Best Christmas Ever

We drove into Savannah on Christmas Eve afternoon ready to explore. With 2 hours of daylight remaining, we were eager to check out a few of the city’s 23 unique squares as well as the historic River Street. We started at our hotel, the River Street Inn. For Christmas Eve and Christmas we decided to not stay in Frank, but to get a room instead. We asked Dee, a connoisseur of Savannah, what he recommended and he set us up. The result is the best room in the house: top floor, corner, riverside balcony.

River Street Views

We checked out the room and then immediately returned to the street to enjoy the last rays of light. Here we took pictures and soaked in the romance and history of Savannah. We explored the streets around our hotel and immediately fell in love with Johnson Square.  This would be a place we’d come back to.

River Street Inn

Next we returned to River Street where we met Walter a street musician who’d been playing on the river front for 34 years. He serenaded us with his version of “What a Wonderful World”, a favorite.   We ended the evening with an incredible dinner at famed Pink House Tavern.

Pinkies

Our only dark spot on the day was the news that Belle, our surrogate puppy who’d we house sat for the past year and a half with Ann and Scott, had passed away.  It is a shock and we’ll miss her dearly.  Tim and I were both just glad we got a chance to see her 2 weeks ago and give her big hugs.  We’ll never forget her laughing eyes and irrepressible joyful bounds through the house whenever someone she loved was near.

Belle Watches the World

Christmas Day was rainy.  Tim and I began the morning searching high and low for a place for breakfast.  Most of Savannah was closed for the day.  After walking 20 blocks, we began to hallucinate about eggs and sausage when we finally found the Rock, a contemporary restaurant that served incredible grit cakes.  Sustained, we returned to the room for a nap and our annual dose of “A Christmas Story”.  Our goal for the day was to relax and we succeeded.

Skipping through Savannah

The Mansion at Forsyth Park

By mid afternoon we hit the streets again and continued our exploration.  We walked to the beautiful Mansion at Forsyth Park, touring 10 more squares on the way.  None replaced our original favorite though.  We decided to return to Johnson Square on our way home for a Christmas photo.

Engaged!

We sat on the fountain’s edge and shot some pictures as the clouds broke and the sun finally came out. Just as blue skies opened over Savannah, Tim told me he’d cheated and bought me a Christmas present, even though we we’d said no presents this year.  He reached down and pulled out a box.  There was the most elegant ring I’d ever seen.

“Will you marry me?” he asked.

In between hugs, kisses, smiles and tears, I said yes.

When we got back to the room, roses and champagne had magically appeared and after calling family, we spent the rest of the night on our balcony watching the world and dreaming of our next 50 years.   Christmas has never been so perfect.

Christmas from the Balcony

Merry Christmas and thank you for the gifts of love and friendship over the past year from so many friends and family. From Shepherdstown to Williamsburg, from Annapolis to Ringgold, from Fairfax to Harrisonburg, from Jackson WY to Raleigh we’ve cherished our time with you all. It’s been an incredible trip.