Calendar for more details. Have a great event coming up in your community? Upload it onto your Patch, then email Editor Jon Gargis at jon.gargis@patch.com, and your event could be featured in the next Weekend Spotlight on Patch sites across Cobb, Douglas and Paulding counties.

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Enjoy Georgia Christmas Light Displays on a Budget

Take a look at local light displays from individuals who just love Christmas or have a charity you may donate to in lieu of admission, and tell us who you think has the best Christmas light show.