Greetings from the Gulf

Don't let the warm weather fool you. It's Christmastime in Bay St. Louis.

The temperature is a warm 65 degrees. In the distance, the Gulf washes the tide back and forth onto the shoreline. If you judge by the weather, the holidays haven't arrived. Still, in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, not even the salty air and coastal wind can camouflage the Christmas spirit.

About a 55-minute drive from the Big Easy, this hamlet is a conglomeration of sights, tastes, and sounds. Every year, local merchants decorate trees and display them in the town's award-winning library. (It was the only library in the South recognized by First Lady Laura Bush for its work in the community.) By the time the trees are finished, there's just enough room for guests to admire and inspect each one.

Only in a town this small and friendly is the local bookstore owner also the library storyteller. Susan Daigre, owner of Bookends Bookstore, puts up two trees in the library. The colorful decorations are as varied as the volumes in her shop. Bookends carries plenty to fill stockings this season, especially with works by local authors such as Stephen Ambrose.

For other artistic endeavors, venture into Bay Clay Studio where you can watch the work of potter Talle Johnson. "There are no mistakes," says Talle, who admits that most of his tools came out of a dumpster. "That's where creativity comes in." Talle is just one of many craftspeople, including folk artist Alice Moseley, who work in this small but thriving arts community.

Hungry? Stop by Carole & Mary's Olde Towne Restaurant for a bite. The best time to visit, however, is breakfast. Try the top-selling Sunday special Alligator-in-a-Hole Sausage, served with eggs and real alligator meat. Or order the strawberry waffles. Either way, you'll be pleased.

For a sweet surprise, stop by Ruth's Cakery. This time of year their gingerbread houses take the cake. Orders begin a year in advance, but the best part is that kids from the community come out to help Ruth decorate these masterpieces. Each year the creations are different. Final products run the gamut from a house made with frilly flowers to fishing camps that boast candy fish and poles made from chocolate sticks.

Fishing poles on gingerbread houses and warm weather in December? It must be Christmas on the bay.

FARRAH AUSTIN

For more information: Contact the Hancock County Tourism Bureau, 1-800-466-9048 or www.hancock countyms.org.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Dec 2002
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