Holidays In The Keys

‘TIS THE SEASON, ALREADY?

How did the holiday season get here so soon? How did we jump straight from hurricane watches to holiday maga zines? Does anyone else feel that time has sped up since the pandemic?

It’s as if everything we missed in 2020 and 2021 is approaching at warp speed, reminding us of what life is supposed to be: Family reunions fraught with potential political disagreements. Holiday travel to cold climates. A father’s first Christmas. The sanctity of Santa. Memories of holidays past. Winter celebrations around the world, re gardless of religion, geography or culture.

These stories and so many others fill the pages of the Keys Weekly’s 2022 Holiday Magazine.

Of course, we also have piles of pages with plenty of gift ideas from locally owned retailers. Here at the Keys Weekly, local matters. It’s our motto. It’s what we believe. It’s what we cover in our newspapers and it’s what we bring to you with everything we do.

I’m not one to advocate alcohol, but may I suggest in dulging in a small cup of eggnog (or a large glass of red wine) while you sift through this magazine and download the holiday playlist that our creative director Stephanie Mitchell compiled for this edition?

Our very own Jim McCarthy shares the joy of his son’s first Christmas. Editor Alex Rickert warms the heart with his family’s unflagging belief in Santa. We’ve provided a calendar of can’t-miss Florida Keys events, from tree and menorah lightings to holiday boat parades.

Finally, we know this is a tough time of year for count less people, and we’ve endeavored to provide a helpful list of support services, because no one should feel desper ately alone during the holidays.

Come with us, back to the Christmas, Chanukah and other celebrations we missed for two years. But don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Nothing will be perfect. As long as we’re in the same room with the people who are important to us, we’re blessed enough.

Wherever you may be, whoever you may be with, happy holidays from our Florida Keys families to yours.

— Mandy Miles, editor

Publisher Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com

Managing Partner Britt Myers britt@keysweekly.com

Creative Director Stephanie Mitchell stephanie@keysweekly.com

Art/Design Irene de Bruijn irene@keysweekly.com

Editor Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com

Director of Sales Manuela Carrillo Mobley manuela@keysweekly.com

Account Executives Stephanie Mitchell stephanie@keysweekly.com Patti Childress patti@keysweekly.com Jill Miranda Baker jill@keysweekly.com

Staff Writers Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com

Production Manager Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com

Art/Design Javier Reyes javier@keysweekly.com Travis Cready travis@keysweekly.com

Executive Administrator Char Hruska char@keysweekly.com

Contributers

Maison Benitez, Annie Briening, Mark Hedden, Chris McNuty, Karen Newfield, Erin Stover Sickmen

THE INTERNET’S

LATEST CRAZE | P. 22

WE’VE GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH YOU PEOPLE! | P. 26

Published MMXXII

Marathon 9709 Overseas Hwy. Marathon, FL 33050 305.743.0844

Key West 5450 MacDonald Ave. No. 5 Key West, FL 33040 305.453.6928

Upper Keys 91760 Overseas Hwy. Tavernier, FL 33070 305.363.2957

SET THE MOOD | P. 8

MERRY & BRIGHT | P. 28 YOUR 2023 HOROSCOPE

NEED GIFT IDEAS? | P. 44

RULE #1: NEVER SHOW UP EMPTY-HANDED | P. 51

MILES TO GO | P. 52

FLORIDA KEYS CALENDAR OF HOLIDAY EVENTS | P. 54

CHEERS TO 2023 | P. 56 LET’S TRY MANIFESTING | P. 58

THE THINGS WE DO: HOW WE STAY JOLLY | P. 60 YOU’RE NOT ALONE | P. 62

VERY MERRY MUSIC

Truth be told, this playlist was created in the dead of summer, but everyone in our office immediately began chiming in on their favorite holiday tune selections and insisting they be included this time around.

For this year’s Keys Weekly Holiday maga zine, we went the instrumental route — all your favorite melodies sans lyrics.

We love having these sounds playing in the background of our homes all season long, and by that we mean as soon as the table is cleared from Thanksgiving dinner.

So we, here at Keys Weekly & Overseas Me dia Group, wish you the merriest of Christmases, Chanukah, Kwanza, Diwali and everything else you celebrate over the next couple of months.

We also thank you for your continued reader ship and wish you and your families the healthi est, happiest and prosperous of new years.

Cheers to all the memories and may we all be blessed with many more.

Sit back, relax and enjoy our Holiday playlist and the pages that follow.

Merry Everything!

By Jim McCarthy

Kids make the holidays magical. The twinkle in their little ones’ eyes as they rip into wrapping paper captivates par ents, who revel in their delight on Christ mas morning (through bleary eyes and with gallons of coffee.)

Growing up in the snowy cold of western New York, my dad would place a blow-up Santa Claus and lighted rein deer in our front yard each year. The dec orations signaled the official start of the holiday magic for my two brothers and me. Once Dad strung the outdoor lights, the snow-covered yard sparkled every December night.

Inside, Christmas decorations occu pied every nook and cranny of the living room. The tree nearly struggled under the weight of lights, garland and countless ornaments. A bustling Christmas village drew us little guys to the space under the tree to explore my mom’s Christmas village collection of ceramic houses and figurines. Stockings for five people and one dog hung from the chimney. A Santa figurine stood on the mantle checking his list as my brothers and I counted down the days until the big man’s arrival. There were years we swore we heard steps on the roof on Christmas Eve.

That Christmas excitement faded as I grew older, as it tends to do. By the time I arrived in the Keys in 2018, I had nothing but a Charlie Brown tree atop the dresser

FIRST-TIME DOES THE HOLIDAYS

in my small apartment. On my first Flor ida Keys Christmas, I opened the door to warmth, sunshine and palm trees, and wondered, “Is it really Christmas?”

This year, though, marked a whole new beginning, a rekindling of the holiday spirit. My other half, Brie, our 10-year-old, Liam, and I welcomed a blonde-haired, blue-eyed baby boy named Lucas, into the world on Oct. 4. I witnessed his first breaths in this world and saw his first smirk.

But our little dude’s arrival also brought a renewed energy and excite ment to the holiday season. After all, a baby’s first Christmas only happens once, and a newborn turns into a 10-year-old in the blink of an eye. Soon enough, this little man will be taking the keys to my car and walking across the stage to get his diploma.

This holiday season, the McCarthy traditions from western New York will be on full display at our home in the Florida Keys. The front yard will be decked in lights. Who knows, maybe we’ll throw a Christmas blowup or two out there like my dad did.

A towering Christmas tree will have plenty of ornaments to weigh down its boughs. A magic that comes this time of year will be felt on Christmas morning as we unwrap gifts in our pajamas and listen to holiday classics, one of which eventu ally will become Lucas’ favorite Christ mas song.

With old traditions come new ones that my family will create. Perhaps we’ll throw on those family pajamas for some fun family pictures. Or perhaps we’ll watch some Christmas classics like “The Grinch” or “Home Alone” as we try our hand at cutout cookies.

DAD HOLIDAYS

First-time dad and Upper Keys Weekly editor Jim McCarthy with newborn, Lucas.

One thing’s for sure: Becoming a dad has brought a new meaning to my life. This Christmas, I intend to take in every moment I have with my family, just as my parents did when their three boys were young. Dad watched the Christmas morning chaos of wrapping paper and rapture from behind the lens of the cam corder. Mom took it all in from her seat on the couch.

No, Lucas won’t be able to unwrap those gifts this year, but his big brother will happily take care of that for him, and I’ll be ready to capture it all.

From my family to yours, may you have a healthy and happy holiday season as you cherish the time you have with loved ones.

By Mandy Miles

Holidays around

IT’S EASY TO GET STUCK IN OUR OWN ETHNOCENTRIC CELEBRATIONS OF FAMILIAR HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES, BASED ON OUR RELIGION, LOCATION, UPBRINGING OR ANCESTRAL TRADITIONS. BUT LET’S NOT FORGET THAT HALF THE KIDS IN THE WORLD HAVE NO IDEA WHO SANTA CLAUS IS, AND WOULD FURROW THEIR BROW IN CONFUSION AT THE THOUGHT OF CUTTING DOWN A TREE AND REINSTALLING IT IN YOUR LIVING ROOM FOR A FEW WEEKS. SO, LET’S QUICKLY CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE GLOBE AND POP IN ON SOME OTHER CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

ST. NICHOLAS EVE (SINTERKLAAS’S BIRTHDAY)

DEC. 5, 2022 IN THE NETHERLANDS

St. Nicholas Eve and Christmas are separate holidays in Holland. Sinterklaas’s birthday is celebrated on Dec. 5 and is a family event with presents for the little ones.

THREE KINGS DAY - JAN. 6 IN MEXICO AND COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE

Three Kings Day celebrates the Three Kings (Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar) and their visit to baby Jesus after his birth.

KWANZAA - DEC. 26 TO JAN. 1 IN THE U.S., CANADA, CARIBBEAN & WESTERN AFRICAN DIASPORA

This is a week-long holiday celebrated in communities in the United States and Canada, as well as in the Western African Diaspora to honor African heritage in African-American culture.

HANUKKAH - DEC. 18-26, 2022

IN ISRAEL, U.S. & JEWISH COMMUNITIES WORLDWIDE Chanukah, which has many different spellings, is the eight-day Jewish holiday that celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabees revolted in the 2nd century BCE.

LAS POSADAS - DEC. 16-24, 2022

IN SPAIN, MEXICO, GUATEMALA AND PARTS OF THE U.S.

Las Posadas (Spanish for “the inns”) commemorates the journey that Joseph and Mary made from Nazareth to Beth lehem in search of a safe refuge where Mary could give birth to the baby Jesus.

around the globe

BOXING DAY - DEC. 26

GREAT BRITAIN, CANADA, AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND Boxing Day is the holiday on which servants, tradespeople and the poor traditionally were presented with gifts. By the 21st century it had become a day associated with shopping and sporting events.

WINTER SOLSTICE - DEC. 21, 2022

The Winter solstice marks the official start to winter, when the Sun reaches the Tropic of Capricorn. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is the shortest day and longest night. The Pagan celebration of Winter Solstice (also known as Yule) is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world.

EID-AL-ADHA - JUNE 28-29, 2022

IN MIDDLE EASTERN & ASIAN PACIFIC NATIONS

Also referred to as the Feast of the Sacrifice, Eid-al-Adha is an important Islamic holiday celebrated worldwide to honor the willingness of the prophet Abraham to sacrifice his first-born, Ishmael, on God’s command.

DIWALI “FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS” - OCT. 24, 2022

IN INDIA, NEPAL, SRI LANKA, MYANMAR &

OTHERS

Diwali is an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and others. The date changes every year. The festival is also referred to as the “festival of lights” and celebrates both the attainment of nirvana by Mahavira (an Indian Sage), as well as a Death Anniversary of Swami Dayanand (Hindu religious leader).

ST. LUCIA DAY - DEC. 13, 2022

IN SCANDINAVIA AND ITALY

St. Lucia Day, also called St. Lucy Day, is a festival of lights most widely celebrated in Scandinavia and Italy.

CHINESE NEW YEAR - JAN. 22, 2023

Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, marks each new year with a different Chinese zodiac animal. The holiday is celebrated to commemorate a new year of good fortune and happiness.

By Mark Hedden

GUILT-FREE BIRDING

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS: THE CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT

Holiday traditions are funky things in the Florida Keys. You might roast chestnuts over an open fire, but only if the temperature drops into the 60s and you know someone with a chestnut hook up. Instead of going sledding, you meander around on bikes, looking at Christmas lights with friends. The Key West Holiday Parade contains an unusually high, but also appropri ate, number of drag queens.

One of the traditions I’m most fond of – one that is almost mainland normal – is the Christmas Bird Count.

The tradition started in December 1900 when Frank Chapman, the godfather of modern birdwatch ing, made a modest proposal. At the time, a very dif ferent tradition called the Christmas side hunt took place. People at a holiday gathering would split into teams, head into the countryside and gun down every bird or mammal they saw. Whichever side had the big gest pile of dead animals at the end was the winner. The results were often published in newspapers and sportsmen’s journals.

In his then-year-old publication Bird-Lore – a journal that would later become Audubon magazine –Chapman wrote that he felt the tradition of the Christ mas side hunt was on its way out, that people were starting to turn away from the idea that the wanton destruction of wildlife was good clean fun. (Very few of those animals ended up in the pot for a holiday feast.) But he also felt it would be good to come up with a substitute. So he proposed something called the Christmas Bird Census. Basically, instead of go ing out and shooting every creature they saw, maybe people could just go out and count them.

That first year, 27 people responded to Chapman’s proposal and went out to 25 locations and counted a lit tle over 18,000 individual birds of 90 different species.

