Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all of us here at Galloway Family Homes!

2012 has been a terrific year and we look forward to all that 2013 has to offer.

We're providing some Christmas Trivia for you to use as an icebreaker at all your different holiday gatherings over the next few days. Hope it helps!

See you in 2013!

Galloway Family Homes

Christmas Holiday Trivia  

Source: http://www.christmas-celebrations.com/trivia.htm

The word Christmas is Old English, a contraction of Christ's Mass.

The first president to decorate the white house Christmas tree in the United States was Franklin Pierce.

Germany made the first artificial Christmas trees. They were made of goose feathers and dyed green.

Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.

The first Christmas cards were vintage and invented in 1843, the Victorian Era. (You can read more about the history of Christmas Cards here.)

"It's a Wonderful Life" appears on TV more often than any other holiday movie.

Rudolph" was actually created by Montgomery Ward in the late 1930's for a holiday promotion. The rest is history.

The Nutcracker" is the most famous Christmas ballet.

Jingle Bells" was first written for Thanksgiving and then became one of the most popular Christmas songs.

If you received all of the gifts in the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," you would receive 364 gifts.

The poinsettia plant was brought into the United States from Mexico by Joel Poinsett in the early 1800's.

Holly berries are poisonous.

Contrary to common belief, poinsettia plants are non-toxic.

Mistletoe was chosen as Oklahoma's state flower in 1893 and later changed to the state floral emblem.

In 1843, "A Christmas Carol" was written by Charles Dickens in just six weeks.

The first state to recognize the Christmas holiday officially was Alabama.

Christmas became a national holiday in America on June, 26, 1870.

Christmas Baking!

It's that time of year - decorating, shopping, baking, and eating!

Here's a classic southern Christmas cookie recipe brought to us from Southern Living magazine.

Pecan Sandies

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Parchment paper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
2. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add flour, beating just until blended. Stir in pecans and vanilla.
3. Divide dough in half, and shape each portion into 2 (1 1/4-inch-thick) logs (about 12 inches long). Wrap in parchment paper, and cover and chill 1 hour or until firm.
4. Preheat oven to 325°. Cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, and place 1/2 inch apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
5. Bake at 325° for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks, and let cool completely (about 20 minutes).

Porch Decor for Christmas

At Galloway Family Homes we love our porches....this classic Southern staple provides shade, extra living space and plenty of room to decorate!

Now that we're heading into the Christmas season we'd like to share some ideas we've found for decorating those porches for the Holidays.

Take a look and share your ideas!

Simple Green and White

Subtle Rustic

Garland and Bows

Thanksgiving Tablescapes

It's almost time!

Planning for the big Thanksgiving meal? From side dishes to seating arrangements there are many things to think about.  We've provided some inspiration for table settings. Take a look!

Rustic

Bold

Simple

 Elegant

What are your Thanksgiving tablescape ideas?

Tips for New Homeowners

There is so much excitement during the process of buying a new home - looking at floorplans, picking out colors, watching the construction process, moving in, decorating!  However in the  midst of that excitement there are a few simple things you can do that will help with home maintenance in the future.  Take a moment to go through the follow steps and know that you're a little more knowledgeable about your new home!

- File all warranty booklets and instruction books for new home appliances and systems in one secure space. Label and date each package.

- Know where your breaker box is. Make sure each switch is labeled correctly.

- Find your water and electrical shut-offs. In case of an emergency, you'll want to know how to locate these quickly.

Your new home is a wonderful responsibility. Take small steps now to ensure it stays that way long after move in.

Boo at the Zoo

Looking for some frightful family fun this weekend?

Don't miss out on "Boo at the Zoo",  the annual Halloween festival at Riverbanks Zoo.

Every night through October 30th enjoy the fun from 6-9pm.

Activities include:

- Trick or treat trail
- Nightly costume parade
- Marshmallow roast
- Frankenstein's Foam Zone
- Mysterious Maze
- Mummy Dance Party

And much more!

Most nights sell out so by your tickets online HERE!

Neighborhood Spotlight - Tanner Hall

Tanner Hall is located outside of metro Charleston in Hanahan. 

This beautiful neighborhood features wooded and spacious homesites, a community pool and clubhouse, boat landing and dock and tennis courts.

Residents have easy access to I-526 and I-26.

Galloway Family homes start in the $400's.

