I’ve lived in Winter Garden from the age of 8 and back then, it was just a little podunk town with a railroad track and the scent of orange blossoms in the air. My dad has always worked at Disney and back then, the drive through the backroads took one through orange groves and, if you were early enough, families of deer watched you pass.

Now, Winter Garden is a bustling village centre with restaurants and shops, museums and bars. It’s a destination worth a drive. In the very centre is a fountain with bench swings complete with climbing vines and sunshine galore. But at Christmas? The fountain is transformed into the town tree. And this is where we find baby Amara showing off her first Christmas dress, accessorized with a sparkling smile.

The photos //