THE HISTORY BEHIND THE MYSTERY - Down south, an old custom dictates that if someone comes up to you on Christmas Day and says "Christmas gift" before you do, you have to give that person a Christmas present. However, the custom does not say what kind of a present you have to give! The gifts given however, have been good enough to keep the custom somewhat alive and well. This isn’t to say that the custom doesn’t have its drawbacks. The Devil himself acquired the east coast of Florida this way! He knew that God was walking through Florida on one sunny Christmas Day, so he hid behind an old tree stump. When God came walking by, the Devil jumped out and yelled: "Christmas gift!" And the Lord, knowing this old southern custom of course, held up His end of the deal and told the Devil, "You can have the east coast," and continued on His walk. So now the
Devil raises havoc, playing terrible tricks with hurricanes, all along the east coast of Florida whenever he feels like causing some trouble.
An old southern custom says that,
On Christmas Day when you meet someone;
If they say, “Christmas gift” fore you do,
Then you’re required to give them one.
When the devil found out about this,
He began to concoct a plan;
To get a gift from God Himself,
One that would be a bane to man.
God decided to take a walk,
Through Florida one Christmas Day;
That made the devil’s job easy,
Soon old Satan would get his way.
He hid himself behind a tree,
So when the Lord came walking by;
He jumped out and said, “Christmas gift,”
His gift was a storm with an eye.
They haunt Florida still today,
In the form of the hurricane;
The devil slams all the east coast,
Hammers it with surf, wind and rain.
So, whenever it pleases him,
If he’s feeling a little mean;
A storm with an eye strikes the coast,
Wiping all of the sand dunes clean.
As a Floridian on the East Coast, I wouldn't live anywhere else. Keep your snow storms, earthquakes, and tornadoes and I'll keep the sun, the ocean, the beach and the beautiful sun rises and sun sets.
Florida certainly has changed since my Navy days in the 50's. Now it seems like the devil indeed owns that crummy state. As always my friend an outstanding write.
GOD BLESS YOU
Tony
Mack's friends suggested he visit a quaint town in Washington State called Leavenworth, but they had an ulterior motive—a motive that resulted him agreeing to help one of their friends track down her missing sister. That led him to the remote small t
She was quite capable of taking care of herself...She appreciated everything he was doing for her and the Grandmothers Four, but she needed his help, not for him to take over.
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Regis
Blessings,
Christine
Donna
GOD BLESS YOU
Tony
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Texas, Karen Lynn. :D