'Tis the season

'Tis the season in Southwest Florida. Thanksgiving is still digesting and Christmas is looming large. Decorations are everywhere and there is a chill in the air. Ok maybe a chill of 65 degrees, but a chill nevertheless. Stores are filled with holiday shoppers, the hustle and the bustle. Restaurants are filling up and so too are the streets. 'Tis the season and the snowbirds have returned.

Their annual southern migration has begun and is building with intensity as they flock to their winter nesting grounds. Beaches are getting crowded. No more quiet dawn runs on the beach, the moving obstacle course has begun. Golf course tee times are filling up so get there early or play in the heat of the afternoon. Going somewhere across town, Cape Coral, Fort Myers or Naples? Be prepared to double your drive time. Hungry? Unless you make early reservations, do not plan on going out to eat between 4-8. Remember, be prepared for those erratic zigzags. Landmarks have changed since last season and sometimes they forget where they are going. In Florida turn signals are optonal.

It is not all bad. Business owners live for the annual migration of these northern birds. Southwest Florida is open for business and it is booming. The snowbirds need to work on their nests, hunt for food and just plain relax. It is a long flight from the north. Florida businesses want to make them as comfortable as possible and do everything to embrace these magnificient creatures. The southern economic ecosystem surges this time of the year.

Sometimes living here in Florida we can take it all for granted. Having our northern neighbors visit is a reminder how special this place is. During this holiday season of joy and thanks, let us not take anything for granted.