Happy Tuesday, Savannah. In today’s edition: Level IV NICU at Memorial Health, the 50th holiday tour of homes and inns, the Christmas festival, and more.

Let’s get to it — Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Local rental trends snapshot: New data showed Savannah rents edged above national apartment averages in 2025, with apartments at $1,533 a month and two-bedroom houses at $1,945, straining budgets for many residents — see how rents compare.

Oysters as classroom catalysts: Georgia’s first floating oyster farm and the ECO nonprofit are immersing Savannah-area students in coastal science, from boat tours to salinity testing and dissections, connecting lessons to identity and ecology — read the full story.

New pinnacle in newborn care: Memorial Health’s NICU earned Level IV status from AAP, the highest neonatal care level, becoming Georgia’s first Regional Perinatal Center and birthing hospital to receive Level IV neonatal designation — see what the designation means.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.

Highlights this week

• Celebrate holiday magic at Plant Riverside District
• Fulfill a child’s holiday wish list
• Tour Savannah’s holiday homes and inns
• Help maintain Savannah’s historic squares
• Enjoy holiday classics by candlelight
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%
• A tiny hearing aid is taking the US by storm

🫶 We got your back

Where patterns come alive: Coastal Heritage Society just opened a new STEAM Center at the Savannah Children’s Museum, anchored by “Numbers in Nature,” an immersive exhibit with hands-on activities and a 1,800-square-foot mirror maze you’ll actually want to get lost in. Set in a renovated 1925 railway storehouse, the indoor space adds a dedicated classroom and expands the museum’s offerings. Learn how you can help.

A global music showcase: Savannah Music Festival’s 2026 lineup is out, and tickets are on sale for March 25 to April 5, 2026. Highlights include Pat Metheny Side-Eye, Lucius, Old Crow Medicine Show’s 25th anniversary sets, and a Miles Davis at 100 tribute. Tickets start at $37, with limited VIP Weekender wristbands available through Jan. 31. Explorer Pass returns for SCCPSS families. Get ticket and lineup details.

Sweater weather pick: Savannah’s seasonal staple is Lincoln’s Gift, an oyster stout from Service Brewing Company brewed with locally harvested May River oysters for a subtly briny, silky sip that fits cool evenings. Dark-beer cozy, neighborly chatter, and a satisfying finish: this pint nails fall.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy for regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify who you are and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.

📆 Around town this week

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

This week

🎶 Holiday Songs and Stories in the Squares @ Taylor Square | Wednesday (12/10) at 1:00pm – Take a free holiday stroll that swaps shopping lines for Savannah lore, as Historic Savannah Foundation teams up with Savannah Voice Festival. Expect true stories, festive tunes from their singers, and three squares, Taylor, Lafayette, and Troup. Consider it cardio with culture, and zero cover.

⚓ A Very Maritime Holiday @ Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum | Thursday (12/11) at 5:00pm – Head to the museum for an art-meets-holiday night featuring Rob Strati’s work, Santa, plus Trae Gurley, His Merry Men, and Sam Stephens. Kids get candy, you get seasonal sips and snacks, and nobody has to host. Tickets are $30, kids 12 and under are $15.

🛍️ Holiday Sip, Shop & Spa @ The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa | Thursday (12/11) at 5:00pm – Holiday shopping stress got you plotting an escape? Take the ferry to Heavenly Spa for Sip, Shop & Spa, where mini-treatments, bubbly, and a ticket doubling as a $25 retail credit make pampering feel thrifty. Limited spots, so act faster than Santa checks his list.

🖼️ Stay Awhile: Interiors in Art @ Telfair Academy | Friday (12/12) at 10:00am – This Telfair show turns interior scenes into a slow-burn pleasure, with paintings, drawings, and photos from the permanent collection. The labels give you smart nudges, so you can be artfully nosy, swap thoughts with fellow Savannahians, or enjoy the hush, guilt-free.

🎄 Chrismas Festival @ Garden City Hall | Friday (12/12) at 6:00pm – Nothing says small-town holidays like the annual tree lighting at Garden City Hall. It is free, with train rides for the grandkids, cookies, hot cocoa, and cider, the mayor flips the switch, and Santa rolls in on a fire truck, because of course he does.

This weekend

🌳 Maintaining Our Savannah Squares @ Oglethorpe Square | Saturday (12/13) at 9:30am – Joining forces at Oglethorpe Square to spruce up our beloved squares, M.O.S.S. is rallying locals to tidy the oak-draped corners we actually use, and the ones visitors photograph. Come for the civic pride, stay for the neighborly banter, and the satisfyingly cleaner corners.

🏠 50th Holiday Tour of Homes and Inns @ Hotel Bardo | Saturday (12/13) at 10:00am – If you’ve ever wanted to snoop legally, the 50th Holiday Tour of Homes and Inns opens Savannah’s grand parlors, lush courtyards, and storied inns. Expect exquisite architecture, beautiful furnishings, and hospitality that lingers like porch breezes, the good kind, not your neighbor’s gossip.

🍪 Holiday Cookie Decorating @ Turbine Market & Cafe | Saturday (12/13) at 2:00pm – Bring the crew to Plant Riverside for cookie decorating that beats store-bought, with pastry pros showing you the ropes. Choose a session with Santa, or skip him for more hands-on, less chaos, then take home your edible art. Reservations go quick.

🎭 The Christmas Carol @ Savannah Children’s Theatre | Saturday (12/13) at 6:00pm – Catch The Savannah Children’s Theatre’s take on The Christmas Carol, a cozy, kid-powered spin on the classic. In a city already lousy with ghosts, we might as well welcome three more. Bring the family, park the shopping list, and soak up real holiday cheer.

🕯️ Ghosts of Christmas Past Candlelight Tours @ Andrew Low House | Sunday (12/14) at 5:30pm – Savannah at Christmas means more ghosts than tourists, and the Andrew Low House leans in with candlelit tours through its creaky halls. Expect costumed specters, mulled cider, and a cookie station that makes you feel brave enough to ask who keeps moving the ornaments.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/9 Songs of Silver and Snow @ The Green-Meldrim House – 6:30 pm
• 12/10 Holiday Songs and Stories in the Squares @ Taylor Square – 1 pm
• 12/11 A Very Maritime Holiday @ Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum – 5 pm
• 12/11 Andy & Mandy’s Hard Candy Christmas @ The Park at Eastern Wharf – 6 pm
• 12/12 Pageant @ Barrelhouse South – 9 pm
• 12/13 Cody Marlowe @ Over Yonder – 3 pm
• 12/13 Christmas Party 2025 @ Enmarket Arena – 7 pm
• 12/13 Silly Goose @ The Sentient Bean – 7 pm
• 12/13 Delta Circle @ Barrelhouse South – 9 pm

🏠️ This house is wild

Listed by: Joel Solomon (Century 21 Solomon Properties)

Lowcountry waterfront on Betz Creek, this 5-bed, 3-bath, 2,300-sq-ft home pairs charm with function. Hardwood floors run throughout, and the window-wrapped primary suite frames marsh and creek views. A private dock means dolphin cameos, easy paddles, and golden-hour sunsets. The plan flexes with a spacious mother-in-law suite, perfect for multi-gen living or a creative hideout.

Wilmington Island address in Savannah’s sought-after Islands area, 10 minutes to Historic Downtown and 15 to Tybee. Peace, privacy, and salt air, with convenience baked in.

Take a peek inside →