A new tradition was born.

The event has refined and grown over the last 122 years. It is now called the more user-friendly Christ mas Bird Count. During the 2019-2020 count – the last one before COVID – 81,601 people went out in 2,646 locations and counted over 42 million individual birds of 2,566 different species. Most of the counts take place in the United States and Canada, but sev eral take place in Central and South America.

Not only was it a new tradition, it was also one of the earliest, and most enduring, examples of citizen science, which is essentially a way of crowdsourcing data collection. Every year the count creates a giant snapshot of bird populations across the continent. Combing through all those snapshots, scientists and number crunchers can monitor the population health of numerous threatened and thriving species. The in formation can be cross-referenced with weather data and changes in habitat to gain a deeper understand ing of how best to protect them. Also, it is pretty fun.

Each count circle tends to take on a character of its own. Some are private, organized by groups of friends. Some are public, open to birders of all abilities. The counts always take place over a span of three weeks –Dec. 14 to Jan. 5 — every year. Some people will only do one a year. Some people will go to Herculean ef forts to participate in 6 or 8 counts every holiday sea son.

My first CBC took place in the early 2000s in the Middle Keys. It was a semi-private event, full of people who’d been doing it together for years – biologists, ornithologists, refuge managers, doctors, old-school bird experts. I half invited myself, though I didn’t really feel I was qualified to be there. We divided up into ter ritories, and all covered various neighborhoods.

After sunset, we all met at someone’s house to drink cocktails and compile the results. I felt as if I’d entered the Hall of Esteemed Florida Keys Naturalists

and was a little unsure of myself. But it was the first year the National Audubon Society, which organizes the count, insisted people enter the data online, in stead of mailing it in on a paper form. When they all learned I knew how to use one of those new-fangled computer things, I suddenly had a role.

Most of the people from that Middle Keys count are gone now – some died, some moved away. And that particular count sort of went with them. (The staff at the Big Pine Key National Wildlife Refuge has been organizing one in a slightly more northerly zone in recent years, but as we went to press with this article, dates for this year were not available.)

Historically, beginning in 1948, there had been a count circle centered in Key West. It had ceased in 1968, but in 2003 we at the Florida Keys Audubon Society decided to revive it. We also decided to open it to anyone who was interested, no matter their so cial connections or level of bird ID skills. (The best way to learn anything is by spending time with people who might know more than you.)

It’s hard to believe we’ve been do ing it now for close to two decades. Some years we’ve seen close to 100 species as a group, including local specialties like the white-crowned pi geon, reddish egret, and great white heron, as well as the occasional Caribbean rarity, such as the western spindalis and red-legged thrush.

COVID threw something of a wrench into the works the last two years, but a small core group have kept the flame alive, covering as much territory as a half dozen people can. My friend Ellen and I, who usually cover every thing west of White Street in Key West, even took the opportunity to start doing the morn ing half of the count by bike instead of car.

We’ll be doing it on Dec. 31 this year. We’re very much looking forward to opening it up again to anyone who is interested. It’s a nice excuse to spend the entire day birding and doing it guilt-free – because you’re doing it for citizen sci ence. Also, it’s tradition.

Top to bottom: American redstart, great egret, yellow-crowned night heron, common grounddove, white-crowned pigeon.

Anyone looking to participate in this year’s Key West Christmas Bird Count can reach out to

By Annie Briening

A BUTTER BOARD, YOU SAY?

WHAT’S A BUTTER BOARD? AND WHY IS IT TRENDING ONLINE?

By now many of us have indulged in an Insta-wor thy charcuterie board (meat roses not required), and once the pandemic hit, individual charcuterie cups seemed only natural, but the butter board is the newest craze on the scene.

Yes, we said it, Butter. Boards. We aren’t kidding. The TikTok hashtag #ButterBoard alone had reached over 330 million views by the end of Oc tober.

A butter board is exactly as it sounds — a com munal appetizer of softened butter on a cutting board zhuzhed up with garnishes, different flavors and accouterments to suit any taste. There are countless ways to create one, but if the thought of a full board filled with butter makes your stom ach churn…er…turn, why not try something similar? Check out these crowd-pleasing alternatives. Make your holiday brunch, appetizers or even des serts easy and impressive with a new take on the latest viral craze.

Brunch

LOX & BAGELS

TAKE ON A NEW MEANING (AND LEVEL) WITH THIS CREAM CHEESE BOARD

How to assemble

Choose your favorite cream cheese, aka Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese, soften and then smear into little cheese sections on your cutting board. Top with smoked salmon, capers, red onion, every thing-bagel seasoning, lemon zest and finish with fresh dill. Served with toasted bagel pieces or your favorite bagel.

Appetizer Dessert

SOMETHING SAVORY

FOR THE CROWD

WITH A RICOTTA BOARD

How to assemble

Spread a cup of ricotta on a cutting board or marble board, top with chopped sweet heirloom tomatoes (bonus for some roasted red peppers), drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and top off with chili flakes, oregano and maldon salt. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy with a toasty ciabatta, baguette or focaccia.

LEVEL UP YOUR LAST COURSE WITH A SWEET & SALTY SPREAD OF NUTELLA AND PEANUT BUTTER TOPPED WITH YOUR FAVORITE SWEETS

How to assemble

Spread nutella/PB in alternating swipes across the board for contrast, then add some berries and mini pretzels (a salty crunch is key). And if you choose, elevate with toasted marshmallows, a drizzle of your favorite local fancy honey, or chocolate chips.

READY FOR ROYALTY?

Sign your pets up and start raising funds from your friends, family and coworkers for the homeless animals to win great prizes at the event by scanning the code below.

Then join us for a family friendly day of fun with you and your pups at the Higgs Dog Park to celebrate with a DOG PARADE, HOLIDAY BAZAAR, SANTA, RAFFLES, LIVE MUSIC AND MORE!

INTERESTED IN BEING A VENDOR AT THE BAZAAR, OR A SPONSOR? Contact Ti any at 305-294-4857 or ti any@fkspca.org

By Erin Stover Sickmen

ONE FOR THE RESTIVUS

CELEBRATING THE ROOTS OF A POP-CULTURE HOLIDAY

It’s likely we all have some grievance to air, and as the onslaught of holidays takes hold, there really is no better time. Feeling overfed, overspent and over committed can take its toll on the best of us, turning the jolliest elf into a temporary Grinch.

