Author: Debbie Roney Smith

Peppermint Bark Recipe

Debbie Roney Smith on

Looking for a kid-friendly Christmas treat to make this holiday? Try Peppermint Bark! It contains only three ingredients and is fun to prepare for little hands.

Ingredients include:

  • 16 oz. white OR dark chocolate, chopped
  • 4 drops of food-grade peppermint oil
  • 3/4 c. crushed candy canes or peppermint candies

Instructions:

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan with a few inches of simmering water over low heat (do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water). Gently melt the chocolate: stir occasionally, only a few lumps should remain by the end, about 3 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir until completely smooth. Slowly stir in the peppermint oil. 
  4. Pour the chocolate mix onto the lined baking sheet. Smooth it into an even layer with a spatula. 
  5. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes. You can buy pre-crushed peppermint OR allow your kids to crush handfuls to their hearts’ content. 
  6. Let the baking sheet set at room temperature or in the refrigerator (1-2 hours). 
  7. Once the bark is completely hardened, break it into pieces and serve or pack. 

Candy Land Christmas

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Come out to the Watersound Town Center Farmers Market this Friday, December 23rd for Candy Land Christmas! From 5:30-7:30 PM, there will be a plethora of family-friendly holiday activities for everyone to enjoy while completing last-minute holiday shopping. There will be a Santa meet and greet, face painting, train rides, a bounce house, slides, hot cocoa, food trucks, live music, and more! The market itself will feature clothing, jewelry, gifts, and more. Be sure to bring cash and card for purchasing. 

 

A Hanukkah Celebration!

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Join James Weldon Johnson Park, Gili’s Kitchen, Catering and Bakery, and the Jacksonville Jewish Center for their annual celebration of Hanukkah and its related traditions. Totally Lit! A Hanukkah Celebration will be hosted in the heart of downtown Jacksonville. There will be live music, storytelling, crafts, dreidel games, traditional baked treats like sufganiyot, and the lighting of the Memorah. Beer and kosher wine will be available for adults. Totally Lit! will be held on December 20th at James Weldon Johnson Park from 4:30-7:30pm. The Menorah lighting ceremony will be at approximately 6:30pm. 

The event is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Visit the Facebook event page HERE for more information. 

Christmas City

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Today is the last day of Christmas City by Sunland Center. From 6-8 PM tonight, visit Sunland Ranch in Marianna to enjoy a night of Christmas lights, live entertainment, food vendors, and wagon tours. Sunland is asking for a $5 donation per car to help fund the Christmas City event. For more information, contact them by phone at (850) 482-9373. 

Jingle Bell Express

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This upcoming weekend is your last chance to ride the Jingle Bell Express in Panama City. On Friday and Saturday evening, the Express will be taking visitors between Historic Downtown Panama City and St. Andrews. The Jingle Bell Express will run from 5-8 PM each night, with various pick-up and drop-off points in Downtown and St. Andrews. The Express is FREE and family-friendly! Each passenger is gifted with a cookie made from scratch by the local bakery, Who’s Got Time. The Panama City A Capelle Chorus will be singing carols on the Express, and visitors are encouraged to join in. The ride will feature gorgeous views along Beach Drive; keep an eye out for historic houses decked out for the holidays and the beauty of Christmas lights reflecting on the water. Explore both St. Andrews and Downtown to enjoy light displays, horse-drawn carriages, Christmas parades, and local shops filled with holiday cheer. 

Cottondale Christmas Festival

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The annual Cottondale Christmas Festival is here! Today from 10am to 2pm, come down to the quaint town of Cottondale for a fun family event. The parade will begin at 10am for viewers. The lineup will take place on Thomas Rd. beginning at 9 am., pulling out onto Willow Street., then turning left on HWY 90 parading in front of Cottondale High School. The Festival will run from 11am – 2pm at the Community Center. There will be inflatables, games, Santa, crafts, music, and food! 

Call (850) 352-4361 or visit the City of Cottondale website here with questions or to learn more. 

Sneads Christmas Parade

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The Classic Christmas Memories Parade is happening tomorrow at 4pm! There will be a Santa’s mailbox set up at City Hall, so parents be sure to have your kids get their letters written. There will also be an opportunity to hand let’s directly to Santa himself after the parade. A table will be set up for kids to write letters at the parade itself.

After the parade, hang out and enjoy the Sneads parade festival, or head over to Three Rivers State Park for their annual Vintage Campers display. Entry to the Vintage Campers show is $3 per vehicle. The event will feature cool vintage campers, crafters, and artisans. If you decide to hang out in Sneads, there will be plenty of fun to be hand! The Parade Festival includes free hotdogs, chips, and drinks. There will also be a countdown to the lighting of the Town of Snead’s Christmas tree. Kids activities such as a bounce house, connect four, blow-up basketball, an arts & crafts station, and more will be available. Parents don’t forget to bring your cameras for those pictures with Santa!

Christmas Arts & Crafts in the Park

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This coming Saturday, December 10th, is the annual Christmas Arts and Crafts in the Park. Held at Dorothy B. Oven Park in Tallahassee, the show features all handmade arts and crafts by local vendors. There are still vendor spots available; email artsandcraftsinthepark@gmail.com for a vendor application. Admission to this craft show is FREE. Please know that they are collecting canned and staple foods at the event for a local food pantry. The event will run from 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM (CST). Stay up-to-date with the event by responding to the Facebook event page here. 

Winter Festival

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The 36th Winter Festival is happening this Saturday at the Tallahassee State Capitol. There will be live music on FOUR stages, a Candy Cane Lane in McCarty Plaza, a kids arts & crafts zone in Kleman Plaza, a lighting ceremony in the Chain of Parks, and a Capital Health Jingle Bell Run. The highlight of the event will be the Nighttime Holiday Parade; there will be over 65 entries! Grab a seat along Monroe Street early. Learn more about the event by visiting the official website HERE.