Feeling Festive in Frigid Florida

If you don't live someplace where it's warm year-round, you may not realize that cold weather plays a huge part in feeling the Christmas spirit. So many of the holiday carols sing about white Christmases, "frightful" weather, and Jack Frost nipping at your nose, and when you hear those same songs in 72-degree sunshine, it just seems silly to be listening to Christmas music at all. It just doesn't fit.

Every year I struggle with finding the holiday feeling, and I often find it in spurts, such as when we went to the church's Hanging of the Greens service or when I attended A Quiet Evening or when it has actually been cold here as it has the last couple of days. I know it seems ridiculous for me to talk about our 40-degree nights when most of you are enduring much-much colder temperatures, but we are loving the sweater weather and it's a hoot to see people bundled up with hats, Uggs and gloves when it's (balmy, for you) 55 on the thermometer. Yet, all of that helps each of us to feel like we're a part of winter and a part of the holiday season.

We took advantage of the colder temperatures the other night and took Adam to Bass Pro Shop Santa's Wonderland to see the Jolly Guy. He was much more fascinated at looking at Santa, but he certainly wasn't afraid of him. There was also a huge stone fireplace, beautiful Christmas tree, and deer-pulled sleigh in the lobby and we had fun taking tons of holiday photos. Here are some of our holiday cheer:

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!!