Colors of Christmas, Fernandina Beach

The last day of November was a “shorts-wearing” day on Amelia Island, in the low 80s with a haze hugging the shore. Taking advantage of what could be the last really warm day for awhile, some people headed to the beach to take a walk or a low tide bike ride.

It was one of those days when sunglasses fog over with salt spray. While some northern places have already seen white stuff on the ground, here on Amelia Island, the white stuff covering the shoreline was sea foam, shimmering in the sunlight.

Black skimmers and Royal terns congregated near the Fort Clinch pier at the northern tip of Amelia Island. It appears to be one of their favorite places to hang out. (They can be observed at this spot frequently, and are usually accompanied by a few sandpipers and sanderlings.)

What a difference a day makes. Winter weather showed its face today, ushering in December. Islanders woke to nippy temperatures. Within 12 hours, temps dropped about 25 degrees and tonight’s low is expected to hit 33.

Those who drove along Jasmine Street today between the north and south sides of Egans Greenway may have blinked. At first sight, it appeared snow flurries were floating in the air. The abundant salt bush of the Greenway, seasonally covered with white fluffy seeds, only needed a stiff breeze to take flight across the coastal landscape.

The colors of Christmas can be seen in Fernandina Beach, from red bows and poinsettias to white lights twinkling along historic Centre Street. Green garland and wreaths welcome folks at doorways and neighborhood entrances. Christmas trees are topping cars, heading home for decorating. Many tents with their fresh cut trees have sprouted up in parking lots. Some sell trees as fundraisers, like the Boy Scouts and church groups.

Now, with the colder temps, it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. Although when December 25th arrives, it’s kind of like that box of chocolates — “you never know what you’re gonna get” weather-wise. Maybe it will be a mild 75 degrees or a cool 45, here on Amelia Island, Florida.

Community Christmas trees are up and lit, including the city of Fernandina’s bow-trimmed tree by the harbor. The luxury resorts — Amelia Island’s Ritz-Carlton and Omni Amelia Island Plantation — have added to the seaside glow with their dazzling trees at the beachfront.

Holiday décor and lights also glow from Fernandina’s historic bed and breakfast inns downtown and across the island two miles to beachfront homes and cottages. Even horse-drawn carriages that roll through Fernandina’s historic streets are accented with twinkling lights during the holiday season.

Holiday celebrations and events that already began around Thanksgiving continue into December on this sea island in northeast Florida (also read article covering events “December’s Annual Holiday Traditions Fernandina Beach.”) Historic district shop keepers have decorated the front windows, welcoming holiday shoppers who browse from the sidewalk. The lamp posts along Centre Street are wearing their holiday wreaths.

When the air turns colder on Amelia Island, the fireplaces once again get some use. Just step outside on a cold evening to a scent of burning wood wafting on the sea breeze from chimneys around town. In the morning, the chill in the air seems to make coffee taste even better. Sweaters are retrieved from their tucked-away resting places here at the beach.

While residents and visitors add a layer of clothing during Amelia’s cooler months, the holiday season is a time when another layer of quaintness veils this historic sea island like a vintage lace shawl.

Southern charm and holiday trimmings will greet folks through New Year’s Day on Amelia Island. “Seasons Greetings!”