Knox County Public Library is officially open 177.5 more hours each week, including many more hours in the evening and on Saturdays—and that's a great reason to be a merry this season! Even better, the Library is ringing in the holidays with style this year, hosting over 60 fun and free programs across the county designed to make the holidays a little brighter.

Check out holiday workshops that will help you take a better family picture, decorate the cutest cookies in town, and make your presents the fanciest under the tree (on a budget!). You can stop by one of the many open houses, hum along with one of Knox County's choirs singing carols (there's even some madrigals), sit in on one of our special holiday storytimes, listen to the Tennessee Stage Company reading classic Christmas stories, help spin the dreidel at a Chanukah program, and even stop and visit with Santa. There's never been more to do at the Library this holiday season—and now there's even more time to enjoy the programs and browse the stacks at any library location.

Holiday Open Houses
December 4, 11-3 p.m. at the East Tennessee History Center
December 9, 3-4:30 p.m. at Murphy Branch
December 16, 4 p.m. at Mascot Branch
December 23, all day at Cedar Bluff Branch

Santa Sightings (bring a camera!)
December 6, 3 p.m. at Halls Branch
December 6, 6 p.m. at Bearden Branch
December 8, 4 p.m. at Karns Branch
December 9, 3 p.m. at Murphy Branch
December 9, 6 p.m. at Cedar Bluff Branch
December 13, 6 p.m. at Powell Branch
December 15, 3 p.m. at Carter Branch
December 16, 5:30 p.m. at Burlington Branch
December 22, 11 a.m. at Lawson McGhee Library

Crafts of all Kinds
December 6, 4-5:30 p.m. at Bearden Branch
December 6, 6 p.m. at Sequoyah Branch
December 7, 6 p.m. at Carter Branch Library
December 13, 6 p.m. at Sequoyah Branch
December 14, 1-2:30 p.m. at Bearden Branch
December 14, 6 p.m. at Carter Branch
December 15, 11 a.m. at Karns Branch
December 18, 10:30 a.m. at Powell Branch
December 22, 2 p.m. at Sequoyah Branch

Caroling at the Library
December 9, 4:30 p.m. at Cedar Bluff Branch
December 13, 6 p.m. at Halls Branch
December 13, 7 p.m. at Powell Branch
December 14, 12:30 p.m. at Karns Branch
December 14, 1:30 p.m. at Lawson McGhee Library
December 15, 6 p.m. at Lawson McGhee Library

Chanukah at the Library: Celebrate Chanukah with books, music, crafts, and fun.
December 2, 6 p.m. at Bearden Branch
December 7, 4 p.m. at Cedar Bluff Branch
December 15, 11 a.m. at Lawson McGhee Library

Holiday Photos 101: Learn easy tips on making the most of your digital camera photos, and make a holiday craft with a favorite image! Bring a printed photo with you that you can cut down to 3" x 3". Call 215-8769 to reserve a spot. Ages 10 & up.
December 1, 6 p.m. at Lawson McGhee Library
December 2, 6 p.m. at Fountain City Branch
December 6, 6 p.m. at Cedar Bluff Branch

Frugal but Fancy Gift Wrapping Workshop
December 4, 10:30 a.m. at Lawson McGhee Library
December 7, 6 p.m. at Cedar Bluff Branch
December 9, 6 p.m. at Fountain City Branch
December 11, 10:30 a.m. at Powell Branch

Health Bites: Healthy Holiday Eating
December 2, 12 p.m. at Powell Branch
December 16, 12 p.m. at Cedar Bluff Branch

Merry Movies at Burlington Branch
Scrooged, December 2, 6 p.m.
Mickey's Christmas Carol, December 4, 2 p.m.
A Christmas Story, December 9, 6 p.m.

A Smorgasbord of Christmas Stories: Join actors from the Tennessee Stage Company for dramatic readings of excerpts from your favorite Christmas stories.

December 8, 6 p.m. at Lawson McGhee Library December 11, 11 a.m. at Bearden Branch

Evan Carawan & Co: Join us as one of the foremost hammered dulcimer player rings in the season. You never know who will join him! December 5, 2 p.m. at Lawson McGhee Library

The History of Santa: A Lunch and Learn
December 13, 12 p.m. at the East Tennessee History Center

Merry Mary, the Library Elf: All the classic Christmas stories as well as games and holiday refreshments
December 13, 7 p.m. at Bearden Branch

Deck the Gocks!: Deck your very own holiday gock (goth sock puppet). Hot glue, fun fur--it doesn't get much cozier than that, but hot chocolate and snacks will make it even better. For ages 12-17.
December 20, 4 p.m. at Fountain City Branch

Santa Cures a Cold: a Puppet Show December 21, 4 p.m. at Farragut Branch Library

Hand-Drawn Christmas Card Exhibit at the Museum of East Tennessee History
All month long

Hand-drawn Christmas cards designed by H.P. Ijams and themed to historic events of his day (the Great Depression, for instance, features a skinny Santa) will be featured in an exhibit that also focuses on his other interests, such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and ornithology

December programming is made possible through the generous support from Friends of the Knox County Public Library.