Christmas in a little beach town...

Amazing what a little tiny beach town can come up with to put one in the Christmas mood!  Since we've moved to Florida from Ohio, I've had a tough time feeling "Christmas-y", with no snow, no cold weather, no fire in the fireplace, no pinecones, no chestnuts roasting on an open fire.  Believe me, I'm okay without all those things, but just don't feel very Christmas-y.  And going to the mall doesn't help at all.  Neither does being force fed Christmas songs on the radio for six weeks.  Now, I don't want you to think I'm  "bah-humbug-y".  I really like Christmas, it just takes me a while to get up for it.  Last weekend in Flagler Beach did it!  That crowd of people in town, watching the parade and participating in it was like magic for me.   Watching Santa parachute onto the beach was the ULTIMATE!  We don't have to have fake snow, we don't have to have fake trees, we can just celebrate what we have that's real!  Sunshine, sandy beaches, friendly fun people.  Adults that dress up like turtles, with pride.....parents that help little ones march, stroll, dance, whatever, for several long miles in a never-ending parade......cheerleaders, marching bands.......Grownups riding in BEDS!.....Parrotheads in all their tropical regalia.........Churches with live nativities.  I think I'm over the hump, I've officially caught the "spirit of Christmas"!  If you missed it all I'm sorry for you, but you can check out the great photos on FlaglerLive.com, just to get a good smile going, and maybe a lump in your throat.