Anna Maria Island is divine over Christmas and the New Year. The quaint little streets are lined with houses displaying festive lights and strolling around in the quiet of the evenings admiring them is definitely addictive. Traverse the length of the island by car and you can see that the islanders really love the holidays. The restaurants have Christmas fare on the menus and the carol service down at the clock tower on Bradenton Beach is definitely not to be missed. It is evocative of gentler times gone by and a nostalgic reminder of the simpler life we lived in our youth. If you want to party then the mainland is just a short drive away with its fancy restaurants, nightclubs, theatres and other glitzy pleasures. Florida at Christmas is not to be missed!