Family Traditions

Coming together with family and friends at the beach can create special memories as we all reconnect with each other. For our annual Family Traditions contest, we would like to hear about your favorite adventure or excursion on the Crystal Coast. Share your story about a special place or a new discovery.

We invite all Emerald Isle Realty guests to enter. First prize is a free one-week vacation on Emerald Isle during our Islander or Sports season!

Submission format rules are as follows:

• Tell us your story in an essay format, either printed or as a Word document.
  
• Scrapbooks, calendars or other special items are welcome.
  
• Maximum of 3 photos can be emailed. Limit to 2 MB each or 5 MB total per email submission.
  
• DVD entries can be a maximum of 2 minutes in length and cannot have music.

Submissions can be emailed to summerfun@eirealty.com or mailed to:

2008 Family Traditions Contest
7501 Emerald Drive
Emerald Isle, NC 28594

Deadline is September 1, 2008. By submitting your entry to Emerald Isle Realty's Family Traditions Contest, you acknowledge and agree that text, photos, and all other related material may be used at our discretion including, but not limited to, advertising purposes by Emerald Isle Realty.

Family Traditions Winner

"358 Days and How Many Discussions?"

"You could say it's those tall pine trees that give way before crossing the magnificent bridge over Bogue Sound. It might be those Carolina blue skies that seem to get brighter and the ocean air that gets more aromatic atop that bridge. Conceivably it's the few minutes you stop at the realty office to pick up keys waiting in anticipation to hurry up and get there so you can finally let it all start. Possibly it's the trip to the Food Lion to stock up on food for the week. Or maybe it's that after dinner stroll on the pier, seeing a little girls' face light up with joy as she pulls in a fish no bigger than a dollar bill. Her younger brother would likely argue and say it's the sand crabs he has in his bucket outside. Many people would say it's the rainy day Scrabble games. The early riser may think it's the beauty of the sun rising in the east. The night owl would say it's the big Carolina moon drooping over the ocean. The businessman may relish the fact that all week long he can wear flip flops and shorts. His wife may love the fact that she can finally read that book she hasn't had the time to read. The truth is, none of these would be wrong.

"For me, I don't suppose I have been fortunate enough to pin down exactly what it means. That's not bad news though, on the contrary, I've got 358 days and how many
more discussions to figure it out."

- Steve White
from Carrollton, Texas

Runner-Up:

The 10 McLauren, Schwartz, Dunn, and Bumgarner grandkids from Pennsylvania and North Carolina

Their essay "The Gift of Tradition," honored their grandparents, saying, "We are only together once a year, and when we we are, it's such an amazing feeling knowing that these people are always going to be there for you."

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