In 2015, we decided to celebrate Christmas in a non-traditional way — at the beach, specifically Hilton Head — to alleviate all of us from having to host the group in our own homes. We all wanted a break. It was a wonderfully relaxing time, and we all realized that Christmas could be celebrated differently. A new holiday level unlocked for our little group, so when I suggested to Mom and Becky that we should go to the beach this year, they agreed without hesitation. Off we went to the Emerald Coast.
We arrived on Dec. 22 in time for sunset.
The house we rented was closest to Blue Mountain Beach, but we poked around Grayton Beach, Watercolor, and Seaside too. (You can really get around on a golf cart!)
The weather was lovely, minus late-Christmas Eve and early Christmas Day, and the temps hovered around the upper 60s. No one was swimming in the ocean, but we’re long past having little boys who want to brave those waters.
Now, the beach is all about finding a moment of peace, watching the sunset, and listening to the waves crash.
We kept everything simple with a few grocery runs and eating whatever was local and open. We put together puzzles, watched a lot of football, and played nightly rounds of Among Us, a game that I am not well-suited for if I’m chosen as the Imposter.
There wasn’t any major gift-giving either, minus the things we could stash in stockings. Despite being only eight of us, we hung all ten stockings.
Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with a phantom virus for a month (testing negative for flu, covid, RSV, and strep), so I didn’t feel especially well. BUT, sitting on the beach was a salve to my soul. I hadn’t seen the ocean since June 2021, when we went to Costa Rica, so I’d been craving it for a while. Despite feeling poorly, I’m so glad we went.
And then, the night after we came back home, we had the most beautiful sunset. Over and over again, I am filled with gratitude for where we live.
