SOUTHERNNESS has a long tradition of celebrating Southern Original Humor and History. We cherish the gift of laughter from Mark Twain to Andy Griffith and the freshest, Southern wit today. My family owned the 1876 newspaper formed by "The Alabama Tribune" and the English-language publication, "Southern Immigrant." Southernness is proudly created for Southerners by Southerners.

HISSY FIT is a new, Southernness Original Candle with free, fresh, original Ben South humor Big Dixie's Hissy Fit, inspired by Southern original wit, Tallulah Bankhead. And, our original, HISSY FIT cocktail recipe in the Southernness Cafe for you to make a home. (Entertaining suggestion: Pitch a "HISSY FIT PARTY" with candles, cocktails and someone reading or ranting "Big Dixie's Hissy Fit").

We honor our newspaper heritage by publishing "Ben South Southernness Daily" news, FREE on Facebook. Y'all come join us for some fresh, Southernness fun every day.

The Southernness Gift Shop continues our celebration of Southern Originals including items inspired by another part of my family who established a Southern fragrance and flavorings shop in the 1930s. Celebrate Southern pride with originals from the "Southernness Vintage Collection" and new exclusives from the "Southernness Round Label Classics Collection."

THE SOUTHERN HUMOR HIGHWAY--In 2012, Southernness is creating a roadmap linking all the great, Southern humorists, comedy venues and wittiest historical moments from down South. Look to us for humor highlights like these: world-class wit, Oscar Wilde, killed in Montgomery, Alabama on June 29, 1882; and 2012 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Cousin Minnie Pearl in Centerville, Tennessee. Just last year, one of Southernness favorite, new comedians, Christopher Davis (all smiles in our Tee Shirt Gallery), hosted a national, landmark venue for Muslim comics in Birmingham. You'll find these and many more fun examples of celebrated, Southern wit as Southernness welcomes y'all on "The Southern Humor Highway" in 2012.

Help yourself to a fresh cup of Southernness Original Pecan Coffee and celebrate with us every day with fresh news from "Southernness Daily." Come on in. Live. Laugh.

Love y'all,

Ben South