TIS THE SEASON...

Happy December! I am writing to you all snuggled up in a fuzzy blanket on my couch. It's 70 degrees outside, and we have the windows open to let some air in, so it's a little chilly in here... brrrr...

Just kidding. I've never felt more comfortable in December than I do right now. Not trying to rub it in your northern faces. My mind is just completely boggled that it feels like New Jersey's early September weather, and it's the Christmas season. I am completely thrown off by the entire thing. It feels like time stopped for me when I moved down here in September, and it kept going for the rest of you. I'm not complaining by any means. It is just very, very strange and doesn't feel like the holiday season at ALL.

For example, I was sitting in my car on my break at work a few days ago, windows rolled down, listening to Christmas music, bright blue sky and palm trees around me. And then, the radio station said, "Tis the season for shorts, sandals, and Christmas stockings! Sunny 107.9, your South Florida Christmas music station!"...

REALLY, FLORIDA?! REALLY?!?!?!

One thing I will say is they try very hard to make it feel Christmas-y here. Some of the lights I've seen are incredible. There is a section of town that has several entrances with pillars and walls, and every entrance is lit up with amazing lights and glitter. Plus, walking into Kristin's house is like walking in to my mom's house at Christmas time.

Christmas explosion.

Christmas EVERYWHERE.

She likes to start decorating for Christmas WAY early, which I normally do not advocate. However, I realized when I walked in on Thanksgiving that I was actually grateful for the Christmas explosion, because it made me feel like it really was the holiday season.

Her house looks like it is a Pottery Barn display, by the way. And she has cinnamon candles going during the winter, so it even smells like Christmas. LOOK:

See? That is a sample of Christmas time in Florida.

P.S. That is not a real fire. People in Florida don't light fires. Let's not be silly...

Anyway, Eric and I went over there for Thanksgiving, which was so much fun. Thank god we weren't left sitting home alone. Both Kristin's and Ben's families came over, there was a TON of delicious food, and everyone had a good time. It was sad and weird being away from our families on a big holiday, but it was actually pretty cool to join in someone else's tradition.

I even made my own cranberry sauce to contribute ;) IT WASN'T BAD. I swear.

Cranberry sauce in the morning

Carving the turkey

Table that looks straight out of a Pottery Barn catalogue. Seriously.

Green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, maple and brown sugar carrots, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes (with marshmallows! My favorite), and stuffing

Thanksgiving with my adopted Florida family! Minus Eric, the talented photographer :P

So you see, there are pros and cons to living here. On the plus side, I don't think I will ever be uncomfortably cold. Although the other night and morning it was 45 degrees... but that still isn't chill-you-to-the-bone cold. That's just LEATHER JACKET WEATHER! On the other hand, the cold is part of what makes it feel like the holidays. When the seasons change, it feels like time is moving and new things are coming. You associate different temperatures and scenery with different feelings and events, like how I associate falling leaves and leather jackets with magic and Halloween, or how I associate the cold and the smell of fireplaces burning with Christmas. It just feels plain wrong to be picking pumpkins and looking at Christmas lights STILL wearing the same t-shirts I was wearing in July. I'm supposed to be freezing my ass off when I do these things.

But, you know, this is one of the main reasons I was excited to live here. Warmth year-round. I'm happy to get out of bed every day, even on the worst days. I think I will find that I am able to feel the Christmas spirit here, even if it is 70 degrees outside. I just need to go Christmas CRAZY with decorations and Christmas music all the time. And I will just have to accept that "tis the season for shorts, sandals, and Christmas stockings"... :)