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Amelia Islander - December 2021
Each season on Amelia brings its own special joys, but the Christmas season is an especially joyous time. Amelia Island really knows how to celebrate Christmas and the holidays. In addition, we have enjoyed in past Decembers highlighting the selfless work that Amelia Island residents do through organizations like Barnabas, Joy to the Children, and the many charities that channel the island’s great generosity. In the middle of all our activity in this busy season, Christmas is also a time for sharing with those in need, for reflecting on the end of another year, and for gathering to share life’s blessings with family and friends. It’s a time of year when we remember all the good things we have experienced, a time to focus on what matters most in our lives.
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As we reflect on our blessings, we are grateful, which contributes to the joy of the season. When we celebrate the holidays on Amelia Island, we can choose from countless opportunities for making merry. In our cover story, we share with you as many of them as possible, like the Amelia Island Museum of History’s Holiday Home Tour; the “Dickens on Centre” festival in downtown Fernandina Beach, which seems to add new things every year; “Breakfast with Santa” and the S.S. Amelia – the world’s largest gingerbread pirate ship – at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island; a host of great holiday events at the Omni Amelia Island Resort; plus a variety of musical and dramatic presentations for Christmas, including “An Evening in December” at Amelia Baptist Church, “Miss Bennett, Christmas at Pemberley” at Amelia Community Theatre, and a big band Christmas with Crescendo Amelia.
And that’s only the beginning. Churches and local groups are presenting plenty of Christmas concerts and plays, and our favorite shops have plenty of special holiday happenings. Get the most out of the holiday season this year! Cultivate a spirit of gratitude, spend time with those you love, give thanks to God, and share in the good cheer. Along with the happy memories we make, may a spirit of thankfulness take root in our hearts.
Also in this issue, we take a look at the renovation of the historic Lesesne House, which was recently purchased by the Saltmarsh Hospitality Group, whose other properties include the Florida House Inn; feature another in our series of “Eyes to the Skies” articles by Gail Pfoh, in which she chronicles the variety of woodpeckers in our area; present a “Fernandina Faces” profile of Joe Palmer, an Amelia Island author who is working on his second novel; prepare a well-stocked bar for the holidays; and much more.
From our families to yours, we at the Amelia Islander Magazine wish you Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and a very Happy New Year!
See you around the island!
Philip Kelly, Deana Basile Kelly Publishers and Editors
Tom Barrett Art Director
Mark O’Day Sales Manager
Contributing Writers Karen Miller, Julie Simmons, Dickie Anderson, Mandy Haynes, Teri Sopp, Betty Morrell, Michael Gass
Contributing Photographers William Raser, Sherry Carter, Stephan Leimberg, Pam Bell, Christy LeLait
CONTACT US
Sweetpea Media, Inc. P.O. Box 16624 Fernandina Beach, Fl 32035 904-277-8012 islander@ameliaislander.com www.ameliaislander.com
Amelia Islander Magazine is published monthly. All editorial contents including maps and photographs are Copyrighted 2021 Sweetpea Media, Inc. Reproduction of any material contained herein in any manner, in whole or in part, is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or other artwork cannot be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. No responsibility is assumed for unsolicited materials. The cover and the magazine’s contents are fully protected and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The Amelia Islander is distributed free of charge on and around Amelia Island. Back issues may be purchased from the publisher for $2.00 each plus postage.
