Swags of red ribbons and fresh-cut philodendron frame a still life in the Zugelters’ living room, while grandchildren enjoy a seasonal story as kids do every-where.
Irving Berlin was wrong. Christmas doesn’t need snow or pine trees or, to borrow from another classic lyric, chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Forget those unreal Currier & Ives scenes and celebrate the holidays with a true touch of the tropics by using indigenous plants for decoration and native ingredients for your special dishes. Create a new family tradition that’s exclusive to Florida.
Well, almost exclusive. The U.S. Virgin Islands have a climate similar to ours, and recently we discovered some Christmas traditions popular in St. Croix, the biggest of the Virgins, that make stockings and reindeer seem pretty passe.
According to Vero Beach resident Ann Zugelter, who lived in St. Croix for 15 years, the island is a wonderful melange of nationalities. Danish, Dutch, English, East Indian, African, Spanish and Creole influences have redesigned the architecture, reseasoned the food and reharmonized the music over 500 years, and the result is a mix-and-match culture that seems to meld the best of all worlds — especially in the ways the holiday season is welcomed.
Read the entire article in the November 1998 issue
True Tails is a series written by Amy Robinson for Vero Beach’s dog lovers. Ask Amy about your dog’s behavior by clicking below.
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