Christmas in Florida – Merry Christmas under palm trees
Florida and Christmas is like summer vacation and snow? Far from it. Even if the Christmas lights here are hung over palm trees rather than fir trees, it is still very Christmassy in the Sunshine State. Especially when evening falls and the lights come on, the Christmas spirit comes alive. Because the sea of lights in some places is a sight to behold. And a boat parade is very special.
More fairy lights than in Germany
Taste or not, there is something to it – most of the time. People hang up to a quarter of a million fairy lights over their own gardens. Inflatable Santas, snowmen, reindeer and entire nativity scenes are set up in front gardens. During the day, the poor things lie collapsed on the lawn waiting for the next night. There is a lot of kitsch when it comes to Christmas decorations, but every now and then there is also a stylish decoration. Just like here, the houses are lit up with fairy lights from the end of November.
This is the time of Thanksgiving, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November and is probably the most important holiday for Americans. This is when families come together to celebrate a big feast. In Florida, the Christmas tree has its raison d’être long before the festive season. It often shines in living rooms throughout Advent. And it is not a palm tree, but a fir with much denser needles than the domestic selection in Germany. It is also said to be prepared, so much so that it no longer even burns.
Pre-Christmas season with summer temperatures
Unfortunately, you have to do without the stuffed boots on December 6 in Florida, because Santa Claus simply doesn’t exist here. Instead, the “Holiday Boat Parades” take place in the towns on the waterfront during the Advent season. The festively decorated boat parades sometimes attract tens of thousands of visitors. It is also still customary here to send Christmas cards to relatives who are often far away. There can be quite a long wait at the post office before it’s your turn.
Merry (short) Christmas
For Americans, “Christmas Eve” on December 24 does not play such a big role. People are often still at work. People traditionally go to church on Christmas Eve. Church services are also held at dusk on the beaches. This is followed by a communal dinner.
December 25 is Christmas Day and therefore the actual Christmas Day. This is also where presents are given – not by the Christ Child and not by Santa Claus. The welcome gift-giver is called Santa Claus and comes down the chimney overnight, which hardly anyone in Florida has. He fills the previously hung stockings, i.e. socks, with presents.
An old custom is for children to put a glass of milk and cookies in the living room for the old man the evening before. In the evening, the typical Christmas dinner is turkey, just like Thanksgiving dinner. Christmas Day is one of the official holidays in the USA. This means that stores, restaurants and parks are closed on December 25. On December 26, everything is already over because there is no second Christmas Day.
Amazing Christmas show with 150,000 lights
We saw this Christmas show from Planet Monkman in Cape Coral. The facts: One hour music show with 150,000 lights powered by a 22 mile power line. Amazing!