Viki Boyle and Liza Longenhagen Florida Rep. -STEPHANIE DAVIS / FLORIDA WEEKLY

During the holiday season, I sometimes feel like a mail delivery person:

“Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

And while I know we don’t have to concern ourselves with sleet or snow here in the tropics, we could replace that line with “nor snowbird traffic” it would still make sense to a person like me who leaves her house at the height of rush hour to make it to holiday parties that start at 6 p.m.

Of course, I’m not complaining – in fact, I’m having a blast – and some of my favorite festive soirees are still on the horizon as Christmas and the New Year get closer. My cocktail dresses are hanging in my closet just like stockings by the fire, waiting to go out and taste some bubbly and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus!

Downtown holiday fun

I had a delightful time at Florida Repertory Theatre for the opening night of “The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge,” a fun, comedic, and heartwarming take on “A Christmas Carol” on Dec. 5. It was a big night downtown, where the December Art Walk and the opening night of Goodwill’s annual Festival of Trees at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center were happening. I ran into the delightful Shavon Chester, a Rep Board Member who was manning the theatre’s PR table on First Street. Shavon had just seen all the sparkly trees at the art center – so she encouraged me to skip down before the show started – and I’m so glad she did. The beautifully decorated Christmas trees filled the space with dazzle and glitter. The local businesses and nonprofits that decorated the trees truly went all out this year. I enjoyed running into city council member Liston Bochette, author Margriet de Schutter, the First Lady of Fort Myers Krista Anderson, Cindy Boutwell of WINK-TV, Jamie Dunn of Goodwill Industries, and of course, Devon Parker, executive director of the art center running around and greeting a full house of happy guests.

Scrooge steals the show

Not only did I make it back to the theatre for curtain – I had time to enjoy the opening night Champagne reception before the show. Sipping bubbly, mixing, and mingling were Cole Peacock of Seed & Bean, consultant Rachel Peacock, Michele Hylton-Terry and LaShaun Collier of the Community Redevelopment Agency, Merry Coffman of Fort Myers Tip-Off, David Fritz of Cruise Everything, Angela Melvin of Valerie’s House, and a whole bunch more. After a rousing standing ovation, we convened for an after-party because downtown never gets tired.

Tree-trimming and wine-sipping

The weekend ended with the annual tree-trimming party hosted by Gina Birch of Sunny 106 (all Christmas music 24/7 until the end of the holidays!) and her bestie, Louise Ray. The hors d’oeuvres were yummy, and the cocktails were refreshing. Plus I got to see Sandra and Tom Ging, Sharon and Doug Henderson, Marlene Moulton, Alison Hussey, Paula Kamberos and bunches more!

Stephanie Davis. -COURTESY PHOTO

Holiday Music Walk

Don’t forget! Friday, Dec. 19 beginning at 6 p.m. is the holiday-themed Music Walk – if you need some holiday spirit – and a few spirits – get downtown!

Stephanie Davis is a recovering girl-about-town formerly known as the Downtown Diva. A nearly native Southwest Floridian, when she’s not photographing events for Florida Weekly, she’s perfectly content to stay at home binging Netflix with her husband and two cats, Tennessee and Lilibet.