But what if there was a holiday that met our need for exemption? What if we could opt out of the obligatory gatherings or the commercialization of Christmas? In case you missed it, two decades ago, such a holi day came to mainstream fruition. Festivus, born on a final-season episode of “Seinfeld” promised some thing for the rest of us.

In 1997, “Seinfeld” was wrapping up its storied run, but not before imparting one last gift. A December episode entitled, “The Strike” features character George Costanza’s family celebrating this alternative holiday. Like any proper tradition, Festivus features immutable tenets. The most well-known is the Airing of Grievances in which families, gathered for a festive meal, take a moment to tell one another how they’ve let each other down in the preceding year. Think of it as Thanksgiving, but with the gratitude element in reverse. Some may argue that holiday meals natu rally lend themselves to such conversation anyway, but we have the Costanzas to thank for normalizing it. Whether or not your loved ones move by dessert, though, is another story.

Thankfully, if the Airing of Grievances touches a nerve, it is quickly followed by Feats of Strength. At the close of the meal, the head of the household must be pinned to the ground in a wrestling match. Physical aggression seems a next logical step in the evolution of a family gathering, so again, hats off to the Costanzas. But Festivus is more than just dis gruntled expressions and arm-twisting antics. Let us not forget the traditional décor. In response to the over-tinseled glitz of contemporary Christmas, Fes tivus takes the minimalist route. Instead of a tree, celebrants gather around the Festivus pole, an “un adorned aluminum pole.” Simple. Classic.

But where did this eccentric idea, and its manifes tation, really start? Even though it was brought into American living rooms courtesy of ‘90s sitcom “Sein feld,” the roots of Festivus reach back a bit further. Screenwriter Dan O’Keefe has documented his fa ther’s conception of the holiday in the 1960s. But the jump to pop culture wasn’t as simple as a writer min ing his past for material. Rather it made the leap at a cocktail party wherein O’Keefe’s “loudmouth” broth er started telling family stories to a room full of halfdrunk writers – obviously a recipe for television gold.

Prior to “Seinfeld,” when Festivus was just a private piece of O’Keefe mythology, the holiday was a bit darker. Although Dan’s father invented it with roman

tic intentions, celebrating he and his wife’s wedding anniversary, he added progressively bleak elements. As Dan tells it, his father was an “undiagnosed bipo lar severe alcoholic.” He was also a wildly clever man who would invent fantastical celebrations, guided by his own peculiar poetry. As the whims of his father dictated, Festivus could shift to become simply a “formalized setting for yelling” at children.

Nonetheless, what Dan describes as child abuse, in his 2005 book “The Real Festivus” and a subsequent 2021 “Daily Beast” podcast, was destined for pop cul ture immortality. As is the case with most traditions, whether cultural, religious or simply ridiculous, Fes tivus has morphed from its inception story to some thing else entirely. The holiday that perhaps never should have been has inspired people to add some levity back into the season.

At its best, Festivus delivers something that is often missing from this time of year. We have comfort. We have nostalgia. But the winter holidays are other wise lacking in good old-fashioned silliness. So, re gardless the roots of Festivus, if putting a metal pole in your living room makes you happy and distracts from the drama of your upcoming obligations, by all means, gather some friends, say mean things to them (but not too mean) and celebrate the Festivus “for the restivus.”

HOLIDAY TO DO LIST

DIY Holiday Gifts.

Caroling around town.

Take a stroll to admire the lights.

A little smooch under the mistletoe.

Master an old family recipe.

Holiday Movie Marathon.

Read a holiday romance. (See pg 36).

Camp in your backyard in pajamas. (Granted, this is easier in the Keys than in, say, Detroit.)

Ugly sweaters and a photo to remember it by.

Eat dessert for dinner.

Pretend it’s winter.

Light your favorite holiday candle.

Teach a child how to wrap presents (patience is needed).

Watch a lighted boat parade.

By Chris McNulty

2023 FORECAST: POWERFUL PLUTO REPOSITIONS

Writing a year-ahead horoscope in a limited space is a painfully difficult task for an as trologer. Over the course of a year, there is so much going on in our solar system’s planetary choreography that condensing it into a single paragraph is not only impossible, but also feels like a disservice. In order to provide some ac curate and meaningful insight, I am going to focus this year-ahead on what I consider to be the major astrological moment of 2023: the movement of Pluto into the sign of Aquarius.

Scientific redefinitions aside, Pluto is an in credibly important and powerful planet in as trology, representing themes of unstoppable evolution, primal intensity, the unconscious, transformation, and death and rebirth. This planet has been moving through the sign of Capricorn since 2008, slowly laying waste to our illusions of material success and faulty ethical systems to make room for more real istic goal-setting. Next year, from March 23 through June 11, Pluto will enter the sign of Aquarius before retrograding back into Capri corn until the beginning 2024. During this twoand-a-half month period, we will get a preview of the next 20 years of Pluto’s journey through Aquarius, wherein it will be transforming our technologies, conceptions of “the future,” and ideas of us and them. This changeover will af fect each sign differently depending on where it hits your birth chart.

Here are your 2023 horoscopes for Pluto’s move into Aquarius. Read for your rising and sun signs.

ARIES March 21 - April 19

Since 2008, you have been deeply re configuring your public reputation by considering your professional aspira tions and showing up differently in communal spaces. It’s just about time to put this behind you. Next year begins a long journey of radically shaking up your supportive networks, so get ready to begin redefining friendship. Pay at tention to the people who come into your circle next spring - they will set a precedent for the next two decades.

TAURUS April 20 - May 20

You are completing a 15-year pro cess of slowly composting your belief systems and your worldview to make space for a thoroughly new organizing idea for your life. Next year, you will take the first steps in bringing this new perspective into your professional life, beginning a 20-year journey of recreat ing your career and public-facing self. Pay attention to job offers or career opportunities that grab your attention next spring and re-envision your social influence.

GEMINI May 21 - June 21

The past 15 years saw you reorganizing your debts and inheritances, and prob ably even saw you change your rela

tionship to groups of people with shared value systems. This process is ending, and you are beginning a new adven ture into expanding your consciousness through travel, education, and new belief systems. The journey you undertake next spring will be a taste of the following 20 years. Pack your bags!

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

Beginning in 2008, you’ve been on a track that has broken down your conception of love and what a significant other means to you. That process is just about com plete. You can take this newfound under standing of partnership into a whole new method of emotionally and financially in vesting in other people (other than part ners). The vulnerabilities and obligations you discover next spring will serve as a crystal ball for the two decades to come.

