Tradition
with a Twist
WATERMARK’S ANNUAL HOLIDAY GUIDE HELPS
YOU BLEND TRADITIONS BOTH OLD AND NEW
JEREMY W I L L I A M S
The temperatures outside have fallen to a crisp 82 degrees, the
snowbirds have started their New England migration and we are near
the end of hurricane season. That’s right; it’s time for the holidays in
Central Florida and Tampa Bay. As the great Bill Murray once put it:
This is that magical time of year when we all act a little nicer, we smile a little
easier and we share a little more.
The holidays have always been
a huge deal in my family, starting
with Thanksgiving and fi nishing on
Three Kings Day. On Thanksgiving,
the house was fi lled with the aromas
of the holiday’s traditional foods and
Italian dishes blending together to
create what would become the smell
that is most familiar to me as home.
The early morning sounds of the Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day Parade on the
television would eventually give way to
the sounds of relatives trying to talk
over each other.
That led into Dec. 6, a big one every
season in our family as it was dad’s
birthday and the day we would put up
the Christmas tree. Each year, us kids
would gather with mom in the living
room as dad brought in a real tree. Then
he would tell us a Christmas story. His
stories were usually holiday classics with
a personal twist added to them. Then
mom would decorate the tree.
On Christmas Eve we were allowed
to open one gift, which was usually
pajamas, then off to bed before Santa
came. Our parents were as excited to
see us open our gifts as we were. They
would burst into our rooms around 4
a.m. shouting “Santa came!”
Christmas was a lot like
Thanksgiving. It had the same aromas
of traditional and Italian foods, and the
same sounds of relatives trying to talk
over each other. Three Kings Day was
the day mom took down the tree and
dad took down the lights.
That was my traditional holiday
season, and that is what we have tried
to do this year in Watermark’s annual
Holiday Guide.
In these pages, we add a little fl air
to some common holiday traditions. We
asked local chefs to share traditional
holiday recipes and offer a few tips
on how to make it healthier for those
watching their waistline. We also
gathered up holiday events to help
you make this the best holiday season
ever and maybe start a few traditions
of your own.
We hope you have a happy
holiday season.
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