A Suwannee Southern Christmas

Believe it or not, people from all over the country and even the world read this blog. I feel that it is important that I add as much culture as I can to this blog. If I am in the South, then I’m going to help readers really see and experience the south. Although some of you may have been here, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve truly “experienced” the south. So, this post is specifically about Christmas 2008… southern style.

Just a few days before Christmas, some good family friends invited us to go see the Christmas lights at the Suwannee River park. You may have heard of this river. “Way down upon the Suwannee River” by Steven Foster is Florida’s state song. The Suwanee River begins in Georgia at the Okefenokee Swamp, is fed by the Withlacoochee River (that one runs through Valdosta) and empties out into the gulf. Every year the Suwannee River park sets up thousands upon thousands of Christmas lights and decorations and people from all over come out to see the lights.

It certainly doesn’t compare to anything you’d see in New York or Chicago. This is North Florida “kountry.” However, you must experience this type of thing at least once. After taking the 20 minute drive through the park in your car (you can rent golf carts too… later I’ll have to tell you about the south’s fascination with golf carts), they have a bonfire where you can roast marshmallows and drink hot coco. We had a great time. I had a lot of fun playing “walk” tag with my nephew and our friends son. Most importantly, I ate a bag of boiled peanuts (a southern delicacy) and snapped a few other fun pictures.