LEO July 23 - Aug. 22

Next April, get ready for the foreshock of a long, deep process of demolishing and reconstructing your image of your part ner or partnership in general. You may start to see your love in a new light or even begin to redefine what love means to you. Pay attention to any thoughts about partnership that seem unusual to you, they will help you understand what to expect for the next two decades. Oh, congrats on completing a 15-year trans formative process reforming your health and daily routines.

VIRGO

Aug. 23 - Sept. 22

Think back to 2008 and consider how deeply your world has changed in re gard to creativity, pleasure, and perhaps even children. Something akin to that shift is about to take place in regard to

your health and your regular habits. This spring, pay attention to any changes in health and routine, and better yet par ticipate in this change by instilling good techniques. You have a 20-year stretch coming that will completely alter your wellbeing.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

A 15-year cycle of really deep, maybe even unconscious, changes in how you relate to home and family is coming to an end. It may have been a rough road, but now you are clear on what home and fam ily mean on a visceral level. Next year, you will be closing this period out and start ing a similar transformation in regard to your creativity and joy. Pay attention to new pleasures and creative projects in the spring, because these things are about to become prominent for the next two decades.

Scorpio Oct. 24 - Nov. 21

Since 2008, you may have struggled your way through your methods of communi cation and/or transformed your orienta tion to your local neighborhood/environ ment. As that reaches resolution, prepare for a similar process to take place in re lationship to your family and home-life. Next spring, reflect on how family and home are being redefined. It is a precur sor for the next 20 years.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22 - Dec. 21

It has been a financial gauntlet the past 15 years as you have grappled with your personal finances and value system. You have a whole new orientation to these themes now. In the spring, look at how your neighborhood feels different and pay attention to changes in how you

communicate. This will give you a sense of what the next 20 years will be trans forming in you.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22 - Jan. 19

Think of who you were in 2008 and think of who you are now. You’ve been in an intense struggle to emerge as the most powerful version of yourself. Rest now, because you’ve arrived! This spring, pay attention to how your newfound per sonal power is changing what you value and where your money is coming from. There’s a long two decades ahead of you in which all of your values will be com posted and reconstituted.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

Over the past 15 years, you’ve been strug gling and strengthening in your solitude, really wrestling with the parts of yourself that do not show themselves in daylight. All of that work is ready to come to the surface, because this spring you will get a taste of what it feels like to feel this power shift into your body and personality. Get ready for 20 years of disintegrating your self conception to rebuild yourself as the superhuman version of yourself.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

This spring, you might notice that you are having some intense experiences when you are alone, like some power ful realizations about your unconscious conditioning that haven’t shown up be fore. Get ready for a long deep dive in this area of your life, and be patient and tread lightly because you have 20 years of this process coming up. You’ve spent the last 15 years going through a metamorphosis with friends and what friendship means to you. A shift is coming.

HOLIDAY EVENTS

THANKSGIVING DINNER

November 24 | 4pm to 9pm

Enjoy a traditional and delicious meal this Thanksgiving at Elements Lounge & Restaurant. The menu features favorites including Roasted Turkey, Sage Stuffing, and more Reservations Required.

CHRISTMAS DINNER

December 25 | 6pm to 10:30pm

Join us on Christmas Day for a merry holiday dinner featuring our traditional menu items, festive specials, and more. Reservations Required.

HOLIDAY BREAKFAST BUFFET

December 24 - 1 | 7am-12pm

Christmas Day & New Year’s Day from 11am to 2pm

Enjoy our Holiday Breakfast Buffet offered daily from December 24thJanuary 1st. Special brunch hours available on Christmas and New Year’s Day.

NEW YEAR’S EVE DINNER

December 31 | 6pm to 10:30pm

Ring in 2023 with a curated 3-course dining experience at Elements Lounge & Restaurant. Reservations Required.

Scan the QR Code to make your reservation 82100 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, ISLAMORADA, FL ISLANDERFLORIDAKEYS.COM

Warmest

HolidayWishes Warmest HolidayWishes

A vacation here is far from ordinary; it is truly extraordinary.

From the moment you open the door to your vacation rental, you will know you are in your own peaceful paradise.

JESSICA BORRACCINO

Rental Agent | 305.289.6503 keysvacationrents@gmail.com

Welco m e Christmas. bring you r cheer Cheer to a ll whos, fa r a nd nea r

Christmas Day is in ou r g rasp

So long as we have ha nds to g rasp

Christmas Day will a lways be Just as long as we have we

Welco m e Christmas wh ile we sta nd Hea rt to hea rt a nd ha nd in ha nd.

— Dr. Suess, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"

By Alex Rickert

FOR JUST ONE MORE YEAR…

How old were you when you learned the “truth” about Santa?

Well, let’s back up a little bit. Let me start out by saying, first and fore most, that Santa is 100% real. I’m 30 years old now, and I know how he gets his helping hands, but Santa himself is real, period. And in the Rickert household, we do whatever it takes to prove it.

It was Christmas in the year 2000, and for my sister and me, Razor scooters were at the top of our lists. We were done being the only kids in the culde-sac left out while our neighbors zoomed around on their grand metal chariots with translucent wheels.

Now, granted, we were 7 and 8 at the time, and the devastation on the day in question was entirely self-inflict ed. We had a penchant for going on quests to find our Christmas pres ents, and our mother had a profound lack of talent when it came to hiding them. So one day, when we opened a door to a closet that housed our air conditioner, we found two brand

new Razor scooters, still in the boxes. Phenomenal. But with a few days to go before Christmas, the writing on pre-filled gift tags next to the scoot ers was...well, problematic.

“TO: ALEX, LOVE: SANTA” “TO: MACKENZIE, LOVE: SANTA”

Thus followed the Grand Christmas Inquisition of 2000 as my poor moth er was held to answer for her crimes: two counts of “lying to her children about Santa Claus.”

The jig was up. The magic was gone. The word was out. But to my mom’s credit, she still had one card to play.

In tears, she called my dad, desper ately trying to get “one more year” of the magic she so loved to watch on Christmas morning.

Her instructions were clear: get to Toys-R-Us (R.I.P.) on the way home and buy two different scooters. These replacement scooters weren’t your run-of-the-mill Razors, though. Equipped with front shocks, blinking tail lights and a wheelie bar, these

were the Ferraris of manually-pow ered child transportation. I’m talking about the JD Razor 2000s, and yes, I still remember the name.

