Christmas in Florida

You know… Both of us girls at Brides N Blooms Wholesale & Designs have been living here in the Tampa Bay Area for many years. We both are originally from New York, though one of us is from the ‘city’ and the other is from farther northwest into the state.  I have to say that spending a winter in Florida is a culture shock. It’s one that even after all these long years, still makes us shake our heads in wonder.

Here are a few things that will always amuse us:

• Palm trees with christmas lights (this will always make me giggle)
• Big blow up Santa’s on a front lawn that is still green
• Lights that are supposed to resemble ice crystals (Thank goodness they are not real!!)
• Fake snow (We live in Florida to escape the scourge of snow) and then we pay for the opportunity to play in it.
• Boat flotillas all decorated for the holiday (A party in 70 degree weather on a boat is fun, a party on a boat in 20 degree weather is not)
• Christmas ornaments that look like flamingos or gators, or Santa in swim trunks (They are incredibly cute, but still make me raise an eyebrow)

I think we here in the Sunshine State know just how silly we appear to those who are experiencing that traditional “White Christmas”, but the truth is… we don’t care! We love our flip flops and darn it, no Christmas day cold snap is going to make us take them off!

I say, lets revel in our warm air while those up in the northern climates are bundling up! let’s decorate that lawn flamingo with all the lights it can hold! Let’s plant those poinsettias we’ve bought because, yes, they will grow here!

And last but not least, lets leave Santa a little bit of orange juice and a pair of sunglasses when he stops by on Christmas Eve!

Wishing you all, our dear readers, a very happy Holiday Season and a Wonderful New Year!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFhcMIXVNJQ

Boat with christmas lights, palm trees & dolphins too!