Hilton Head Living

A sleigh full of ideas for the perfect present.

A good book makes a great holiday present, and a book by a local author or one that that highlights the Lowcountry is even better. This holiday, give a friend or loved one the gift of an engaging read.

THE LEAL FAMILY CHRISTMAS TREE IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST THE ORNAMENTS. IT’S THE STORY THOSE ORNAMENTS TELL. 

At Apollo Cards & Gifts in Totowa, N.J., there were few bigger days in the mid 1980s than the one Saturday each year when the latest Hallmark Keepsake ornaments would make their debut.

And on these Saturdays, there was no one more excited than Guillermo “Willie” Leal, the man they called the Hallmark Wizard.

WITH THE PANDEMIC PUTTING US IN A NEW LOCAL FRAME OF MIND, THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO BROWSE GIFTED HILTON HEAD’S AWARD-WINNING SELECTION.

It goes without saying that this has been an unusual year. In a year where so much has changed, and uncertainty still looms large, it’s nice to be able to count on some things never changing.

The sun will rise tomorrow. The tide will ebb and flow in the same rhythm it has for ages. And as long as there is a “Favorite Gift Store” category in the Readers’ Choice Awards, the win will probably go to Gifted Hilton Head.

HOST A LOWCOUNTRY TRADITION AT HOME

Nothing says fall in the Lowcountry like a wood fire and a table full of freshly steamed oysters.

Guests take advantage of our brief cold weather to enjoy shucking local clusters with good conversations and maybe a little bit of football. This year is different than any other, but an oyster roast might be the best way to dine outdoors with a few select people, taking measures to protect guests from infection.

Funds provide needed upgrades at Waddell Mariculture Center

Both the human researchers at Bluffton’s Waddell Mariculture Research and Development Center and their charges — important fish species native to Port Royal Sound — are now safer and more comfortable, thanks to a series of renovations and upgrades nearing completion.

The changes include everything from shoring up a crumbling concrete second-story office floor, to the installment of new climate-control and filtration systems that allows the facility to more safely and efficiently raise fish at its indoor hatchery.

SPREAD SOME CHEER THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Make each one on your list happy.

REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THE LOWCOUNTRY YOUR RETIREMENT HOME

More than 10,000 people reach retirement age each day in the U.S. and that number is only expected to grow over the next two decades. But not all retirements are created equal.

The South Carolina Lowcountry has become one of the leading retirement destinations not just for its beauty, but because the region fosters an evolved view of senior life – a next chapter filled with new adventures and opportunity that makes many of the “junior” residents envious of the lifestyle.

ISLAND GIRL • QUIET STORM • COCOON •  J. COSTELLO GALLERY

PHOTOS BY GUIDO FLUECK | MAKEUP BY HEATHER EDGE