On Christmas morning, our jaws hit the floor as we opened not one, but TWO scooters each. The explanation was simple: with so many children in the world, Santa only has time for one gift per kid, and mom and dad help with the rest. With no commu nication between my parents and the jolly old elf, there was always a dan ger of double-gifting if they didn’t correctly predict his choice.

We were convinced. Growing up in a house with very prac tical and frugal parents, we knew that only Santa would splurge for

Santa Santa Mackenzie Alex

MacKenzie and Alex, Christmas 2000.

Santa

Santa

Alex

upgraded features on something — probably not exactly what my parents wanted to hear at the time, but hey, it worked in their favor this time. True to form, we were informed we each could only keep one scooter, and the other would be returned for college savings – quite the dilemma for a kid with an overactive conscience when keeping the scooter you really want ed meant dissing your parents’ gift.

Now that my sister and I better un derstand the inner workings of San ta’s workshop, our entire family still laughs about that Christmas. Though it was still a ridiculous last-ditch ef fort – followed closely by the time my mom literally hired our neigh bors to walk around on the roof and ring bells on Christmas Eve – there’s something to be said for my parents preserving the wonder for one more year for their little second- and thirdgraders. I think it goes without saying that there’s not quite enough mystery in today’s world.

So although I have the utmost re spect for how every family chooses to handle holiday traditions like Santa, cheers to the ones out there who do whatever it takes to preserve the magic – even if it means going all-out for one more year.

The perfect Christmas morning blend of toy-induced elation and pre-7 a.m. exhaustion.

When the sun comes up, we ride.

Who needs roads when you can scooter in the kitchen?

All thumbs-up from MacKenzie.

By Karen Newfield

MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER, MAKE ME A MATCH

MR. PERFECT ON PAPER by Jean Meltzer

As CEO of a successful Jewish dating app, Dara Rabinowitz is well known in her Hoboken community. While multitasking and list making has always been her specialty, this perfectionist suffers from GAD, a severe anxiety disorder. At times, Dara’s condition is completely debilitating and juggling the demands of JMate while keeping a watchful eye on her beloved Bubbe (grandmother) is nearly impossible. One day a local daytime television show has Dara and her matchmaking Bubbe as guests and they are an unexpected sensa tion. The charismatic hunky host Chris Steadfast suggests Jmate could help his diminishing ratings. Chris takes her perfect-on-paper husband list and runs with it, attempting to find the perfect match for Dara through a reality series of laugh-of-loud dating shenanigans. In a twist of fate and with none of her boxes checked, Dara falls for the wrong guy. Delightful romance filled with en tertaining characters and informative references of Jewish holidays and tradi tions, you’ll breeze through this read in just one sitting!

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MERRY by Codi Hall

Moving back to her hometown of Mistle toe, Idaho, Merry Winters is ready to re boot her life. After surviving more than a few dating disasters she is ready to settle down with her soul mate on her family’s Christmas tree farm. Confi dent that happiness is at her fingertips, Merry downloads the latest dating app. Knottygirl25 begins her search and is matched to Woodsman, crafter of ador able snowmen. A chain of flirty mes saging ensues at the same time a new foreman appears on the farm, Clark Griffin. While this single dad is off the chart handsome he remains purely pro fessional with Merry, not willing to risk his new job. Keeping his distance, Clark appears unfriendly but the truth is he would love a friend to cuddle with on these long winter nights. Clark decides slow dating anonymously on his app is easier but eventually a meet-up is ar ranged. As the festive lights burn bright, it will take more than a kiss under the mistletoe to make this love connection.

THE MATCHMAKER’S LIST by

Sonya Lalli

At twenty nine the pressure is on. Raina Anand has finally allowed her beloved Nani (grandmother) to arrange poten tial suitors. In their traditional Indian community in Toronto it doesn’t matter that Raina found success and indepen dence as a financial analyst working downtown, as a single woman she’s al ready labeled an old maid. Making her way down Nani’s love list Raina becomes frustrated, as do most of her dates who were similarly coerced by meddling fam ily! Desperate to appease Nani and the aunties trying to find an eligible Indian man, she goes on one disastrous date after another. Maybe arranging mar riages is not so very different from the online dating apps her friends use. At the same time Raina is helping arrange a huge wedding affair for her best friend and cannot deny the unmistakable chemistry brewing with the best mannot Indian and not on the list. Learning to balance traditional values with mod ern day matchmaking turns into a price less lesson of family, friendship and the pursuit of romance.

YOU CAN TRUST YOUR FATE TO A PERSON OR AN ALGORITHM. EITHER WAY THESE ENTERTAINING READS WILL BE THE PERFECT CATCH FOR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

Before you check the date on the front of this magazine, yes, we ran this traditional tale from all of our Christmases past in last year’s magazine as well. We know that. It’s not a mistake. Reading this story aloud on Christmas Eve has been a tradition in our families for more than 40 years. Now it’s a tradition for our magazine. “Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.”

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro’ the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar plums danc’d in their heads, And Mama in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap-

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow, Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below; When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a minature sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and call’d them by name:

“Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen, “On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem; “To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! “Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”

As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of Toys - and St. Nicholas too:

And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound:

He was dress’d all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnish’d with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys was flung on his back, And he look’d like a peddler just opening his pack:

His eyes - how they twinkled! his dimples how merry, His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry; His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face, and a little round belly That shook when he laugh’d, like a bowl full of jelly:

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laugh’d when I saw him in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And fill’d all the stockings; then turn’d with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprung to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle: But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”

PRE-LOVED GOWN TERI JON BY RICKI FREEMAN & EMPORIO ARMANI PUMPS

Local matters at the Keys Weekly — Local news, local writers and local owners. The same goes for our Holi day Gift Guide — Local shops offer items as memorable and unique as the islands we all love. Online shop ping is an undeniable convenience, but mix things up a bit this year, with some one-of-a-kind presents from paradise. Now more than ever, local matters.