Directions:
From I-526, take exit 19/North Rhett Avenue and then turn left onto North Rhett Avenue. Continue to Follow N. Rhett for 2.8 Miles and make a left onto Tanner Ford Blvd. turn left onto Tanner Hall Blvd.  

Sales Information:

Contact: Chris Eller
Carolina One New Homes
(843) 343-3359
CEller@CarolinaOnePlus.com

Fall Vegetable Garden

Don't hang up your gloves and shovel just yet!  

There are many cool weather vegetables that can be grown in the South Carolina Midlands and Coastal Region.

Consider the following foods with a Fall planting schedule:

- Garlic
- Onion
- Radish
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Cabbage
- Peas

Clemson University offers a wealth of information on the various planting seasons by SC region at their web site here.  Enjoy the Fall Harvest!

IOP Run

If you don't have plans for this coming Fall Saturday you may be interested in the Isle of Palms Connector Run and Walk for the Child.

This 20th annual run/walk event features a 5k and 10k race portion. All proceeds benefit the local prevention of child abuse and other child related programs.

Post race entertainment includes a complimentary Beer Garden and Live Music.

To find out more and register online visit http://www.ioprun.com/.

Last Weekend for the Tour of Homes!

Galloway Homes is pleased to be a part of Columbia's largest open house of new homes - the 2012 Tour of Homes.

This weekend is the last weekend of this 3-week event so come out and enjoy the fall weather while touring brand new homes in the Midlands.

Free plan books are available at all area Russell & Jeffcoat offices or online at ColumbiaBuilders.com.

Tour Hours are:

Saturday 11am-6pm
Sunday 1pm-6pm

So don't miss out! Come visit the last weekend of the 2012 Tour of Homes!

Autumn Decor Ideas

In honor of tomorrow being the first day of Fall, we thought we'd share some of our favorite ideas for sprucing up the exterior of your home for the changing season.

Porches are a fall decorator's dream!

How do you decorate your home for fall?

The Southern Front Porch

Galloway Family homes are built with style and functionality in mind. One staple of southern architecture that features prominently in our home designs in the front porch.  To learn a little more about this design feature that has been around for centuries, see the link below:


http://www.oldhousejournal.com/magazine/1524

Neighborhood Spotlight - Farrow Pointe

Farrow Pointe
New Home Community in Northeast Columbia

 
Community Overview:
Single-family homes in Richland County School District 2
Minutes from I-77
Close to Fort Jackson
In growing Northeast area

Directions:
From Columbia go North on I-77. Take the Farrow Road Exit. Turn Left on Farrow Road. Go approx. 1.2 Miles. Turn left into Farrow Pointe. Go Straight until Turn Right on Birchfield. Look for Capitol City Homes on Your Right.

Sales Information:
Farrow Pointe Sales (803) 386-8116

Contact: Jimmy Derrick
Coldwell Banker - United, Realtors®
(803) 354-4323
info@jimmyderrick.com

Two New Charleston Neighborhoods

The Galloway Family Homes list of neighborhoods is expanding to include Middleborough at Shadowmoss and Tanner Hall.

Middleborough at Shadowmoss is located in West Ashley. Middleborough is a golf course community located within a short distance to beaches, shopping and dining.  Homes start in the Upper $300's.

Tanner Hall is located in Hanahan and features a community pool, club house, boat landing, dock and tennis courts.. Homes start in the $400's.

For more information on these and other Galloway Family Homes neighborhoods visit our website.

Introducing Scarborough Parish

Scarborough Parish is a brand new community located in Lexington, South Carolina.

This neighborhood features a community pool and is convenient to schools as well as area shopping and dining.

Galloway Family Homes in Scarborough Parish start in the Mid $200's.

There are currently three available homes. All homes are brick with a front porch, screened porch and crawl space.

The Lexington - $279,990
The Beaufort II - $299,990
The Santee - $269,990

For more information call Jimmy Derrick at 730-1494.

See us at the Home Show!

Come by the 46th annual Carolina Classic Home and Garden Show this weekend, March 9-11th at the State Fairgrounds.

Galloway Family Homes is in the Cantey building, booth numbers 310 and 315.

They'll be over 250 exhibitors and over $11,000 in door prizes!

Admission is $6 at the gate, children 14 and under are free. Free admission with a valid military ID.

For more information visit www.ColumbiaBuilders.com!