The Andalusia City Council last week approved plans and expenses for the 2022 Christmas in Candyland that the addition of a second train for Santa and friends, a cocoa ball pit, and more snow than ever.

Chamber Executive Director Laura Wells pitched the plans to the council in two separate meetings and said the Chamber plans to repurpose the original train engine purchased for Candyland. That engine proved not strong enough to pull all of the cars added to the train ride and was replaced with a stronger train engine. The Chamber is adding a “Santa’s sleigh” car to the original train engine, which will be used to parade Santa, Elsa, and other characters into Candyland.

This year, the Chamber will work with Meredith’s Miracles, which will provide characters to perform shows each weekend, Wells said.

The plan also includes a new Cocoa Ball Pit, an attraction for younger children. The large cup of “cocoa,” which is about 2 feet tall, will be filled with balls reminiscent of ball playgrounds at fast food restaurants and will look like a huge cup of cocoa. The cup handle will be a slide.

The Chamber also plans to replace the tubes of the Polar Bear Slide, add snow to the slide and to the skating rink, and add digital signage.

The council approved a budget of $101,894, much of which will be offset with sponsorships.

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Most homeowners consider a primary bath as their sanctuary, and this has become even more important with extended time at home. Home buyers also are showing a desire for high-end, hotel-like bathrooms to create a relaxing retreat. 

Spicy One-Skillet Lasagna

Use spicy Italian sausage to add a kick to your next lasagna dinner. This hearty dish feeds up to eight people, but you might want to invite fewer to dinner — you'll be quite happy if you can enjoy leftovers the next day!