It’s snowing here at wordpress.com. It’s probably the most snow I’ll see all winter. In South Carolina we rarely see snowflakes, and when we do it almost never sticks to the ground. In the six years I’ve lived here in Charleston we’ve had one snowfall that was measurable. There was a snowman in every yard that morning.
Vickery's
Even without the snow, Christmas is a magical time of year here. It’s warm so people are out and about, enjoying the weather and their time off. These are some of my favorite things about Christmas in Charleston.
James Island County Park offers one of the best light displays in the country, called the Holiday Festival of Lights. They have a 3-mile loop set up with thousands of lights in the form of everything from a candle stick to replicas of the old and new bridge over the Cooper River. Cars line up and crawl bumper-to-bumper through the park to enjoy the lights, the music, the activities, shops, and a visit with Santa.
Speaking of lights, it seems like there are more houses with lights on here than anywhere else I’ve lived. The restaurants and businesses around town hang lights as well. There’s something special about a palm tree and Christmas lights. Last night we enjoyed the lights and palm trees on the deck at Vickery’s on Shem Creek.
Maybe it’s because I’m older or maybe it’s because there’s a bigger push nationally now than in the past, but Toys for Tots seems to play a larger part of Christmas here than other places I’ve lived. Nearly every school, store, and office is a collection site, and nearly every box is full.
And finally, one of my favorite things to do in the South this time of year is go to oyster roasts. Thankfully, oyster roasts continue on until April – but they start in the fall and they make a great Christmas party. The act of eating oysters provide a unique opportunity to gather and bond with complete strangers. It’s an event that pulls folks together like none other.
In these final days of the Christmas rush, Merry Christmas to you and yours. I hope you’ll get a few minutes to stop and reflect on what made 2011 a year you’ll never forget. Thank you for reading the words I write and for supporting my business. May you have the best year of your life in 2012.
