It’s almost midnight on Christmas Eve on the Outer Banks. In many ways the night is like it is almost anywhere else in the country. The kids are snuggled down in their beds…hopefully. Presents are laid out under the tree. Christmas lights through a myriad of colors into the night sky.
It is a little different, though, here on the edge of the continent. The sound of the surf is a constant. It’s calm today, and will be tomorrow, but still it’s there. In the bays and estuaries, wildfowl call out creating a chorus of sounds unlike any other place.
The Outer Banks is still a busy place right now, although for this one evening and one day tomorrow, it will slow down, much like every other place. A pause, perhaps, to think about what the season truly means, Yes, the gifts are nice; knowing that someone cares enough to give something precious and important is wonderful.
But the season is more than a gift or a day of excitement. It is a moment that so many pause to think about what it truly means to have good will to all people;; to to have and to hold the Christmas spirit.
Things are going to start to slow down drastically in a week or two. That’s part of the cycle of life on this sand bar by the sea. Businesses will close earlier—some close entirely and take vacation time. There is a shift from a focus on business and visitors to a focus on schools and catching up with neighbors.
Or perhaps better said, because the folks on the Outer Banks seem to naturally feel good about our visitors, there is more time to see what’s happening in the schools. Or to stop by and visit with a neighbor.
Life on the Outer Banks is wonderful and at Brindley Beach Vacations we invite you to stay a week or two with us and discover what life on a sandbar is really like.