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:

December 1: Holiday Wreath Making & Silent Auction – This event will benefit Ronald McDonald House.  Participants will craft their own special holiday wreath and be able to bid on stunning holiday décor.  The event will be held at Davidson Realty at 7:00 pm.  Cost is $30 per person.

December 2-11: St. Johns County Festival of Trees – Ooh and aah at the variety of uniquely decorated trees at the St. Johns County Convention Center at The Renaissance Hotel & Resort at World Golf Village.  The event is free and open to the public. More information is available at www.worldgolfhalloffame.org/todo/festivaloftrees2011.

December 3: Breakfast with Santa at The World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX Theater – From 8:15 am to Noon, kids will love having breakfast with a very special guest! Click here for more information:  www.worldgolfimax.com/events.

Until January 2: Winter Wonderland at the St. Augustine Amphitheater features an Elf Village, ice skating rink, ice slide and more.  More information can be found here www.winterwonderlandflorida.com.

December 4: The 56th Annual Christmas Parade in downtown St. Augustine starts at 10 a.m.

December 11: A beautiful evening site as boats adorned with twinkling white lights float along the historic St. Augustine riverfront at the Regatta of Lights.

Until January 31: The Holly Jolly Holiday Trolley departs nightly from the Visitors Information Center in St. Augustine; guests receive magical glasses that make the Nights of Lights come alive.

Until January 4: A distinctly adult festivity, the Wine INN Bed Tour is a special wine tasting via horse drawn carriage on a Bed & Breakfast Inn Tour where guests sip boutique wines and champagne.

December 4: The 43rd annual Christmas Tour of Homes, sponsored by the Garden Club of St. Augustine, continues from noon to 5 p.m. featuring six private homes.
 
December 8: Habitat for Humanity will hosts its annual Holiday Gala for Humanity from 6 to 10 p.m. at River House. Features will be the 12 Tastes of Christmas, with restaurants offering food tastings and wine pairings. Music, auctions and other features are planned.
 
December 10 & 11: “Ghosts of Christmas Past” will greet visitors along with more traditional holiday spirits during the 18th Annual Holiday Tour of Historic Inns. The holiday tour, sponsored by St. Augustine Historic Inns (SAHI), features 25 unique bed and breakfast inns decorated for the Christmas season. Tickets for the two-day tour are $25, and may be purchased at www.staugustinebandbtour.com.

For more information about these and other holiday events in the St. Augustine area, visit http://coastalcompanion.com/2010/11/13/holiday-events-st-augustine.