Around the holiday season, there are two kinds of people in Fort Lauderdale. There’s Publix eggnog people, and there’s Winn-Dixie eggnog people. (There used to be three kinds of people, but to find Farm Stores eggnog these days, you’ve got to go to some really weird, out-of-the way places. No offense, Cooper City.)
This is an editor’s note and not a grocery store ad, so I’m not going to tell you what manner of eggnog is favored in the Petersen house. I will say that in this festive season, it is important to approach others in a spirit of brotherhood and kindness, even if they’re foolish enough to drink the wrong kind of eggnog. Peace on earth and all that.
And anyway, there’s more than one way to do festive cheer. In fact, this month’s issue offers all the different ways of achieving peak festive cheer that anybody could possibly need. Our festive roundup includes jazz, movies and drag shows. It’s got train rides, car rides, ice skating and three different Nutcrackers. There’s even an opportunity to go jogging – in a festive manner, of course.
We also asked several prominent local people to share thoughts on the season with us. One of them is Joe Cox, president and CEO of the Museum of Science and Discovery. He shares both memories of boyhood Christmases in 1980s England, and hopes for new traditions he might help start here. One in particular sounds fantastic – MODS is partnering with Brightline for a train journey based on the popular book and film The Polar Express. You can read all about it in our roundup. Suffice to say, our new train company and our children’s science museum are teaming up to create what could be a wonderful new holiday tradition.
However, if Christmas films have taught us nothing else, they’ve taught us that just because we get a shiny new toy, it doesn’t mean we should abandon a loyal old favorite. So spare a thought for loyal and true Tri-Rail, which is having its own festive “Winter Wonderland” on December 8.
I love reading the roundup because it illustrates the depth and diversity of the season in Fort Lauderdale. There’s our most famous and unique night, the boat parade. There’s the festive goings-on at our trinity of historic buildings, the New River Inn, Stranahan House and Bonnet House. And from Parker Playhouse to the Broward Center to the Dillard Center for the Arts, there’s more festive music and entertainment than you can shake a candy cane at.
Whether you’re new to the area or just looking for a new way to celebrate this year, I hope the roundup’s useful to you as a way to find new seasonal traditions.
Honestly, if you want to, you can go out and be festive just about every night in December. Of course it’s also possible to stay at home, put on one of the seasonal TV favorites, and pour yourself a glass of your eggnog of choice.
Also, on that subject, if you’re heading out to Cooper City, let me know. I’d like to put in an order.
