Who here hasn’t squeezed their own orange juice or learned to truly appreciate a green Christmas? If you’re a native Floridian, you probably have. We think these traditions should be kept alive in every Florida family.
- Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice
Flickr/Caitlin Regan It takes a while and a little effort, but it truly can’t be beat.
- Plastic Flamingos
Flickr/Nick Gray People might do this in other states, but they’ll always look most at home here.
- Lawn Decorations
Flickr/Matthew Rogers Florida’s climate is great for growing, and we can get pretty competitive with our landscaping, lawn art, and lawn furniture.
- Green Holiday Seasons
Flickr/Matthew Paulson Most people think of snow-covered rooftops and cuddling up by the fire with hot cocoa when they think of the holiday season, but here there’s usually plenty of green, almost never any snow, and sometimes people are still in short sleeves. That doesn’t mean we don’t get excited about the season, we just do things a little differently.
- Fishing Trips
Flickr/Ricymar Photography Most of us have fond memories of when our father or grandfather taught us to fish. This peaceful pastime is perfect for quality family time.
- Boiled Peanuts
Andrew Wardlow via Flickr/VISIT FLORIDA Editor If you’re from Florida, you probably grew up with signs for this salty snack all around you. Believe it or not, some outsiders think boiling a peanut is weird or even gross. It’s okay, though, we know the truth. Pictured is the Panhandle Pioneer Settlement’s annual peanut boil.
- Crockpot Cooking
Flickr/I Believe I Can Fry Chances are your grandma had one of these and hopefully you do, too. Crockpots are perfect for cooking in Florida because you don’t have to heat up your whole kitchen with the oven during hot summer months, and they’re awesome for hearty stews and soups in the winter months.
- The First Disney Trip
Flickr/Tom Bricker A trip to Disney is a rite of passage in Florida. As soon as kids are old enough to take a spin in a giant teacup (and sometimes earlier) parents are making plans for a trip to Orlando. There are plenty of other theme parks to visit every year, but parents usually start with the iconic Magic Kingdom.
- Learning to Swim EARLY
Flickr/Chiot’s Run Life in Florida revolves around water, so kids are usually taught to swim as soon as possible. Parents want to make their kids strong swimmers early so they participate in more activities and stay safe around all this water.
- Porches
Flickr/Nannette Turner When looking for a home here, a porch is always a huge plus. Most of us have spent countless hours in quiet contemplation or hanging out with friends here.
- Iced Tea
Flickr/Jen Collins This is a traditionally Southern thing Floridians are definitely on board with. It’s the perfect beverage for our year-round porch-sitting.
- Beach Weddings
Flickr/amy jett People usually choose to have beach weddings to do something different, but here they’re pretty common. In Florida, you’re never far from a beautiful beach, and they make gorgeous settings for wedding photos.
- Antique Shopping
Flickr/Peppysis People of all ages love antiquing here, and there’s always an awesome antique store nearby. We have plenty of avid yard sale and estate sale devotees as well.
- Spending Time With Grandparents
Flickr/S P Photography Florida is the perfect place for retirees, so if you’re lucky enough to live in Florida, you’re usually not far from grandma and grandpa. This is an awesome benefit for kids growing up here, and it’s really touching to see multiple generations stay so close.
Did you have any other traditions related to growing up in Florida? Please share them with us in the comments below.
Flickr/Caitlin Regan
It takes a while and a little effort, but it truly can’t be beat.
Flickr/Nick Gray
People might do this in other states, but they’ll always look most at home here.
Flickr/Matthew Rogers
Florida’s climate is great for growing, and we can get pretty competitive with our landscaping, lawn art, and lawn furniture.
Flickr/Matthew Paulson
Most people think of snow-covered rooftops and cuddling up by the fire with hot cocoa when they think of the holiday season, but here there’s usually plenty of green, almost never any snow, and sometimes people are still in short sleeves. That doesn’t mean we don’t get excited about the season, we just do things a little differently.
Flickr/Ricymar Photography
Most of us have fond memories of when our father or grandfather taught us to fish. This peaceful pastime is perfect for quality family time.
Andrew Wardlow via Flickr/VISIT FLORIDA Editor
If you’re from Florida, you probably grew up with signs for this salty snack all around you. Believe it or not, some outsiders think boiling a peanut is weird or even gross. It’s okay, though, we know the truth. Pictured is the Panhandle Pioneer Settlement’s annual peanut boil.
Flickr/I Believe I Can Fry
Chances are your grandma had one of these and hopefully you do, too. Crockpots are perfect for cooking in Florida because you don’t have to heat up your whole kitchen with the oven during hot summer months, and they’re awesome for hearty stews and soups in the winter months.
Flickr/Tom Bricker
A trip to Disney is a rite of passage in Florida. As soon as kids are old enough to take a spin in a giant teacup (and sometimes earlier) parents are making plans for a trip to Orlando. There are plenty of other theme parks to visit every year, but parents usually start with the iconic Magic Kingdom.
Flickr/Chiot’s Run
Life in Florida revolves around water, so kids are usually taught to swim as soon as possible. Parents want to make their kids strong swimmers early so they participate in more activities and stay safe around all this water.
Flickr/Nannette Turner
When looking for a home here, a porch is always a huge plus. Most of us have spent countless hours in quiet contemplation or hanging out with friends here.
Flickr/Jen Collins
This is a traditionally Southern thing Floridians are definitely on board with. It’s the perfect beverage for our year-round porch-sitting.
Flickr/amy jett
People usually choose to have beach weddings to do something different, but here they’re pretty common. In Florida, you’re never far from a beautiful beach, and they make gorgeous settings for wedding photos.
Flickr/Peppysis
People of all ages love antiquing here, and there’s always an awesome antique store nearby. We have plenty of avid yard sale and estate sale devotees as well.
Flickr/S P Photography
Florida is the perfect place for retirees, so if you’re lucky enough to live in Florida, you’re usually not far from grandma and grandpa. This is an awesome benefit for kids growing up here, and it’s really touching to see multiple generations stay so close.
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