In Hernando County we do not have snow covered holidays, instead we have the opportunity to have Christmas at the beach or on the river. We are far enough north that the maple leaves turn red and many trees lose their leaves over the winter, but we do not have a Fall season with great variation of color. During winter, we get several nights when the weather drops below freezing and frost in the morning, but winter here can also include a number of beach days.
The lead up to the holidays is not as noticeable. The weeks before the holidays can feel like summer days. That is why traditions are so important for those who live here, in order to make it feel like the holidays.
In our family we have a number of traditions. Each person at the Thanksgiving table says what they are thankful for. This is an extension of the birthday tradition where everyone says a blessing to the birthday girl or boy. These expressions of thankfulness provides a means for expressing appreciation of things that are overlooked in everyday life. For instance, thanking the father that gets up early everyday to make breakfast or the mother that reads the children a bedtime story every night. These little everyday events that don’t get mentioned are some of the most important things that are done and this tradition gives a platform for recognizing these important contributions.
The holiday season is a time to enjoy family and friends. This is one of the few times that many people get to see their extended families. You have an opportunity to find out what they have done during the year and find out their plans for the next year.
When I was a younger, we had the tradition of jumping into the unheated pool on New Year’s Day to welcome in the New Year. This may have caused a number of illnesses over the years.
Other traditions revolve around food. Some families have certain dishes on the holidays. We like to make a turkey dressing that has sausage in it to go along with turkey on Thanksgiving. On Christmas Eve, we have seafood dinner. On Christmas we have lasagna. If we are traveling we might make the lasagna ahead of time, freeze it, and bring it with us so we only have to heat it up. For New Year’s Eve we celebrate with stone crab claws and Joe’s stone crab sauce.
In addition to the meals around the holidays, eggnog becomes available in the stores. There are pumpkin lattes and other seasonal favorites that also become available. It is a time to make cookies and other delicacies so that they are on hand when friends stop by.
It is starting to feel like the holidays. The smell of elaborate meals is in the air. Cars are gassed for trips and gifts are being selected for loved ones. The children are excited to see their cousins. This is what makes this time of year special.