Guys, tomorrow is December 1. IT’S DECEMBER. I know people say something to that effect every single year, but seriously, 2017 – where you at? Maybe I shouldn’t complain. Perhaps it’s the universe’s way of telling us that this year was a dumpster fire and we’d all be a lot better off if it quietly showed itself out. But I’m not here to remind of us of the current state of things, instead for #ThrowbackThursday, I’m taking a little stroll down memory lane… literally.

If you caught up on my most recent post, you know that I am no longer residing on the island of Nantucket and instead now have planted my feet firmly in the continental U.S. (If you’re like hey girl, I have no idea what you’re talking about, you can read more about it here.) Even though it was totally the right decision and there is really is no good time to make a major life change like that, one of the things I will really miss about the island is Stroll Weekend, which happens to be starting in oh, less than 24 hours. In case you don’t know, Stroll is this amazing time of the year when the island is transformed into what can only be described as a Norman Rockwell painting, Hallmark Christmas movie, and an episode of Gilmore Girls on peppermint-flavored crack. It’s busy and amazing and expensive and the most festive thing you will ever experience in your life. Dare I say, it’s downright magical.

Last year, my friend Molly and I (the social media-savvy lady seen above) decided to get up early before the crowds and hit downtown to fully experience Stroll before it becomes a madhouse of silly Christmas hats, off-islanders, and just sheer holiday madness. Despite the fact that both of us had lived on-island for a few years, we hadn’t really gotten to take it all in and we wanted to snap some photos of the scene.

Ah, bloggers. Who else would indulge your need to take so many photos not looking at the camera? (If you don’t recall, Molly captured some amazing outfit photos for me last year, like this one and also these. I miss her so much since she moved back to the West Coast and I swear it’s not just because she takes awesome pics of me “looking at the ground” as Steve says of blog photoshoots.) Also in case you haven’t had enough of reading about people’s experiences moving off the island, Molly has a great post about it here too.

Any good morning for us on Nantucket started at Petticoat Row. Between the sweets (the secret ingredient in everything? BUTTER), the proximity to our office, and the inviting interior, Petticoat was always like Visa – everywhere you wanted to be.

With no real schedule for the day, we explored all the streets and storefronts with displays that I snapped not only to capture the moment, but to remember for any and all future homes I might be able to decorate. I mean, the window boxes at Greydon House are my kryptonite. This updated inn was across the street from my office, and I can’t tell you how many times I hung out in front of the building in all seasons, taking pictures of their most recent window displays when I was supposed to be checking my mail. Hey, if it’s good enough for AD… well then it’s probably way too good for me. But a girl can dream.

I know, more window boxes. It’s worth mentioning that I don’t care for greenery or plants or anything that I have to keep alive without a pulse. But man, Nantucket changes you in a lot of ways, and for me? It made me want to have a green thumb (or, enough money to pay other people with those thumbs to do this for me).

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good theme. One of my other favorite places on Nantucket, The Corner Table (I swear we did more than just eat) incorporated actual food into their outdoor decorations. FOOD. Get it? Because they’re a culinary center? I can’t, it’s just too good.

Since my dog cannot be trusted to walk around downtown or wear accessories no matter how much I bribe him, I had to settle for getting a shot of this cutie instead.

More Culinary Center goodness. Every year during Stroll, they have live free demos that just any ragamuffin off the street like me can walk in and watch (and more importantly, try the food). This is Sarah Leah Chase, who has a very well-known Nantucket cookbook that I have personally tried things from that she has made and oh my God is it like heaven in your mouth. I mean, not enough to make me actually want to cook anything, but enough to get me to show up at things when I hear she’s in town.

And how much was I coveting one of these N.TUC Marché bags depicting the story of Moby-Dick? (It doesn’t seem to be available anymore on their website but OHMYGOD THERE’S A DRESS VERSION.)

I kid you not, I had basically no knowledge of Jeep Wagoneers before I moved to Nantucket. Now of course I’m obsessed and I want one and I see them everywhere I go, like on these adorable ornaments at Vineyard Vines.

Fun fact: My husband wired these lights at Beauty Counter on the wharf. All I got out of it was him yelling at me when he realized I was buying their lip balm that costs $10 a tube (but seriously, it is the best).

Later we headed down to the Easy Street basin to see the annual Christmas tree floating in a tiny boat. For those of you on my Christmas card list, you may recognize this from our first year on Nantucket, as well as in pretty much any tourist’s photo during the month of December.

It was there we stumbled upon a mother trying to capture a photo of her toddler on her iPhone for a Christmas card that he was having no part of. Molly helped distract him and I snapped a couple shots of him with my Canon and assured his mom that I would send them to her to use for her card. She thanked us by promising to send me a copy and taking the only photo of Molly and I together the entire day.

I told you – craziness. This is literally how the streets look from the time when Santa is about to arrive until people head to their dinner reservations.

Speaking of Santa, he arrives by boat with the Coast Guard, and it led up the wharf by an actual town crier. For those that think I say this in jest, see Exhibit A (above) and Exhibit B (below).

I mean, after all that excitement, where does one go?

To a party in the back of bike shop, of course. (Again, I couldn’t make any of this up.)

And of course, we always take advantage of when our favorite stores that were closed for the season open back up again, so we would make a point to visit Follain any time they opened their doors.

As day turns to night, the island becomes even more of a movie set when you see all the community-decorated trees that line Main Street (and all the people are pretty much gone, either at one of the restaurants that are only open again for the weekend or at fancy holiday parties).

All joking aside, Stroll Weekend is one of the best times to be on the island, if for nothing else than that there doesn’t seem to be anything like it anywhere. I know lots of vacation towns do their own version of a holiday festival, but this one is really unlike anything else I’ve seen in any New England town ever.

I’m so glad that we did this last year, because 2017 is definitely going to be less festive for the Scouras’s. With the move, and me living in America and Steve still coming back and forth from Nantucket, it just doesn’t make sense to get a tree or decorate for the holidays this year when we’re actually trying to pack all of our belongings (don’t even get me started on my Christmas card or lack thereof right now). If you need me, I’ll be reliving all the holiday hubbub with these photos and sustaining myself on the Buddy the Elf diet.

Happy Strolling,

~L

My outfit details:
Old Navy coat [sim] & scarf (mine’s old, but they have some newer colors here)
Nautica jeans [sim] via the Lightship Basket Museum Yard Sale
L.L. Bean socks & boots
The Lovely hat [sim] (I have no idea what brand it is but it came with a second interchangeable pom pom in another hue)
Kate Spade purse & earrings (these are both old but there’s sometimes similar styles at the outlet)

Molly’s outfit:
Primark scarf [sim] (I know because we both bought the same one last year – they don’t have it on their website but I feel like that pattern is everywhere now)
Gap pea coat [sim] (Disclaimer: I lent Molly this jacket because she is from California and therefore doesn’t exactly have a rotating wardrobe of wool coats. I have to tell you that I have had this coat since my freshman year of high school. I still don’t even know how that’s possible)
Hunter boots