The holiday season is here, and Mexico Beach is getting into a festive Christmas spirit. Our annual Christmas Tree Lighting took place on Sunday, December 3, at Parker Park. It was a winter wonderland full of lights, cookies, and merry smiles. Thanks to some wonderful elves, the event was spectacular— Santa even made his appearance to meet with all the children (and some adults). This year’s tree lighter was longtime resident Ms. Carol Dow. Many might remember Carol from her days as one of the proprietors of the Fish House Restaurant. She is also actively involved in the community and volunteers for the Gumbo Cook-Off, Samaritan’s Purse, First Baptist Church’s Operation Shoe Box, and many more events in and around our little town. We were delighted to honor Ms. Carol for her spirit and involvement. We hope you’ll be able to visit the beach this holiday season!
And the Winner Is. . .
Up for grabs last month was a 2024 Mexico Beach Calendar, and the lucky winner is Neal B. from South Pasadena, Florida. Congrats, Neal!
DECEMBER GIVEAWAY
This month’s giveaway is a jar of Simmerin’ Sauce, compliments of Killer Seafood. With a unique atmosphere and unrivaled view of the Gulf, Killer Seafood serves fresh food, including fish tacos, fried and grilled seafood and shrimp, and world-famous Killer Seafood Simmerin’ Sauce! To place your name in the hat, send an email to Kathy at [email protected].
Meet Mexico Beach
This month, we’d like to introduce you to a new community spot, the Mexico Beach Native Wildflower Garden. This recently planted garden is located at Under the Palms Park on 5th Street. Resident Mary Gessert and other dedicated volunteers from Mexico Beach and the Port St. Joe Garden Club obtained a grant from the Florida Wildflower Foundation. Thanks to this grant and others, they have established the garden for the enjoyment of our residents and visitors. It’s a wonderful addition that will be enjoyed by everyone. To learn more or to join the Garden Club, Facebook.com/portstjoegardenclub.
Farmers & Craft Market
December 9 & 23
Come spend the morning at the Mexico Beach Farmers & Craft Market at Parker Park, located at 2500 Highway 98. Vendors will include produce, fresh jellies, one-of-a-kind crafts, and much more. Market hours have been adjusted for the fall/winter months and will take place from 8:00 a.m. until Noon. Each market is sure to feature new vendors, so be sure to come every time. If you’d like to be a vendor, sign up now. Space is limited, so don’t wait! This market is put on by the Special Events for Mexico Beach, Inc.
Holiday family movie night in Under the Palms Park is back! Everyone is invited to enjoy this free movie night on Friday, December 15. Bring your blankets and chairs and be ready to enjoy the featured movie, “The Grinch” starring Jim Carrey, starting at 6:00 p.m. There will be complimentary hot dogs, hot chocolate, popcorn, and drinks. Come see if the Grinch takes Christmas or if his heart will grow to love the holiday. This event is presented by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
Ladle up, because the Special Events for Mexico Beach, Inc.’s beloved Gumbo Cook-Off is returning. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, February 17, 2024. Gumbo will be served at 10:00 a.m. and run until it’s all gone. Once again, proud chefs will compete for Best Gumbo and Best Brunswick Stew, coveted bragging rights, and cash prizes. If you think you have the best recipe, applications will be available soon, so check back. All proceeds from this event go toward the Best Blast on the Beach July 4th festivities.
Mexico Beach is a Leave No Trace community, and we appreciate your assistance in helping us keep our beaches clean. Any items left on the beach unattended from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. will be removed and disposed of by the City of Mexico Beach. Items include, but are not limited to, tents and tent frames, beach chairs, coolers, umbrellas, toys, etc. Also, please fill in any holes before you leave and please remain off the sand dunes and out of the sea oats to ensure their continued nourishment. There are boardwalks and walking paths that can be accessed to reach the beach. Your assistance with these requests will keep our beaches beautiful and pristine. For full details on this ordinance or questions, click here or contact City Hall at (850) 648-5700.
Blue Crab Deviled Eggs
This is a great side dish for all those holiday parties. We publish it with the compliments of the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association Cookbook (mbara.org).
INGREDIENTS
12 eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
6 oz. lump crabmeat
DIRECTIONS
Place eggs in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring water to a boil and remove the saucepan from heat. Let eggs stand in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and peel. Cut the eggs in half, lengthwise, and remove the yolks. In a bowl, mash the yolks and mix in the mayonnaise, paprika, mustard powder, and Old Bay seasoning. Mix well. Fold in the crabmeat. Spoon the mixture evenly into the hollowed egg white halves. Chill at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!
Wisdom from Yogi
One of the greatest baseball players and members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Yogi Berra, has some memorable words of wisdom. Here are some of his most famous quotes:
It ain’t over until it’s over.
It’s like déjà vu all over again.
Never answer an anonymous letter.
The future ain’t what it used to be.
The towels were so thick there, I could hardly close my suitcase.
Why buy good luggage? You only use it when you travel.
You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.
I never said most of the things I said.
You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going because you might not get there.
It was impossible to get a conversation going; everybody was talking too much.
Once in a Blue Moon
We’ve heard the saying that something so rare or that happens very seldomly is described as something that happens “once in a blue moon.” There is scientific backup for this famous quote. A blue moon is an additional full moon that appears in a subdivision of a year. In a 1528 pamphlet between two priest servants, “the moon is blue” was used to make the point that priests require laymen to believe in statements even if they appear to be false.
