- December 18, 2024
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Whether it's a favorite meal or a movie to watch while it’s cold out — well, in the 50s or 60s for Floridians — Longboat residents have holiday traditions that they hold dear.
Here are some stories from a few residents who shared what traditions bring the holiday spirit to them:
The Sellers have two traditions, one of which Heather Sellers said alluded to their eventual move to the island in 2019.
When Heather and Ray Sellers first joined their lives, there were lots of changes, she said, and the couple decided to start a new holiday tradition — decorating a palm tree instead of a traditional evergreen tree.
The family added ornaments from past Christmases and Heather said Ray’s daughters loved the new tradition that was started. Every year, they would look forward to decorating the palm tree.
To this day, the daughters ask for pictures of the decorated palm tree, Heather Sellers said.
“And that same tree looks right at home here on Longboat Key, more so than in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where we moved from in 2019,” Heather Sellers said.
The Sellers’ other tradition that started years ago was to dress their two greyhounds in festive outfits. This was a hit with friends and on Facebook, Heather Sellers said.
But when one of the Sellers’ Greyhounds died in 2023, Heather Sellers said the couple lost the heart to pose for the annual photo without one of their pups.
As Christmas drew closer that year, Heather Sellers said they started receiving dozens of messages asking about the photo. Their friends and family said they loved the photo and looked forward to it, but they understood the circumstances.
“Realizing these silly posts had become a tradition not just for ourselves, but for others, we had renewed spirit to dress our remaining Greyhound up and kept the tradition going.
“Sometimes, especially after loss or tough times, we may ask ourselves ‘Why should we keep doing this silly thing? Why make the effort?’ I have learned through these two instances that we bring so much joy to others, lifting our own hearts in the process. Truly, the magic of the season lies in small traditions, where healing and hope become the biggest gifts,” Heather Sellers said.
Every year since 2010, Seamon said she and a group of Longboat Key friends have gathered on a Saturday in December to celebrate the holidays.
On that day around noon, she said the group starts by watching the 1946 classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
After the first movie, the group spends the rest of that Saturday watching other holiday classics like “White Christmas," “Elf” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”
“Of course we enjoy holiday sweet treats, beverages and crock pots of chili," Seamon said.
Seamon said the group has kept the tradition alive even through the COVID-19 pandemic. During that year, she said they moved the party outside into a holiday-decorated garage area.
For some Longboat Key residents, the holiday traditions are simple.
Terri and Jeff Driver said their simple tradition is what they eat on New Year’s Day. The couple combines two traditional meals.
One is black-eyed peas and collard greens, and another is pozole. Pozole is a traditional Mexican soup or stew that’s usually made with pork.
Terri Driver said the simple traditional meals are meant to bring good luck in the new year.
