MediaWize

The sun. The sand. The surf. All images that remind us of happy times spent with family and friends at the Jersey Shore. Many are drawn to these iconic past times year after year, leading to a housing boom along the coast. While family gatherings and birthdays at the beach bring instant smiles with the thought of buying your own home at the shore, a vacation home creates special considerations, especially for a new buyer. Following are tips for home buyers to consider.

The 2020 Decorated Christmas Homes list has been a community work in process. Families around town have submitted pictures and addresses of their favorites. We urge you to use this story as a guide for exploring the neighborhoods and finding the beautifully decorated homes.

Goldcoast Sotheby’s is pleased to announce the addition of Ryan and Tyler Huck to the Ocean City real estate team. Working full time in real estate since 2015, the Hucks have honed their real estate skills by combining their background in sales with their unwavering knowledge of the Ocean City landscape, as their family is third generation with strong roots in the community, according to a press release. The twin brothers both graduated from Ocean City High School, furthering their rowing careers and education at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, where both served as team-elected captains of the varsity heavyweight rowing program in their senior years.

Santa Claus may have to trade his plush red velvet suit and cap for some heavy duty rain gear on Christmas. A strong storm combining moderate to heavy rain and wind gusts as high as 65 mph will lash the Jersey Shore on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, according to the National Weather Service.

The Annual Military Options Night will take place virtually on Jan. 7 at 6 p.m. for Ocean City High School students and anyone else interested.

Even though the Ocean City Historical Museum is closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still a way to get the perfect gifts for the history buffs in your life. Mrs. Claus’ Market has gifts available for last-minute shoppers. People may purchase gifts by walking up to the museum store Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside the Ocean City Community Center at 1735 Simpson Ave.

Join the Ocean City Free Public Library to celebrate the contribution of the Beatles to popular music. This virtual series will be held Wednesdays on Jan. 13, 20 and 27 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The program is being presented by Liverpool native, Paul Groom, who accompanied the rise, success and separation of the Beatles. Details follow on how to register.

We are asking our readers to help us add decorated homes to our list. Please submit the addresses of your favorite decorated homes by Wednesday, December 23. Christmas lights, no matter how big or small, will still be enjoyed by one and all! Please consider submitting your home. The more homes that participate give families an opportunity to spend more quality time together this holiday season...

Mayor Jay Gillian is throwing his support behind the Ocean City Board of Education's "call to action" plan for the holidays. The district is hoping to return to full-time, in-school learning by Feb. 1. In the meantime, the Board of Education wants everyone to be safe over the holidays by avoiding large gatherings, continuing to wear a mask and practicing social distancing. "I fully support this initiative and want to join the district in urging everybody to follow safe holiday behavior. The kids need to be back in school, and we all can help them get there by slowing the spread of the virus," the mayor said Friday in his weekly message to the public. His entire message follows.

A fire broke out Thursday night that left an Ocean City vacation home badly damaged at 42nd Street and Asbury Avenue. There were no injuries reported, according to a city press release. At about 8:34 p.m., the Ocean City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 4256 Asbury Ave. The owners of the vacation home were in town but not inside the residence at the time of the fire, the release said.