GREEN PINEAPPLE Olive Wood pineapple bowl $38

TOP christmas gifts

IN KEY WEST

BOOKS & BOOKS

Black Food: stories, art and recipes from across the African Diaspora $40

BOOKS & BOOKS

The Fashion Book $59.95

BESAME MUCHO

KIRBY’S CLOSET

Beach gem sandals $62

Bella Laine custom candle $29

Tortoise Sunglasses $29

Kirby’s Closet tumbler $29 Necklace $22

Clutch $68

Always Summer lotion $20

Always Summer soap $10

Beach animal print sandals $39

THE

TOP christmas gifts

IN MARATHON

UNIQUES BY KENNEDY STUDIOS

Shark Wine Glass $27

CRANE POINT HAMMOCK MUSEUM GIFT SHOP

The Florida Keys: A History through Maps by Todd Turrell & Brian Schmitt $125

BAYSHORE CLOTHING

Dune Jewelry containing beach sand from Sombrero Beach. Wave Necklace $158

THE TACKLE BOX Toadfish Fillet Knife $55 Toadfish Stowaway Cutting Board $60

TACKLE BOX Gecko Flamingo Boat Bag $30

SWEET SAVANNAH’S Tinker Totter Robots $35

TOP

By Stephanie Mitchell

EMPTY-HANDED?

NEVER!

I was taught early in life, you never show up to anyone’s home empty-handed. A small gesture of appreciation for the invite is just the right thing to do, according to Miss Manners, Martha Stewart and everyone else who decides such things. But last-minute invitations happen, es pecially here in the Florida Keys, where we’re not always known for planning ahead, and some times we simply don’t have time to run out and grab something.

So here’s an inside tip: Start a gift closet. Or a cupboard, or even a large bag.

It’s a little spot where I keep little things I’ve picked up, knowing they’ll come in handy some day. For instance, I always buy a couple extra champagne stoppers while traveling. They’re not expensive, but I keep them in the gift closet and attach one to a bottle of bubbly that I bring to a party. (I always have a bottle or two of my favorite champagne on hand, so that’s never an issue).

I also have a set of cheese knives that I can dress up with a ribbon, or a nice bottle of olive oil & vinegar. Again, I never spend a fortune on any of these items, but they have saved the day when I’ve run out of time or ideas.

We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite little host and hostess gifts from up and down the Keys. Life is stressful enough without having to wor ry about showing up empty-handed. (Besides, showing up with a gift typically ensures you’ll be invited back.)

By Mandy Miles

PACK IT IN FOR HOLIDAY TRAVEL

Ah, holiday travel. This is when things get interesting, for me at least. Flights to points far north — places marked by snowflakes and swirling winds on TV weather maps — present a challenge every year. And therein lies the problem. (OK, one of my prob lems.)

It’s not the cold weather per se, although I’m quick to admit that 24 years in Key West have done nothing to make me more tolerant of or amenable to freezing temperatures.

But when it comes to our Thanksgiving and Christ mas trips to visit family in Boston, Jersey or North Carolina, it’s the packing that poses the problem. And the weight.

First the luggage. We live in lightweight clothes and strappy sandals down here. We could pack for an entire month in Key West without exceeding the airlines’ weight limits for checked bags.

The same cannot be said for winter travel up north. Sweaters, jeans and sweatshirts weigh significantly more than t-shirts, flowy pants and sundresses — and they occupy a lot more space.

But luggage weight isn’t my only issue. (I have plenty of issues, but that’s neither here nor there.)

I wear jeans about three times a year here in Key West on those sporadic, cooler days when the mercury drops below, say, 65. Yes, visitors to our island from other wintry places are still in shorts and tank tops on those days, while we locals are wearing scarves, sweaters and boots.

But for us year-round locals, that winter wardrobe tends to shrink each year with every closet purge, apartment move and decluttering frenzy.

Unfortunately, for me, my waist has not shrunk in sev eral years, so it’s always an adventure when packing

my two remaining pairs of jeans for our holiday trips. (I’ve finally parted with the jeans that are no longer even an aspirational size for me.)

Sure, I could try them on in advance and build in an extra hour or two of travel preparation that would allow me time to run to TJ Maxx for some appropriate replacements, but where’s the excitement in that? Apparently, I’d much rather roll the dice each winter, throw those jeans into a suitcase three minutes before the airport Uber shows up and just hope for the best.

My personal packing chaos leaves no room for error, so it’s no surprise that I’ve spent at least one Thanks giving weekend in the same pair of black leggings when the jeans I’d packed were from about three sizes ago.

I tell myself every year that I’ll do better. Of course, I also tell myself I’ll lose 30 pounds and fit back into the jeans I finally gave away. But I’m also a realist. I know myself and I’m quite familiar with my own shortcomings.

So for this year, I’ll just throw my jeans AND a few extra pairs of leggings into the suitcase — and still hope for the best.

When it comes to my holiday travel adventures, it’s about family (with a healthy dose of food and booze), not wardrobe. And for that, I am eternally grateful. Happy Holidays, Florida Keys. Stay warm, wherever you may be.

WHEN & WHERE TO HOLIDAY

EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE FLORIDA KEYS

KEY WEST

FRIDAY. NOV. 25

MARC Christmas Tree Lot opens 1401 Seminary St. | 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

MONDAY, NOV. 28

Christmas Tree-Lighting Festivities Bayview Park | 6 p.m.

TUESDAY, NOV. 29

Menorah Lighting Ceremony Bayview Park | 5:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, DEC. 3

City of Key West Holiday Parade Truman Avenue & White Street, then down to Duval Street | 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, DEC. 10

Schooner Wharf Bar’s Lighted Boat Parade Historic Seaport’s Harbor Walk of Lights | 8 p.m.

MIDDLE KEYS

SATURDAY, DEC. 3

Annual Lighthouse Lighting Faro Blanco Marina | 4 - 9 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7SATURDAY, DEC. 10

Zonta Festival of Trees Marathon Garden Club 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday Lunch with the Grinch, Saturday 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

SUNDAY, DEC. 11

Key Colony Beach Lighted Boat Parade 7th Street canal | Dusk

UPPER KEYS

SATURDAY, NOV. 19

13th Annual Light Up Key Largo Murray Nelson Government Center, Mile Marker 102 | 5-9 p.m.

FRIDAY, DEC. 2

Islamorada Chamber of Commerce Holiday Fest Founders Park, Islamorada 4-10 p.m.

SATURDAY, DEC. 10

Key Largo Boat Parade & Fireworks Display Blackwater Sound, Key Largo 7:30 p.m.

I saw this line a few weeks ago and it stopped me in my tracks. That one simple line brought a million memories flooding back at once. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day minuti ae that we sometimes forget, the moments that mean the most aren’t the ones in a clean house or at the most organized get-together. They’re the ones that occur when our minds are free to enjoy just being in the moment. The pool parties, the “I’ll just come for

Ringing

one drink,” the sleepy smiles and all the laughter, that’s what life is all about.

