The Festival of Trees with its amazing variety of beautifully decorated trees never fails to spark my creative energy.  Browsing the more than 60 decked-out Christmas trees and wreaths provides inspiration and fresh ideas for tackling my own holiday decorating.  The event is free and open to the public at the St. Johns County Convention Center at the Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village from this Friday, December 2nd through Sunday, December 11th.

The Festival of Trees started back in 2005 and has become a well-loved tradition in World Golf Village and throughout Jacksonville and St. Augustine.  It provides much needed support for needy families right here in St. Johns County with proceeds benefiting The United Way of St. Johns County and The Empty Stocking Fund. You can simply admire the trees, or you can “vote” for your favorite creations with a $1 donation which goes to charity, or you can even take a tree or wreath home with you by bidding through the silent auction.

When you live in beautiful St. Augustine, Florida, the holiday season is not signaled by a nip in the air but rather by something much more magical and festive.  Something that lights up the night and tickles the fancy. Something that draws neighbors from Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra, Julington Creek and other places both near and far.  It’s the Nights of Lights of course, which turned on the switch this past weekend and set historic downtown St. Augustine a twinkle just like it has for the past 17 years.  In fact its the mild winter evenings in St. Augustine that make the Nights of Lights so inviting.  Strolling downtown’s cobbled streets, walking along the Matanzas Riverfront near the Bridge of Lions, browsing boutiques and enjoying the cafes under a canopy of sparkling white lights is sure to put anyone in the holiday spirit.  Nights of Lights shines on St. Augustine every evening until January 31, 2012 and is a great evening outing for family and friends visiting from out of town. 

Here are some other festive events happening in and around our St. Augustine golf course community:

I visited the World Golf Hall of Fame this week and was lucky enough to have Director of Exhibits Andy Hunold give me an “insiders” tour. View the video and you can take the tour along with me.

First of all, I had no idea that the flags right outside the Hall of Fame represent the countries the members are from. It’s an impressive display that sets the stage for what’s to come inside the World Golf Hall of Fame.  I was also not aware that our St. Augustine golf course community is home to the only sports hall of fame in the world with an IMAX theater. If those things are not news to you, then how about this one…Did you know there have been over 50 exhibits displayed in the Hall of Fame to date? Pretty impressive, right? 

The Hall of Fame currently has 136 members. These members are made up of both players and contributors to the game. The process of induction is depicted just inside the Hall of Fame. It really helps to understand how difficult the process of selection is. There are five criteria – the PGA TOUR ballot, International Ballot, LPGA Ballot, Lifetime Achievement Ballot, and Veteran’s Ballot. Andy does an excellent job of explaining the induction process in the full length video.

It seems like everyone around our St. Augustine golf course community is always looking for ways to give back throughout the year, but especially during the holidays! There are many ways to get involved and help out in Jacksonville and St. Augustine, but we have an event happening right in our own neighborhood that we can all take part in. Davidson Realty and the Village Chiropractic Center of Florida are teaming up to bring you a very fun event that will be sure to get you in the mood for the holidays.

Come to Davidson Realty, Inc. on Thursday, December 1st at 7 pm to make your own one-of-a-kind holiday wreath and benefit the Ronald McDonald House at the same time!  Interiors Revitalized will be present to help you create a beautiful, unique wreath that will become part of your holiday tradition for years to come. For $30 per person (all to Ronald McDonald House) you can create your wreath, enjoy festive drinks/snacks, and listen to Christmas music. And, don’t forget to put a bid in on one of the amazing silent auction items.

From his arrival to World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida 12 years ago, Denny Kompare has invested countless hours in making our community the best it can be. In fact, Denny was the first President of the Turnberry Homeowners Association and has volunteered in our St. Augustine golf course community in a variety of ways over the years.

Denny was one of the first residents of Turnberry when he retired to the area with his wife Joanne in March 1999. Sadly, Joanne passed away from Ovarian Cancer in April of this year. Denny’s son Douglas, a Personal Chef, lives with him in Turnberry.  They share their home with a Yorkie, a Cockatiel and a Senegal Parrot.  “It’s an amusing menagerie” says Denny.  In addition Denny has two lovely daughters, Denise and Desiree, who live in New Jersey and Virginia respectively.

Perhaps it was the worldly appeal of the name “World Golf Village” that caught Denny’s attention.  “I retired as the Director of International Business for Union Carbide,” said Denny.  “We had offices in 42 countries and I can count at least 60 countries I’ve traveled to over the years. My favorite part of the travel was interacting with people of all nationalities, cultures and traditions and enjoying all  of the differing cuisines”

A proliferation of self-help styled books has blanketed the market – a seemingly endless stream over the past three decades. They come from all corners of the globe. They are offered by everyone, from respected educators and esteemed writers to redeemed born-agains and stand-up comedians. Some are pithy and densely written while others are light and breezy. Many are worldly-based and of late, many are personal, somewhat vain and narcisstic exposes. I think the most educational ones are those that reveal life-lessons gained through real-world experiences – both good experiences and bad ones.

One common theme that jumps out from any thumb-thru of this genre is that you should always follow your bliss and find your passion.

The question is – how in the heck does one find their passion? Where do you start looking? Where do you go? Do you go it alone or take along your friends? Will it be out there to be found? How will you know it when you find it? Are there any short-cuts to take? How much time should you plan on looking? What do you do once you find it? Will any of the process be blissful? Are you lesser of a person if you can’t find it? Have you failed your destiny without it?

Simple-mindedly, I always thought you were born with an inner, innate passion – and that some folks were and some weren’t. This conclusion can be easy to reach when you consider a child-prodigy or an athletic prowess – one whose never-ending practice and all-consuming attention to their craft defines their being. If this is so – where does it leave us “regular folks” – those of us that try out all sorts of things along our life’s travel-path?