Balmy Christmas Eve on Anna Maria Island warms up chilly tourists

More than 60 million people live in areas that, on Sunday, were placed under winter weather alerts, which includes advisories, warnings and lake-effect snow warnings.

In fact, a broad swath of the United States won’t have to dream of a white Christmas as winter weather bears down on much of the Northwest, Midwest and Northeast on Sunday, according to forecasters.

One storm system was located over Des Moines, Iowa, and Kansas City on Sunday morning and is moving eastward over the course of the day, CNN reported.

But throngs of lucky tourists have escaped the dire predictions by showing up on Anna Maria Island on the western edge of Manatee County to celebrate Christmas in 80-degree weather that is perfect for swimming and sunbathing.

For these lucky folks, Christmas spirit this year is spelled “s-a-n-d” and “s-u-n.”

“We have a Christmas tree right here at the cafe so that’s all I need,” grinned Robin Paplham of Green Bay, Wis., as she got set to order another cold beverage at the Tiki bar at the Island Cafe on Holmes Beach on Christmas Eve.

Paplham, who cleans the Wisconsin house of a woman who was nice enough to rent Paplham her Bradenton condo for Christmas, was wearing a striped bathing suit and nothing else while people back home in Green Bay were shivering in 2-degree weather, which could even get worse with a national forecast of more ice and snow.

“This is awesome,” Paplham said, unable to cease smiling. “I’ve been here for spring break but never Christmas. This is the best Christmas ever.”

“I love this place to pieces,” said Kentucky’s Jerry Bowlin, who was at Holmes Beach on Sunday along with his wife, Rebecca, mother-in-law, Anna Santorella, brother-in-law Matthew Casey and sister-in-law Rosemarie Casey to celebrate the Caseys’ 30th wedding anniversary at the beach rather than deal with 30-degree weather 40 miles south of Paducah, Ky.

“We are staying for two weeks,” Bowlin said. “Beautiful. The whole place is beautiful.”

As Danyella Almeida, 14, from Boston, walked on Holmes Beach on Sunday with her mother, Sheila Almeida, she could hardly believe she was walking in sand and not snow.

“This is sand, really sand and look at that ocean,” Danyella said, nearly giddy with joy. “So beautiful. It’s nothing compared to Massachusetts.”

Matthew “Mr. Manatee Chamber” Casey

It would be safe to say that of all the tourists who were on Anna Maria Island Sunday celebrating Christmas Eve, none could better serve as an ambassador for the area than Matthew Casey of Paduccah, Ky., and who was mentioned earlier as arriving with his brother-in-law Jerry Bowlin.

Matthew and his wife, Rosemarie, decided that they would spare no expense to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. Paris, Rome, Madrid, New York, Las Vegas? What would it be? They would invite Matthew’s mother, Anna Santorella, and the Bowlins.

“We were going to go out of the country and then we said, ‘Why don’t we stay in America?’” Matthew Casey said. “So, we did a Google search and typed in, ‘Clearest water in America.’ This area came up and the reviews were like, ‘It feels like home, people friendly, quaint, lovely, beautiful beaches.’ So, we said we have to try it.”

As Casey told this story Sunday, he became really emotional and one could tell it was from the heart.

“We put on wet suits,” Casey said, detailing his Christmas Eve adventures in the warmth. “We laid in the sun. We enjoyed the tiki bar. But, most important, we have had time away as a family from pets and life and have felt the warmth of the people down here. I truly believe the most beautiful people in the world must live in Bradenton because everyone has been so lovely and kind to us. They welcomed us like we were family and we appreciate that.”

After that there was nothing more to say. Christmas Eve on the beach said it all.

This story was originally published December 24, 2017 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Balmy Christmas Eve on Anna Maria Island warms up chilly tourists."