So as the year comes to a close, take a moment to reflect on the moments that made your year one to remember. (And we encourage you to try one of the classic cocktails on the next page). Cheers to all the memories that have been made and all those to follow. We wish you the happiest of holidays and a wonderful New Year!

“THE BEST THING ABOUT MEMORIES IS MAKING THEM.”

By Stephanie Mitchell

in the new year

APEROL SPRITZ

- Ice - 3 oz. Aperol 3 oz. dry Prosecco 1 oz. (a splash) club soda or unflavored sparkling water Orange slice for garnish

Add ice to a wine glass until it is nearly full. Pour equal amounts of Aperol and Prosecco over ice. Top with a splash of club soda and garnish with an orange slice.

COSMOPOLITAN

1.5 oz. Ketel One Citroen® Flavored Vodka 0.75 oz. cranberry juice 0.75 oz. fresh lime juice 0.25 oz. simple syrup

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass. Shake with ice and strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

OLD FASHIONED

2 ounces of bourbon or rye whiskey

1 sugar cube 2 dashes Angostura bitters

½ tsp. water

Orange peel or Luxardo cherry for garnish

Shake 4 dashes bitters on 1 sugar cube, then muddle it with ½ teaspoon water. Add 2 ounces of bourbon or rye whiskey. Add a large ice cube and an orange peel, making sure to squeeze it over the drink to release the oils. If desired, add a cocktail cherry as well.

By Maison Benitez

THE POWER OF POSITIVITY AND PERSISTENCE

We’ve all heard about manifesting the future. But, how do you do it and does it actually work? It’s all about creating what you want, writing it down and putting it out into the universe — your goals and what you want your life to look like. It’s about visualizing every detail.

If you want your own house one day, speak it into existence. On paper or in your mind, plan out every part. The colors, your yard, how many bedrooms, baths, the natural light in the kitchen… every detail. If you are looking for a partner in life, visualize their characteristics, not just their physical appear ance, but the way they make you feel and your life together.

You can manifest your whole life, but also break it down just for the year ahead. At the start of each new year, it’s common to write down some New Year’s resolutions. But how many of us actually stick to those? It always sounds good on Jan. 1, but they all tend to fall off after a few months (or weeks).

Planning is key to meeting your goals.. Plan small, achievable steps that will get you

where you want to be. If you are manifest ing a raise, a new job, a vacation or starting a new company, you have to start with the foundation. Choose your primary goals and get started.

Writing down your aspirations makes them feel more attainable and less daunting. Let’s say this is the year you want to start your dream company. First manifest it out. Allow yourself to journal all the details of the “why” behind it, why you’re creating it, what need will you fill and how you want to impact others.

Next, visualize each step. Choose a name, get a business license, brainstorm your brand (logo, colors, mission statement). The first step is the toughest to take. Once the ball is roll ing it’s easier to maintain the momentum.

Your best year yet starts with YOU. It starts with taking the time to sit down with all your thoughts and goals. It starts with that first step towards what you’ve dreamed of accomplishing. Manifesting works. Speak it into existence. Add it to your daily routines. Let other people hear it, and you’ll start to see things change in your life.

Well

the holidays are here. Wow, this year has gone by quickly. So as the hap-, hap-, happiest time of year envelopes us all, we here at Keys Weekly wanted to share our secrets to staying happy and sane during the holiday season. We give you... The things we do to stay jolly this holiday season...

REALTOR® SPOTLIGHT

Deb Bennett

Deb started her residential real estate career in 1984 in Coral Gables and after a few short years was able to earn a place in the Chairman Club. In 1994, she and her husband purchased a home in the Keys and she changed over to commercial real estate specializing in the sales of commercial owner/user and investment office buildings and commuted from her Keys home to Coral Gables. At the time, there were only a handful of women in commercial real estate. She is past president of the commercial division of the Miami Association of Realtors. Her greatest achievement was receiving the Pinnacle Award, the highest award for commercial real estate from the Miami Association of Realtors. Wanting not to commute anymore she returned to residential real estate at home in the Keys. She is president elect of the Florida Key Board of Realtors.

She loves volunteering on Friday’s at the spay/neuter clinic of Whisker & Paws Forever and is also a kitten bottle feeder and foster. She is a member of Florida Bay Forever and Secretary elect of WWOW (Wild Women On The Water), which supports women in all aspects of boating.

Jennifer Miller, 2022 President Claire Johnson, Pres-Elect Debrah Bennett, Tres/Sec

Christine García-Castellanos, Director Mykael Marinelli, Director Erin Kiel, Director

Sharon Kelly-Brown, Imm Past Pres Kathe Kaile, Director Karen Williams DeCastro, Director

Carlos Lorenzo, Director Kelsey Caputo, Director Lynda Anthony, CEO

Debrah

Sharon Kelly-Brown,

KEYS WEEKLY CARES...

THE HOLIDAYS CAN BE AN OVERWHELMING TIME FOR US ALL.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND HELP IS AVAILABLE.

KEYS WEEKLY HAS COMPILED A LIST OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO HELP PEOPLE IN NEED OF FOOD, FINANCIAL HELP, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROTECTION OR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

DIAL 988 - SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers in the U.S. that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

SOS MISSION FOOD PANTRY 5640 Maloney Ave, Stock Island. For additional locations and distribution schedules, visit sosfoun dation.org or call 305.292.3013.

GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER

FOR MENTAL HEALTH

• 24-hour suicide and mental health hotline: 305-434-7660, option #8.

• Guidance/Care Center provides mental health and/or substance abuse help regardless of ability to pay.

• Free services for youth and teens are available; no one is turned away for inability to pay.

• Psychiatrists and case managers speak English and Spanish (translation available for Creole, Russian, Czech and Polish). Contact 305-434-7660 option #4.

SAMUEL’S HOUSE

Samuel’s House helps women, men and families in need of safe shelter due to domestic violence, substance abuse or incarceration. Visit samuelshouse.org for more information. Call 305-296-0240 or toll free 855-772-7800. After-hours emergencies: 305-296-0240.

WESLEY HOUSE HOLIDAY HELPERS

Wesley House Family Services helps Keys families provide a magical Christmas for the kids. Contact Wesley House for more information at 305809-5000 or visit wesleyhouse.org.

FL KEYS HEALTHY START COALITION

Can provide diapers, formula, car seats, bike helmets and transporta tion to prenatal appointments for new and soon-to-be parents in need. Apply online at keyshealthystart.org or call 305.293.8424 for more information.