Merry Christmas from Florida

Last night my Aunt and I went on a ride to enjoy the Christmas lights. We don't have snow or evergreens in our yards but that does not mean we don't have great a Christmas season. People use lights and yard displays to announce the holiday. It is interesting to see the different ways to use those Wal-Mart blow up characters on the yards and roof tops. We had great fun going from one side of town to the other comparing the lights and displays.

Christmas in Florida means lots of cars with different tags who have come to escape the cold. The farther north they come from the less clothes they wear because they think it is summer here. I have even seen Canadians swimming in 70 degree weather and we locals were wearing sweaters. That is part of the fun of Christmas in Florida.

The Christmas dinner fare here also has seafood as part of the yummy spread. Most of the time it is shrimp fresh from the Gulf. That will beat turkey any day in my book. Instead of sitting around a table laden with mashed potatoes, gravy and the like, we might be standing around the grill watching the steaks, chicken and hamburgers cook. Some of us still do the northern traditions with turkey and ham but a lot don't.

Tons of people spend their Christmas at Disney World. This time of year Disney is dressed to the hilt for the season. The parades are more fabulous than ever and it becomes a wonderland that even Santa would envy. A Disney Christmas is everything any child or inner child could ever want to experience.

Then there are those fine people in Key West who are laid back at Margaritaville or one of the other bars sipping the libation of the day and singing Christmas songs. Those Westies know how to party. They end the day down on the Malory Street pier and have a great sunset celebration.

If you get tired of snow and turkey, try a Florida Christmas it will get you through until summer appears. May the joy of the season be with you and your family where ever you may find yourself this season. In all the commercialism of Christmas please don't forget the real reason we celebrate. It is all about the baby that was born in a place where they had no Disney or shrimp who came to save us all. Merry Chirstmas!