By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Josh and Kathryn Karl, Todd and Erinn Hower and Tanner Rice, all from Pittsburgh, were visiting Sea Isle City on Saturday after attending a wedding in Ocean City the day before.
Before jumping in their car for the trip back to Pittsburgh, they stopped to admire the scenery at the shore, including something that was a total surprise.
“Merry Christmas!” Erinn Hower exclaimed, breaking into a smile.
Gazing above them, they looked at a towering Christmas tree, garland hanging from Victorian-style light posts and wreaths trimmed with red bows that had transformed Sea Isle’s Excursion Park into a holiday wonderland.
“I think they look fantastic,” Erinn Hower said of the decorations. “I love Christmas. It’s a time for getting together with family.”
“Well, Halloween is over. The Christmas decorations are up,” Josh Karl added.
Sea Isle decorates Excursion Park, the downtown business district and other popular areas of town for the holidays each year, but this year was a bit of a surprise because the festive displays were unveiled a little earlier than usual.
“Clearly, Sea Isle City is always a very festive place during the holidays,” city spokeswoman Katherine Custer said. “As always, we try to put our best foot forward for the holidays. It’s a great place to see the decorations. We’re getting a little earlier jump on it this year so that when Thanksgiving rolls around, we’ll be looking our best.”
To kick off the holiday season, Sea Isle will have a grand celebration on Thanksgiving weekend, highlighted by the annual Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony with Santa Claus on Friday night, Nov. 26.
“I once again want to remind everyone that Sea Isle City is the perfect place to enjoy Thanksgiving Weekend,” Mayor Leonard Desiderio said in a statement.
Barely a week after Halloween, the city has been decked out in traditional holiday decorations to create a bit of whimsy and nostalgia for residents and visitors alike.
The Victorian-style lamp posts lining the John F. Kennedy Boulevard entryway are draped with garland and wreaths accented with red bows. Christmas lights and snowflakes twinkle along JFK Boulevard and the Landis Avenue corridor in the downtown business district.
The decorations are another way to make the business district more inviting to holiday shoppers. Twinkling lights add to the cheery atmosphere.
At City Hall, toy soldiers resplendent in bright red uniforms and black top hats stand guard at the front entrance to the building.
Giant, multicolored Christmas ball ornaments adorn the lawn at the Sea Isle City Welcome Center, signaling to everyone entering town on JFK Boulevard that this is a town that fancies this time of year.
