Fort Clinch Jollification

Bruce and Jane Marie

Once again, we enjoyed the Jollification of Fort Clinch, here on Amelia Island, Florida.  The now annual Christmas celebration was postponed last year from mid-December to January 2016 over concern the high winds might spark a fire from the big bonfire on the parade ground, or the lanterns and candles lighting the fort. Entrance fees were waived in lieu of one canned good per person for the local food pantry.

popcorn and paper cones

The fort's store with candy and handmade items for sale, the prison, complete with a drunkard behind bars asking for food, the bunks with reenactors'/soldiers' gear strewn about in semi-orderly fashion, 1,200 cookies and hot cocoa for the visitors and a fife playing in the dark of night, carried us all back to 1864.

My husband, Bruce, and I were greeters at the fort's entrance, wearing our version of 1864 costumes, that looked suspiciously like our Victorian garb, sans my picture hat, recently worn for the Dickens on Centre Street event here in December, last, as well. (If you love history, our island is proud to share it with everyone.) 

I took the photos below with a flash in order to make out the images in the dark.

Note the handpainted checker board

 

This soldier told me the gold decoration on the front of his uniform shows he is a musician and not carrying a weapon.

Fort Clinch, at night, is a dark place...

 

 

 

PS A reenactor said the term jollification goes back to 1810 and means, simply, celebration and merriment of any sort. It isn't just for Christmas.