Deck the Halls!

Christmas Tree with Colored Lights
Tequesta, FL
November 20, 2022

The days have become cooler here, in the 70s. That made Chris and I realize that when we return from our trip north to celebrate Thanksgiving, it will be just weeks before Christmas. 

Christmas Tree with White Lights
Tequesta, FL
November 20, 2022

In keeping with the season of goodwill, I relented yesterday and fetched the Christmas decorations from the storage room, saying goodbye to Elmer, my large turkey and the rest of our Thanksgiving decorations. 

The house has been Christmasfied. 

Yes, the Christmas decorations are up in the house before Thanksgiving, but that means we will be in the spirit when we return from our trip to the frozen northern wastelands. The transformation has taken two trips to the storage room and had caused the garage to become cluttered. And then there was the new tree that had to be purchased as we disposed of our old ones when we moved believing that we would not have a tree in Florida--I knew that was a dream, but our trees were old and shedding more needles than a real tree does at the end of the season.

Nativity Scene in TV Stand
Tequesta, FL
November 19, 2022

It was hard to find a Christmas tree that was not pre-lit! We have lights and we have really cool lights that we can set to white, color, or have them switch between color and white. 

The decor has changed in the house from our preferred coastal to a more traditional Christmas scene and all of the wall hangings were swapped out for the Christmas theme. Even Chris felt that we had brought our home from Maryland south when we finished late yesterday. 

I am usually a stickler for the display of seasonal decorations. Halloween cannot be displayed before October and precisely on November 1st, the Thanksgiving decorations replace Halloween. Following that Christmas must not appear before Thanksgiving; however, this year is a special case and my guidelines needed to be adapted to the situation.

Tomorrow the trip north begins! It is 28 degrees there this morning and we will certainly be in the frozen Christmas spirit when we arrive! Did I mention that it is 75 degrees here this morning?

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL