By Donald Wittkowski
One of the most coveted gifts people may find wrapped under the tree or stuffed in their stockings on Christmas morning is a piece of plastic about the size of a half dollar.
Always in heavy demand, the special edition Sea Isle City holiday beach tags have sold out again – 2,500 in all.
“The holiday beach tags are always very popular,” city spokeswoman Katherine Custer said. “They sell out each year because they make terrific gifts and are the perfect size for stocking stuffers. And who doesn’t love getting a beach tag?”
The beach tags feature the whimsical image of a Sea Isle City Beach Patrol lifeguard stand decorated with a wreath amid the words, “Happy Holidays.” The tags also note that the Beach Patrol will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2019.
The holiday-themed tags are good for the entire 2019 summer season. The discounted price of $20 represents a $5 savings over the full cost of a seasonal beach tag. The preseason price is in effect for beach tags bought before May 15.
Sea Isle also offers the option of beach tag gift certificates. They can be exchanged after April 15 for 2019 seasonal beach tags.
Although the chilly winter weather may make it hard now to think about leisurely summer vacations at the seashore, Sea Isle has found that beach tag sales can be strong during the off-season.
While the Christmas-themed tags are sold out, Sea Isle residents and visitors will soon get a second and even third crack at buying special edition beach badges.
Starting Jan. 15, the city will begin selling 2019 beach tags inspired by Sea Isle’s Polar Bear Plunge, the madcap dip in the frosty ocean that draws thousands of visitors to town each February.
The Polar Bear Plunge tags will be followed by a limited run of St. Patrick’s Day beach badges beginning Feb. 20.
“The Polar Bear and St. Patrick’s Day beach tags are also very popular, especially with people who have beach tag collections,” Custer said. “Each year, folks come into the Welcome Center to buy tags simply to complete their collections, which they have been growing over the years.
“Many people tell us that they have every beach tag since Sea Isle began selling beach tags in the 1970s,” Custer added. “They enjoy the variety of different tags that are offered each year.”
Beach tags are sold at the Tax Office on the second floor of City Hall and at the Welcome Center on John F. Kennedy Boulevard.
They are also available at a cash-only beach tag vending machine on the first floor of City Hall. Sea Isle has bragging rights for being the first town at the Jersey Shore to have a beach tag vending machine. It was introduced in late 2016.
Sea Isle also offers an app that lets people purchase beach tags using their mobile devices. Go to www.viplypass.com/sea-isle-city/ for more information. In 2016, Sea Isle was among the first shore towns to offer an app for beach tag purchases.
Beach tag sales total around $1.4 million annually in Sea Isle and are an important source of revenue. The money pays for lifeguards, seasonal police officers, keeping the beaches clean and other beach-related expenses. Without beach tags, those expenses would have to be funded by taxpayers.
